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AMC (TV channel)

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AMC
CountryUnited States
HeadquartersNew York, New York, USA
Programming
Language(s)English
Ownership
OwnerAMC Networks

AMC is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that is owned by AMC Networks. The channel primarily airs theatrically released movies, along with a limited amount of original programming. The channel's name originally stood for "American Movie Classics", though since 2002, the full name has been deemphasized as a result of a major shift in its programming.[1][2] AMC's most successful original series include Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and The Walking Dead.

History

Focus on classic films

AMC made its debut on October 1, 1984, originally operating as a premium cable channel that aired classic movies – largely made prior to the 1950s – during the afternoons and early evenings in a commercial-free, generally unedited, uncut and uncolorized format.[3] The channel was originally a joint venture between Rainbow Media and Tele-Communications Inc. It was not uncommon for the channel to host a marathon of Marx Brothers films, or show classics such as the original Phantom of the Opera. In 1987, the channel first became available on basic cable television systems.[3][4] By 1989, AMC had 39 million subscribers in the United States.[4]

On December 1, 1990, AMC began broadcasting 24 hours a day. Beginning in 1993, AMC presented an annual Film Preservation Festival to raise awareness of and funding for film preservation. Coordinated with The Film Foundation, an industry group founded by Martin Scorsese, the festival as originally conceived was a multi-day marathon presenting rare and previously lost films, many for the first time on television, along with behind-the-scenes reports on the technical and monetary issues faced by those engaged in archival restoration. Portions of the festival were often dedicated to all-day single artist marathons. During its fifth anniversary year, Scorsese credited the Festival for creating "not only a greater awareness, but (...) more of an expectation now to see restored films."[5] In 1996, curator of the Museum of Modern Art Mary Lee Bandy called the Festival "the most important public event in support of film preservation."[6] By its tenth anniversary, the Festival had raised $2 million from the general public, which The Film Foundation divided among its five member archives.[7]

In 1993, Cablevision bought out Liberty Media's 50% stake in AMC, making Cablevision's Rainbow Media division the majority owner of the channel; incidentally in August of that year, Liberty announced its intent to purchase Cablevision's then-25% stake in the channel, with the Turner Broadcasting System helping to finance the buyout with the option for TBS to eventually buy AMC outright.[8][9] The following year, Time Warner (who would later purchase rival Turner Classic Movies following the company's 1996 acquisition of Turner Entertainment) also attempted to acquire at least part of Liberty Media's stake in AMC.[10]

In June 1995, AMC filed a $550 million breach of contract lawsuit against Turner Entertainment, which alleged that Turner violated AMC's exclusive cable television rights to the Warner Bros. Pictures film library to broadcast approximately 30 times between July 1994 and April 1995, charging that Turner's objective in violating the contract was "to gain unfair advantage for the Turner Classic Movies cable network (which debuted in April 1994) at the expense of AMC."; Turner owns rights to the RKO film library and licensed RKO's films to AMC in an output deal that was slated to last through 2004. Under the terms of the deal, AMC would obtain the RKO titles in exclusive windows.[11]

Around this time, General Electric/NBC owned a stake in AMC (which it divested in the early 2000s). From 1996 to 1998, AMC aired its first original series, Remember WENN, a half-hour show about a radio station during the peak of radio's influence in the 1930s. The show was well received by both critics and its enthusiastic fans, but was abruptly cancelled after its fourth season when a change of management took over (WENN's replacement was The Lot, and lasted for only 16 episodes). Despite a well publicized write-in campaign to save the series, the show was not renewed for its originally scheduled fifth season.

File:AMC Logo 1999.png
AMC logo shown from 1997 to 2002.

In 1997, AMC started Monsterfest, a week-long marathon of scary movies that aired in late October. The final edition of this popular week long theme was aired in 2007, ending without fanfare or mention from AMC until Fall 2008 with the announcement of the new Fearfest. AMC's website has started a Monsterfest blog,[12] chronicling the latest horror news in movies and on television. In addition on late Friday evenings, AMC presents Fear Friday, a horror movie double feature. One popular AMC program was American Pop! (originally intended as a preview of a new 24-hour cable channel),[13] which ran from 1998 to 2002 and featured movies from the 1950s and '60s aimed at baby boomers (such as Beach Blanket Bingo and Ski Party). Of particular interest to movie completists were the segments that AMC played to fill out the time slot (Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to midnight ET): classic movie trailers, drive-in movie ads and snipes (bits extolling viewers to visit the snack bar, etc.), plus music videos cribbed from musical movies from the period.

