 | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | New York City,United States |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Picture format | 1080iHDTV (downscaled toletterboxed480i for theSDTV feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | AMC Networks |
| Sister channels | AMC BBC America IFC Sundance TV |
| History | |
| Launched | September 1, 1997; 28 years ago (1997-09-01) |
| Former names | Romance Classics (1997–2000) WE: Women's Entertainment (2000–2006) |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Service(s) | Philo,Sling TV,YouTube TV |
We TV is an American cable television channel owned byAMC Networks. The channel primarily airs lifestyle and entertainment programming targeting women, includingreality television programs and acquired series.
The channel originally launched on September 1, 1997 asRomance Classics, a spin-off ofAMC focusing primarily onromance films. It first adopted its current branding on January 1, 2001, pivoting to a general entertainment format targeting women. Later shifts in its programming have included a focus on reality series, and programming targetingAfrican American women.
As of November 2023[update], We TV is available to approximately 64,000,000 pay television households in the United States-down from its 2017 peak of 87,000,000 households.[1]
Romance Classics launched on September 1, 1997, under the ownership of what was then theCablevision Systems Corporation-controlled Rainbow Media. It was originally amovie channel focusing mostly on romantic dramas and comedies, and televisionminiseries. Similar to the original format ofAMC, the channel initially broadcast its films commercial-free.[2] On January 1, 2001, the network was relaunched asWE: Women's Entertainment, taking on an ad-supported general entertainment format. By 2006, the network's name was shortened toWE tv.[3]
WE's programming would shift towardsreality shows as the decade progressed. In addition to general fare (likeSecret Lives of Women), the network became known for airing several shows related to weddings (such asBridezillas,Big Easy Brides andMy Fair Wedding with David Tutera).[4] On August 18, 2009, Rainbow launched a sister network calledWedding Central; the channel would last less than two years before it was closed on July 1, 2011.
In January 2011, We TV confirmed that it had signedToni Braxton for a reality series, entitledBraxton Family Values, which is marketed as one of the flagship shows. The network was given a new logo and branding ahead of the show's launch, with the tagline "Life As WE Know It".[5]
In March 2012, the network ordered 14 episodes ofKendra on Top; a reality show following the lives ofKendra Wilkinson andHank Baskett, who previously appeared in theE! reality seriesKendra. Kendra said the show focuses on "motherhood, parenthood, and wife hood".[6]Kendra On Top premiered on June 5, 2012.[7]
In June 2014, We TV unveiled a new logo and branding by Eloisa Iturbe; AMC Networks president Marc Juris explained that while We TV was to remain "a leading destination for women on television and online", the goal of the new branding was to broaden the focus on the word "we" as representing shared experiences, describing it as "a powerful and universal theme which drives connection, conversation, collaboration and community". In promotional usage, the new wordmark was shownunderlined within other words and phrases containing the letters "we", such as "Powerful" and "Tweet It".[8]
During this period, the network attempted a move into scripted series.The Divide, which was originally pitched for AMC, was cancelled after a single season.[9][10] Its second series,South of Hell, wasburned off as aBlack Friday programming stunt, with all episodes premiering as a marathon on November 27, 2015.[11][12]
In 2018, We TV premieredLove After Lockup, a reality show following relationships formed by singles who had been recently released from prison. Benefitting fromword of mouth via fans onsocial media,Love After Lockup was one of the fastest-growing, newly-launched reality series on cable that year, became We TV's second-highest rated series among women 25–54 behindMarriage Boot Camp, while the show and its spinoffLife After Lockup helped make We TV the highest-rated cable network amongAfrican American women 25–54 on Friday nights in 2019.[13]
In December 2020,Urban Movie Channel (now Allblk) head Brett Dismuke became the general manager of both We TV and UMC, with plans to increase the synergies between the two services amid internal consolidations at AMC Networks, and ratings successes at the channel among African American audiences.[14]
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