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Highlights of a Lifetime

Apr 12, 2004  •  Post A Comment

February 1984
Lifetime created by merger of Daytime and Cable Health Network, a joint venture of The Hearst Corp., ABC and Viacom
April 1984
Tom Burchill named president and CEO, Lifetime Television
July 1990
First original movie, “Memories of Murder”
February 1993
Doug McCormick succeeds Mr. Burchill as president and CEO, Lifetime Television
April 1993
Lifetime partners with the Ms. Foundation to launch the first “Take Our Daughters to Work Day”
September 1993
Network receives its first Emmy Award, for Mary Tyler Moore’s performance in “Stolen Babies”
March 1994
Viacom sells its interest, making Lifetime a 50/50 joint venture between Hearst Corp. and Cap Cities/ABC Inc.
January 1995
Christened “Television for Women”
September 1995
“Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story” garners record ratings and an Emmy nomination for Sela Ward
October 1995
Annual campaign launched to raise awareness of breast cancer
March 1996
“Intimate Portrait” profiles Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, becomes weekly series
April 1996
Lifetime Online launches (www.lifetimetv.com)
March 1997
“Intimate Portrait” begins airing weeknights and profiles such luminaries as Madeleine Albright.
June 1998
Lifetime Movie Network premieres
August 1998
“Any Day Now,” a one-hour weekly drama about race and friendship, debuts
September 1998
“Caring for Kids” campaign launches to promote childcare
March 1999
Carole Black joins Lifetime Entertainment Services as president and CEO
August 1999
Debut of “Beyond Chance,” a series based on true stories and hosted by Melissa Etheridge
January 2000
“Our Lifetime Commitment: Every Woman Counts” campaign launches to inform women on election issues
May 2000
Beginning of “Our Lifetime Commitment: Be Your Own Hero” campaign to empower women and girls
July 2000
“Strong Medicine” joins “Any Day Now” and “Beyond Chance” to create the net’s first original programming block on Sunday nights
October 2000
Lifetime teams with Marie Claire magazine for first “Women Rock! Girls & Guitars” as part of ongoing public affairs campaign “Our Lifetime Commitment: Stop Breast Cancer for Life”
January 2001
“The Division” launches, becomes Lifetime’s highest-rated premiere ever
New Sunday night lineup, “The Division,” “Strong Medicine” and “Any Day Now,” are the three top-rated original dramas on basic cable
February 2001
Receives top honor for diversity in programming from the National Hispanic Media Coalition
April 2001
100th Lifetime Original Movie “Midwives” stars Academy Award winner Sissy Spacek
August 2001
Lifetime Real Women, a 24-hour cable network, launches with reality programming from a woman’s point of view
January 2002
Network ranks No. 1 in prime time among all basic-cable networks for 2001
February 2002
“Our Lifetime Commitment: Stop Violence Against Women,” the network’s first comprehensive campaign, launches to break the cycle of violence against women
March 2002
Lifetime launches “Stop Violence Week in Washington,” bringing together families directly affected by violence for a congressional briefing
May 2002
Lifetime Television ranks No. 1 in prime time for basic-cable networks during May sweeps
June 2002
Barbara Fisher named executive VP, entertainment, Lifetime Entertainment Services
November 2002
Lifetime Movie Network surpasses the 35-million-household mark
January 2003
“Final Justice,” hosted by Erin Brockovich, becomes Lifetime’s most-watched original reality premiere ever

March 2003
Lifetime calls for passage of DNA Sexual Assault Justice Act of 2003, presenting nearly 80,000 signatures to Congress
April 2003
Lifetime magazine launches in joint venture between Hearst and The Walt Disney Co.
May 2003
First “Lifetime’s Achievement Awards: Women Changing the World,” a 90-minute special hosted by Naomi Judd
June 2003
“The Golden Girls: Their Greatest Memories” is the highest-rated Lifetime special ever
August 2003
“1-800 Missing” is the most-watched premiere in Lifetime’s history
Lifetime Wins Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Governors Award for “Stop Violence Against Women” initiative.
October 2003
President George W. Bush recognizes “Our Lifetime Commitment: Stop Violence Against Women” campaign at a White House ceremony
January 2004
Teams with “Good Morning America” and Dartmouth College to hold Democratic Presidential Candidates Forum on issues critical to women
February 2004
Presents Congress with 7 million signatures in petition to ban “drive-through mastectomies”