The majority of films presented on AMC during the 1990s had originally been released by Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures and Universal Studios. There were occasional showings of silent film classics. The regular hosts of the telecasts were Bob Dorian and later, Nick Clooney, as well as New York radio personality Gene Klavan from WNEW (1130 AM, now WBBR). Another WNEW-AM alum, Al "Jazzbo" Collins, provided his voice for the interstitials "Jazzbo's Swingin' Soundies."

Format change

For most of its first 18 years, AMC provided uncut and uncolorized films without commercial interruption. Its revenue came from the cable providers that offered the channel to subscribers. AMC then gradually began to put commercial advertisements between, and then also within, movies.[14] This began in 1998 when AMC began incorporating limited commercial interruptions between films, while its sister movie channel Romance Classics became an entirely ad-supported channel.[15]

On September 30, 2002, AMC changed its format from a classic movie channel to a more general focus on movies from all eras, including colorized movies; with the majority of classic movies from the 1950s, '60s, '70s and even from the 1980s airing in mornings, early afternoons and late nights.[16] Kate McEnroe, then president of AMC Networks, cited lack of cable-operator subsidies as the reason for the addition of advertising, and cited ad agencies who insist on programming relevant to their products' consumers as the reason for the shift to recent movies instead of just classics.[17]

At the time of the format switchover, the company also attempted a spin-off digital cable channel, AMC's Hollywood Classics, which would have required viewers to pay extra to receive the channel. This commercial-free digital cable channel would have aired the black-and-white classics of the 1930s, '40s and '50s that American Movie Classics had been airing up until its format changeover, but the new channel did not come to fruition.[17][18]

On the AMC site, the channel claims to air fewer commercials each hour than most other basic cable channels.[19] As it is now an advertiser-supported channel, the network television version of a movie is aired whenever possible.[20][21] In 2004, AMC aired its first reality series called FilmFakers, featuring out-of-work actors who believed they were auditioning for their big break with a major part in a real movie, only to be told that they were the subject of a prank and no film actually existed. A New York Times article on the show said, "FilmFakers may go down as one of the meanest reality series yet."[22]

From 2002 to 2007, AMC had showed classic films and documentaries about film history such as Backstory and Movies that Shook the World. In 2007, AMC debuted the original series Mad Men, a period piece about Madison Avenue advertising executives in the 1960s. The show was immediately lauded by critics,[23] and has won 15 Emmy Awards. The establishment of Mad Men, followed by that of Breaking Bad in 2008, has given AMC a reputation on par with premium cable networks HBO and Showtime, both of which rejected Mad Men before it came to AMC.[23]

Expansion of the new AMC

AMC logo shown from 2002 to 2013.

On September 1, 2006, AMC officially became available in Canada for customers of Shaw Communications (both the cable service and the Shaw Direct satellite system), marking the first time the channel was made available outside of the United States. Other cable companies, including Rogers Cable and Telus, have followed by adding AMC to their lineup as well.

On September 26, 2008, AMC announced the arrival of their latest October horror-themed movie marathon called "Fearfest" (replacing the popular Monsterfest). Coinciding with this was the renaming of the "Monsterfest" blog as the "Horror Hacker" blog. In May 2009, AMC unveiled a new slogan: "Story Matters Here"; the new slogan can be seen on the channel's website (as part of the title of the website's front page). AMC's other promotional slogans are "The Future of Classic" and "Long Live Cool." Also in 2009, AMC acquired FilmCritic.com and FilmSite.org.[24]

On November 2, 2009, Bell TV announced that it would add both the standard definition and high definition versions of AMC to its lineup on November 11, 2009.[25] On January 4, 2010, AMC began airing infomercials on Monday through Saturday mornings from 6-9 a.m. ET (the Saturday morning infomercial block was eliminated after its March 25, 2011 airing); as such it is one of only three English-language cable movie channels in the United States to air infomercials (along with Hallmark Movie Channel and Lifetime Movie Network); others, including sister channels Sundance Channel and IFC, run a 24-hour schedule of films with some series programming.

