Disney exits A+E as Hearst takes full control in $1.2 billion deal

Hearst agreed to buy Disney’s 50% interest in A+E Global Media for about $1.2 billion in cash, giving the privately held media company full ownership of a cable and content business built around A&E Network, History and Lifetime.

The transaction, announced Aug. 4, was expected to close in September, subject to customary closing conditions. Once it is completed, A+E Global Media will become a wholly owned Hearst business and sit inside Hearst’s Entertainment & Syndication group.

The sale gives Disney an exit from one of the older joint ventures in its portfolio at a time when the company has been leaning harder into streaming, sports and franchise-driven entertainment. For Hearst, it consolidates control over a property that still carries value in linear television, digital distribution and licensing, even as the old pay-TV bundle continues to shrink.

The deal also reflects a longer unwind. In July 2025, Disney and Hearst were exploring a potential sale of A+E Global Media and had brought in Wells Fargo to handle the process. By July 2026, Disney was preparing to sell its stake, setting up the agreement now in place.

A+E Global Media has long been one of the recognizable brands left from the cable era, with channels that once depended on broad distribution through pay TV. That model has been under pressure for years as streaming services pull viewing away from cable, cord-cutting accelerates and advertising shifts follow audiences into digital platforms.

Hearst’s deeper commitment to the business suggests the company still sees room for established channels and libraries to generate cash, even if the growth profile is far different from a decade ago. Paul Buccieri, who was named president of A+E Networks Group in July 2018, has been tied to the operation for years as Hearst maintained its role in the venture.

The cash sale gives Disney a cleaner balance sheet for redeploying capital, while Hearst gains flexibility over programming, operations and investment decisions that were previously shared. In an industry where many cable assets are being unwound or reshaped, the $1.2 billion price tag shows there is still a market for legacy television brands, even if that market now looks more selective than structural.