A&E = JV of Disney, NBC Universal, Hearst
Lifetime = JV of Disney, Hearst
The deal also allows for NBC Universal to bow out of its ownership within the next 15 years (voluntarily or involuntarily). I wonder if this could happen, because...
ESPN = JV of Disney (supermajority owner) and Hearst (very minority owner).
A deal could consoldate all of Disney's cable properties together. Plus, NBC Universal also part ownership in Cablevision's networks under the Rainbow umbrella (AMC, Fuse, We). Disney and Hearst could give NBC a big FU (which could lead to network affiliation changes in Baltimore, Greenville, SC, and elsewhere Hearst-Argyle has an NBC station).
Just looking into the future.