Changes in the 2010s

In July 2011, Rainbow Media was spun off from Cablevision as a separate company named after the network called AMC Networks, though Cablevision founder Charles Dolan and his family continue to retain a controlling interest in the company.[26] In 2012, AMC premiered four reality television shows: Inside the DHS,[27] The Pitch,[27] Comic Book Men[28] and Small Town Security.[28]

In July 2012, AMC was dropped from Dish Network, in conjunction with a carriage dispute with the satellite provider, citing that AMC Networks charged an excessive amount in retransmission consent payments from the service for carriage which was in disproportion with the lower audience viewership for the channels. AMC Networks cited the removal as being related to a breach of contract lawsuit filed against Dish Network by the channel's former parent Rainbow Media's Voom HD Networks in 2008 for improperly terminating its carriage contract; Dish Network denied that the lawsuit had any relation to the decision to remove AMC and its sister channels and that it ended the carriage agreement on its own terms.[29] However, the two companies came to a resolution, bringing back the channel (and sister networks IFC, Sundance Channel and WE tv) to Dish in October 2012.[30][31]

In March 2013, AMC rebranded with a new tagline ("Something More" replacing "Story Matters Here") and the logo was inverted from a rectangular lined box to a solid gold block with the network's acronymic name retained in the center.[32]

AMC HD

AMC HD is a high definition simulcast feed of AMC that broadcasts in the 1080i resolution format. In the United States, it is available nationally on Dish Network and DirecTV, and regionally on Cablevision, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Cable, Charter Cable, Suddenlink Communications, Mediacom, Bright House Networks, Insight Communications and Blue Ridge Communications. In Canada, it is available on Videotron, Shaw Cable, Shaw Direct, Telus, Rogers Cable (Ontario only) and Bell TV.

AMC online

AMCtv.com offers streaming video and program notes via its website. In August 2011, AMC Digital was launched to produce original web series, the first being The Trivial Pursuits of Arthur Banks.[33] Also in 2011, AMC released a 6-webisode prequel to The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: Torn Apart. AMC also owns the website Filmsite.org.

Current programming

Scripted

Unscripted

Acquired

Upcoming

Scripted

  • Low Winter Sun - Based on the British series starring Mark Strong. It's a contemporary story of murder, deception, revenge and corruption in a world where the line between cops and criminals is blurred. Its writer, executive producer and showrunner is Chris Mundy. On December 14, 2012 AMC picked up Low Winter Sun for ten, one-hour episodes. [34]
  • Untitled Legal Thriller - Legal thriller with major political, personal and ethical stakes. It centers on a District Attorney who uncovers new evidence that prompts the reinvestigation of a sensational murder case. The series is an exploration of personal morality and how people struggle with the shades of grey found in the absence of a simple, ordered moral universe. Richard LaGravenese serves as writer, Tony Goldwyn as executive producer and Andrew Sugarman as co-executive producer. AMC greenlit the pilot in May 3, 2012 and it remains in consideration for a potential series pick-up in 2013.
  • Turn [35] - Set in the summer of 1778 and tells the story of New York farmer, Abe Woodhull, who bands together with a group of childhood friends to form the Culper Ring, an unlikely group of allies who turn the tide in America's fight for independence. Written by showrunner Craig Silverstein and executive produced by Barry Josephson. It was given a pilot order on November 27, 2012. Meegan Warner and Daniel Henshall have been cast [36]
  • Halt & Catch Fire [35] - Set in the early 1980s, and about a fictional visionary, an engineer and a prodigy whose innovations confronts the corporate behemoths of the time, heir personal and professional partnership will be challenged by greed and ego while charting the changing culture in Texas' Silicon Prairie. Created by Chris Rodgers and Chris Cantwell, executive produced by Mark Johnson and Melissa Bernstein.
  • We Hate Paul Revere [37] - A comedy set in colonial Boston about two brothers who aren't fans of local industrialist and activist Paul Revere. Created by Ethan Sandler and Adrian Wenner. AMC ordered a script on January 12, 2013 along with Rights of Bill.
  • Rights of Bill [38] - About a sheriff who forms his own militia becoming the law and an outlaw simultaneously. Created by Alex Winter and received a script order in January 12, 2013.

