Lifetime Television, with the newest tagline, “My story is on Lifetime,” touted itself as “Television for women” for many year, amid advertisements for skin cream, diapers, household cleaning products, feminine hygiene products, and not a single beer or car commercial in sight – all commercials they assume appeal to the ‘average’ woman.
What is it exactly that captivates the female viewers to this network station?
Well, it’s definitely not the realistic and compelling plots and acting in the made for TV dramas. Often I have found myself watching a Lifetime Television made for TV drama and laughing, saying, “Oh, right, like that would really happen.” With B grade actresses and actors, perhaps the reason Lifetime Television can make so many movies each year is because they cut costs in paying acting salaries.
Yet, still we watch. At least, I know I do. I don’t know what it is about Lifetime Television movies that compel me to watch, but they do. Interestingly enough, every man I’ve known will watch with me, if I ask them to, and they like the movies… though I doubt I could get them to admit that in public.
The ones I think that draw the most attention though, at least for me, are the real life movie adaptations. Those ‘based on actual events’, ‘dramatized’ for effect stories draw us in and keep us watching. Why? Perhaps because we all need to know that as tough as life can get sometimes, there’s always someone out there who has had it worse. Or maybe it’s because we like to see the happy ending, good triumph over evil, a woman strong and in control in the end.
Whatever it is, Lifetime Television, according to its founding partner, the Hearst Corporation is, “LIFETIME is the #1 cable television network in primetime and the leader in women’s television.” (SOURCE)
Also according to Hearst Corporation, Lifetime Television, “is dedicated to using the power of the media to make a positive difference in the lives of women. In partnership with more than 200 leading nonprofit organizations and opinion leaders, Lifetime works to inform and support women on a range of issues. The network’s award-winning public affairs initiatives, Our Lifetime Commitment, include working to Stop Violence Against Women; inspiring women and girls to Be Your Own Hero; fighting to Stop Breast Cancer for Life; promoting the importance of Caring for Kids; and providing women with helpful resources throughout the Network’s programming.
Maybe it is this commitment to social responsible that has contributed to the success of Lifetime Television. At any rate, Lifetime Television was established in 1984, as a cable television network, and as of today, is broadcast to over 86 million homes.
With its increasing popularity, Lifetime Television launched another project, the Lifetime Movie Network, in 1998, featuring the popular Lifetime Television style movies, 24-hours a day, 7 days per week. Shortly thereafter, in 2001, Lifetime Real Women launched, featuring what Hearst Corporation claims is, “true-to-life programming told from a woman’s point of view.” Lifetime Real Women is apparently Lifetime Television’s answer to the increasing popularity of reality television as a whole.
Currently, Lifetime Television, in addition to its Lifetime Original Movies, also shows novel adaptations of popular romance and women’s crime and suspense novels. Also, Lifetime Television offers a variety of syndicated re-runs of sitcoms popular with their female viewer base, including: The Nanny, Frasier, Will & Grace, Still Standing, Reba, and The Golden Girls.
But sitcoms are not their only non-movie offerings. Recently, Lifetime Television offers its own original drama series as well, including: Strong Medicine, Intimate Portrait, and one of their recent additions, Angela’s Eyes.
Other shows that have been or will be featured on Lifetime Television include: Angela’s Eyes, Cheerleader Nation, Denise Austin, Designing Women, Desperate Housewives, Mad About You, Golden Palace , How Clean Is Your House? , “I Do” Diaries, Lisa Williams, Lovespring International, Medium, MISSING, Off the Leash, Unsolved Mysteries, and Weddings.
Clearly, the majority of these shows indeed cater to the female viewer more than males, but Lifetime Television recently decided to drop their “Television for women” tagline, and have replaced it with, “My story is on Lifetime.” Whether this was a move to make Lifetime Television more welcoming to a broader viewer base or if it was to make the network seem more friendly, human, and personal is unclear, as I could find no compelling reason listed anywhere as to why they made this change.
Lifetime Television is not just on the TV set anymore, either. LifetimeTV.com is the home page for Lifetime Television, and features information, the television lineup and schedule, behind the scenes information on shows, games, fun stuff, and more.
Bad acting aside, Lifetime Television does indeed provide interesting, amusing, and often interesting viewing options, along with a social conscience. What more could one ask for in television programming?
All in all, Lifetime Television gets two thumbs up from this viewer.
