A&E Network eyes competition series

US cable broadcaster A&E Network is eyeing the launch of series with competition and elimination elements and is in the early stages of developing these.

This comes as the network had its best quarter in its history in the first three months of the year and follows the success of reality series including Storage Wars and scripted series including The Glades.

Bob DeBitetto, president and general manager of A&E Network and Bio Channel, told TBIvision: “One area I would love to see A&E crack is the competition or elimination genre. We wouldn’t want to do something silly but there’s a way for a show with a competition or elimination process and not be at odds with our brand. We’re at the preliminary development stage at the moment.”

“Amazing Race; that could have been an awesome A&E show,” he added.

A&E Network has ordered new seasons of Storage Wars, Beyond Scared Straight and Hoarders as well as a raft of other series and is in development with new series including a Storage Wars spin-off Storage Wars: Dallas, Megalomedia-produced Ship Happens, Original Productions’ Boar Hunters and scripted series Coma, which is produced by Ridley and Tony Scott.

To read more about A&E Network’s programming strategy and future plans and to see interviews with executives at the major US cable channels, see our US Cable Pickups 2011 issue, which is out July 25.