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Lifetime has elevated itself into an essential network by empowering women - on the set, behind the camera and in the executive ranks
At Lifetime, it's always been about the women. Women who move history, women who are moved by history. Women who are victimized, women who survive, women who save themselves. Women who are pushed aside - and then learn to stand up. It's one of the strongest, most consistent network brands in the industry, telegraphing one simple message over a 37-year history: for women, about women. And increasingly, by women.
Since Lifetime's inception nearly four decades ago, the network lias demonstrated that this concept is much more than a tagline; it has remained the network's Lruc North Star. This guiding philosophy has helped ensure the stories being told reflect the multifaceted experiences of women, and the obstacles they encounter, in tandem with deep societal and cultural changes.
As Lhe ways in which women -both in the world and on television - are perceived by society have shifted over time, women have become an economic force. They're rejecting stereotypes and pigeonholes, speaking out and taking charge. Lifetime has mirrored that evolution in a savvy and almost instinctual way, by always placing women at the center of its original programming and, later on, by hiring women in top roles behind the scenes. For nearly half of its existence. Lifetime has been led by women as CEO or president, and over 50% of the scripted programming department identifies as women.
While women may be leading the charge, this doesn't mean the content is built on a foundation of a one-sided, fantastical kind of feminist empowerment. Alternatively, every possible speed bump or pothole experienced by women over the past 30-odd years in reality can be found nestled in the channel's movies and series, where stories showcase the challenges women face - while simultaneously providing resolution or catharsis in their Lelling.
"We want to tell complex, emotional stories but give our audience that thrill and that escapist entertainment that they come for," says director. Lifetime Original Movies, Mekita Faiye. "Every movie doesn't have to be all things. Something like the Emmy-nominated story about Mahalia Jackson [this year's "Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia") was one untold story to bring...