Unscripted

Former

References

  1. ^ Gildemeister, Christopher (October 16, 2006). "What Your Kids are Discovering on Discovery Channel". Parents Television Council. Retrieved January 22, 2008.
  2. ^ "When TV network changes name, look close". CNN.com. Associated Press. March 3, 2003. Archived from the original on April 17, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Gildemeister, Christopher. The Fine Arts Are Hard To Find. Parents Television Council, October 2, 2006.
  4. ^ a b Gomery, Douglas. American Movie Classics. Museum of Broadcast Communications
  5. ^ King, Susan (October 2, 1997), "Save That Movie! - After a slow start, AMC's Film Preservation Festival has raised $1.3 million," Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  6. ^ Van Gelder, Lawrence, (June 30, 1996) "Restoring Films to a Former Glory", The New York Times. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  7. ^ "Elber, Lynn (2002-08-30), "Even 1970s Rock Fests Need Film Preservation"". Articles.latimes.com. August 30, 2002. Retrieved June 4, 2011.
  8. ^ Higgins, John M., "Cablevision makes moves on AMC", Multichannel News, September 20, 1993. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from HighBeam Research.
  9. ^ Higgins, John M., "Liberty eyes Cablevision's share of AMC", Multichannel News, August 23, 1993. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from HighBeam Research.
  10. ^ Higgins, John M., "Warner seeks AMC stake", Multichannel News, June 13, 1994. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from HighBeam Research.
  11. ^ Katz, Richard. "AMC sues TBS for $250M over RKO films rights", Multichannel News, June 26, 1995. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from HighBeam Research.
  12. ^ Posted by AMCtv.com on Apr 6, 2010 (April 6, 2010). "AMC TV: Monsterfest". Amctv.typepad.com. Retrieved June 4, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ ""AMC Ushering In Nostalgic American Pop" (1998-06-20), Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 2008-9-20 via". Allbusiness.com. Retrieved June 4, 2011.
  14. ^ Battaglio, Stephen. It now has enough commercials to make movie watching almost as intolerable as any other commercial channel."Old-Movie Channels Nearing Showdown." Daily News. June 28, 2002.
  15. ^ AMC on sponsorships: 'roll 'em!', Multichannel News (via HighBeam Research), March 24, 1997.
  16. ^ Why did AMC change its format? From the AMCtv.com FAQ
  17. ^ a b Dempsey, John. "AMC Unveils More Contemporary Slate, Extra Ads." Variety. May 13, 2002.
  18. ^ Battaglio, Stephen. "Old-Movie Channels Nearing Showdown." Daily News. June 28, 2002.
  19. ^ Why did AMC add commercials?[dead link‍]
  20. ^ Does AMC edit movies for content?[dead link‍]
  21. ^ Hofstede, David (2004). What Were They Thinking?: The 100 Dumbest Events in Television History. New York, New York: Back Stage Books. pp. 3–4. ISBN 0-8230-8441-8. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  22. ^ Ogunnaike, Lola (October 26, 2004). "Quiet on the Fake Set; Cue the Unsuspecting Actor". The New York Times. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  23. ^ a b Stanley, Alessandra (July 18, 2006). "Smoking, Drinking, Cheating and Selling". The New York Times. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  24. ^ Ali, Rafat (June 30, 2009). "AMC buys two movie-related websites". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 4, 2010.
  25. ^ "Bell TV to launch AMC, bringing viewers Mad Men and hundreds of movies each month". Bce.ca. Retrieved June 4, 2011.
  26. ^ AMC Networks Goes Public With Hot Shows, And Analysts Looking For A Sale Deadline New York July 1, 2011
  27. ^ a b c Andreeva, Nellie (April 15, 2011). "AMC Enters Unscripted Arena, Orders Two Docu Series From Top Producers". Deadline. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  28. ^ a b AMC Greenlights Two Unscripted Series Multichannel News September 1, 2011
  29. ^ Adegoke, Yinka (May 4, 2012). "CORRECTED: DISH subscribers could lose 'Mad Men' in dispute". Reuters. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  30. ^ Cablevision and AMC Networks Announce Settlement in VOOM HD Litigation With DISH Network
  31. ^ http://press.dishnetwork.com/press-releases/dish-network-and-voom-reach-settlement-nasdaq-dish-0944283
  32. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (April 1, 2013). "AMC Rebrands With New Logo, Tagline". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  33. ^ AMC Launches AMC Digital Studios With The Trivial Pursuits of Arthur Banks on Aug. 22
  34. ^ "AMC Greenlights New Scripted Series, Low Winter Sun". AMC Blogs. December 14, 2012.
  35. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (November 27, 2012). "AMC Orders Period Drama Pilots From Craig Silverstein/Barry Josephson, Mark Johnson". Deadline. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  36. ^ "AMC Casts Australian Actors in Revolutionary War Drama Turn". TV Line. February 14,2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  37. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (December 11, 2012). "AMC Developing Colonial Comedy Series". Deadline. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  38. ^ Patten, Dominic (December 4, 2012). "AMC Picks Up Alex Winter's Militia Pitch". Deadline. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  39. ^ "AMC Greenlights New Unscripted Series Owner's Manual". AMC Blogs. November 28, 2012.
  40. ^ "AMC Greenlights Unscripted Series Road Show and Renews Small Town Security". AMC Blogs. September 28, 2012.
  41. ^ FilmFakers at IMDb
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