Heather Webster

SVP, Content & Creative

A+E Networks UK

Heather Jones was appointed VP Programming for A+E Networks UK, a joint venture between global media content company A+E Networks and BSkyB, in July 2013.

She is responsible for commissions, acquisitions, schedules and research and insight for all of the A+E Networks UK portfolio of channel brands: HISTORY®, Crime + Investigation Network®, H2® and new entertainment channel Lifetime®, which Heather helped launch in the UK in November 2013 and in South Africa in July 2014.

Over the past 12 months the A+E Networks UK portfolio of channels has delivered 21% growth in prime time, year on year, making it the fastest-growing channel group in the UK.*

Previously, Heather was consulting for a number of British and International broadcasters including RTE, MTV and UKTV. She was also part of the team that put together the London8 bid for the London local TV franchise.

In 2011, Heather took the reigns as Managing Director of North One Television – part of the All3Media group. Reporting to CEO Neil Duncanson, Heather was responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of the North One portfolio and its expansion into new genres and territories.

Prior to her role within All3Media, Heather was Director of television at Viacom in the UK, where she held overall responsibility for content and creativity across the music and comedy channel portfolio at MTV Networks UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Heather oversaw and managed all areas of business, from strategy through to production.

Before joining MTV, Heather was Managing Director at Paramount Comedy, having joined as Director of Programming in 2002. She was responsible for re-branding and re-positioning the channel as a younger and more aspirational pay-TV brand. She commissioned hundreds of hours of stand-up and co-commissioned 3 series of scripted comedy alongside Channel 5. In June 2006 the channel won two prestigious industry awards – Best General Entertainment Channel and Best Channel Marketing – at the Broadcast Digital Channel Awards.

Heather joined Paramount Comedy in 2002 from Flextech where she was Channel Editor of Trouble. Before that, she worked at Buena Vista Television, starting as a researcher before moving on to work as a producer/director.

She began her career at Euro Disney in 1992 where, as its brand ambassador, she represented the company around the world.

Heather is a mum of three, who loves going to the theatre and cinema and she sings in several choirs.

About A+E Networks
A+E Networks is an award-winning global media content company.

The broadcaster launched A+E Networks UK in November 1995, a joint venture between A+E Networks and BSkyB. The company’s portfolio of factual and entertainment brands in the UK and internationally includes HISTORY®, Lifetime®, Crime + Investigation Network®, and H2®.

Its channels are available in 76 countries across the UK, Scandinavia, Benelux, Central & Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, in over 85 million homes and in 17 languages.

Speaking at: Luncheon Roundtables