The "we're trying to be more right wing than FAUX" media company.
EDIT: (answering my own question)
A&E is a joint venture of the Hearst Corporation (37.5% ownership), The Walt Disney Company (37.5%), and NBC Universal (25%). The network is a result of a merger in 1984 between the ABC Arts and (pre-General Electric merger) RCA-owned Entertainment cable channels.
So there you go... a joint operation of right wing Hearst (who also printed the complete bullshit Popular Mechanics whitewash issue concerning jet fuel "melting" the frame of the WTC), right wing ABC/Disney, and war profiteer GE/NBC Universal.
Fair and balanced, of course. :puke: