Cable
For AMC, a well-laid path of originals
By Kevin Downey
Mar 18, 2008 - 9:31:41 AM

But AMC has also introduced the comedy series “Breaking Bad,” and that has media buyers a bit worried.

Here's why. “Men” and the 2006 western “Trail” stuck close to the style of the network’s core programming: classic movies. “Breaking,” about a chemistry teacher who starts selling drugs after being diagnosed with a fatal disease, stepped way beyond.

Media buyers like cable networks with clearly defined identities, and their concern is that AMC will weaken that identity by turning out more series like “Breaking," which also did well in the ratings.

AMC isn’t talking about upcoming programming yet, but a top ad salesperson is not ruling out such series.

What matters is the quality of the shows, that they are well made, no matter what the style of the program, says Arlene Manos, president of national ad sales of AMC’s parent company Rainbow Media.

“It’s like an HBO, where ‘Sopranos’ is different from ‘Big Love,’ which is different from ‘Deadwood,’” she says. “Quality is the common denominator.”

The network’s identity
AMC has maintained its identity because it’s been careful not to overwhelm its audience with a slew of originals. Instead, it has slowly rolled out programming like “Men,” its first original drama.

“Men,” which recently picked up two Golden Globe awards, will begin its second season this summer.

“It’s a network with a lot of buzz and success with originals, which helps define their brand and drive viewers to their movies,” says Christine Olson, vice president and cable activation director at Starcom. “Their brand has been evolving for a while and they’re continuing to do that.”

The question is where AMC goes from here, and it's at a critical juncture. To keep growing, it must at some point expand its offerings of original series to appeal to a wider audience, yet it must do so without turning off its core viewership base and blurring its identity as a movie channel.

The network’s target audience
AMC’s target is primarily adults 25-54 but it has pulled down the median age of its audience to just under 50 years old with shows like “Breaking.”

The network’s ratings
A top 10 network in its core audience, AMC is seeing its ratings soar in virtually every demographic.

Among 18-34s, AMC in February was up 59 percent over the same month last year, to an average 233,000 viewers in primetime. Its 18-49 primetime audience was up 33 percent, to 562,000, and its 25-54 audience was up 21 percent, to 610,000 viewers.

The one area where AMC has seen declines is in viewers over 50, and buyers say it’s a result of the network rolling out its originals.

The network’s competitive set
AMC sees itself as something of an HBO on basic cable, but it competes for ad dollars with top-rated networks like FX and TNT that also have a mix of movies and original programs.

“They’re a slightly older FX,” says Shari Anne Brill, senior vice president and director of programming at Carat. “I’ve heard AMC say their competition is HBO, which is what I think they’d like to ultimately become.”

What’s new for 2008/09
AMC isn’t talking about its programming plans for next year but media researchers say it will likely roll out a few original series and probably miniseries in the style of “Broken Trail.”

“The longest duration of viewing tends to be for movie networks because you give a longer time commitment to that particular program,” says Jordan Breslow, director of broadcast research at MediaCom. “So, I don’t think they’ll ever get away from movies.”

The network’s upfront outlook
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being excellent: 4.

AMC has among the lowest levels of commercial clutter of any network with about 10 minutes per hour. When coupled with big ratings, advertisers are clamoring for that inventory. Total ad spending on AMC in 2007 was up 7.2 percent from 2006, to $189 million, according to TNS Media Intelligence.