Nellie Andreeva

A&E Television Networks has appointed new heads of programming for its top 3 nets: Lifetime, A&E and History, all coming from within the company.

A&E Network’s SVP programming Robert Sharenow will be moving to Lifetime where he will serve as EVP programming. He succeeds JoAnn Alfano, who recently left the women-centered cable network. It is interesting to see a man in the top Lifetime programming position traditionally occupied by women. But then his new boss, Lifetime and History president Nancy Dubuc, has been behind the rise of testosterone-heavy History. At A&E, Sharenow oversaw the development and creation of all of the network’s non-fiction programming, including the network’s signature real-life series, as well as original program development for the BIO Channel.

David McKillop, SVP development and programming for History, will now become EVP programming for A&E, reporting to Bob DeBitetto, president of A&E Network and BIO. At History, McKillop has overseen the network’s programming team since 2007.

And Dirk Hoogstra, VP development and programming at History, has been upped to SVP programming for the channel. Like Sharenow, he will report to Dubuc. Hoogstra has held the VP position at History since 2007.

“These three executives exemplify the incredible bench strength we have within AETN,” Dubuc  and DeBitetto said. “Over the last three years, each of them has played a key role in the double digit growth of our portfolio of brands.”

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