A&E
A&E was a German-language pay-TV channel offering factual, documentary and reality programming from 2014 until its replacement by Crime + Investigation in 2019.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
A&E was a German-language pay-television channel serving Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It was introduced by A+E Networks Germany on 22 September 2014, replacing The Biography Channel across the German-speaking market. Although it shared the A&E name with the better-known American television network, this entry refers specifically to the German-market channel and not to the United States service or other businesses using the initials. The channel was headquartered in Munich and operated within the German-speaking activities associated with A+E Networks. Its name derived from “Arts and Entertainment,” the same expression historically associated with the American A&E Network. In Germany, however, the brand functioned as a localized pay-TV service whose programming was assembled by A+E Networks Germany. Its output combined synchronized productions from the American A&E service, German programming supplied by ZDF and content from other providers. A&E’s editorial proposition centered on real-life stories and extraordinary protagonists. Its principal programming areas were crime, deals, family and paranormal subjects, supplemented by biographies, documentaries, lifestyle-oriented factual entertainment and other reality formats. The schedule included individual programs, recurring weekly thematic blocks and series. The service therefore occupied the factual-entertainment segment of the German pay-TV market rather than operating as a general-interest entertainment channel. A&E was distributed throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The channel’s German-speaking operation was connected with a joint venture involving NBCUniversal Global Networks Deutschland GmbH and A+E Networks, while the A&E name was registered as a trademark of The History Channel (Germany) GmbH & Co. KG. These relationships placed the channel within the broader portfolio of international factual and history-oriented television services managed in the region. The A&E identity was discontinued on 29 June 2019. On that date, the channel was replaced by Crime + Investigation, reflecting a sharper emphasis on crime and investigative factual programming. The rebrand ended A&E’s operation as a standalone German-language channel name, although the underlying distribution footprint and factual-programming business continued under the successor brand.
History
A&E was created as a German-market pay-TV channel by A+E Networks Germany. The service entered the German-speaking television market on 22 September 2014, when it replaced The Biography Channel on all of that channel’s distribution platforms. Its coverage extended across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, making it a regional German-language service rather than a channel limited to Germany alone. The A&E name referenced “Arts and Entertainment,” the title associated for many years with the American A&E Network. The German channel shared the international brand identity but had its own market role and programming operation. A+E Networks Germany compiled the schedule for local viewers, combining synchronized productions from the American counterpart with German programs supplied by ZDF and material from other content providers. Editorially, the channel focused on real-life documentaries about unusual people and events. Crime, deals, family and paranormal subjects formed its four stated core genres. The schedule also included biographies, factual series, reality-oriented entertainment, individual documentary programs and recurring thematic programming. This mix positioned A&E within the factual and non-fiction segment of subscription television, with a programming strategy designed for German-speaking audiences while retaining access to international A+E content. The channel was headquartered in Munich. Its regional operating structure was associated with a joint venture between NBCUniversal Global Networks Deutschland GmbH and A+E Networks. The A&E mark was registered to The History Channel (Germany) GmbH & Co. KG, linking the service legally and commercially to the group’s German factual-television portfolio. A&E’s use as a German channel brand ended on 29 June 2019. Broadcasting under the A&E name ceased, and the service was replaced by Crime + Investigation. The change concentrated the channel’s identity around crime and investigative factual programming. Consequently, A&E is best understood as a former German-language channel brand whose distribution operation continued in a rebranded form rather than as a currently active television service.
Products and positioning
A German-speaking premium factual-entertainment channel focused on real-life stories, extraordinary protagonists, crime, deals, family and paranormal subjects.
Pay television channel · 2014
A&E Germany
A German-language factual-entertainment pay-TV channel available in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Its schedule was assembled by A+E Networks Germany and included synchronized programs from the American A&E service, German programming from ZDF and content from other suppliers. Core subjects included crime, deals, family and paranormal stories, alongside biographies, documentaries and reality-oriented factual entertainment.
Brand decisions
2019
Rebrand the service as Crime + InvestigationGeneration changeBackground
A+E Networks Germany moved the channel identity toward a more focused crime and investigative programming proposition.
Action taken
A&E stopped broadcasting on 29 June 2019 and was replaced by Crime + Investigation.
Aftermath
The A&E name disappeared from the German-speaking channel lineup, while the service continued under the successor brand.
2014
Replace The Biography Channel with A&EProduct launchBackground
A+E Networks Germany sought to operate a broader factual-entertainment service in the German-speaking pay-TV market.
Action taken
The company launched A&E on 22 September 2014 across the distribution channels previously used by The Biography Channel.
Aftermath
The German-speaking market received a channel combining biography, documentary, reality and other factual programming under the A&E identity.
Recent events
A+E Networks launches Voices Magnified campaign[2]
A+E Networks launched Voices Magnified, a cross-platform campaign intended to spotlight people working for change in their communities. The initiative includes specials and short-form videos addressing social issues.
Sources2 sources
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