In the slow Mar to television consolidation , AMC has bought a monumental stake in BBC America . The final result is that they ’ll be black market the BBC show here in the United States .
The deal has AMC investing $ 200 million for a 49.9 % wager in BBC America . BBC America is the U.S. internet have and tend by BBC Worldwide , which is really the commercial subsidiary to the dead on target - blueish , license - funded BBC . “ Commercial ” is the key departure from the two arm , since advertising of any form is not okay for the BBC , but totally all right for the non - UK , BBC Worldwide channel .
The muckle has a bunch of interesting features : AMC gets operational control of BBC America and will be in charge of ad and sale to affiliate . And AMC get to put the financial termination of the unexampled channel in its financial command . What BBC Worldwide gets is , manifestly , just retaining the majority ( 50.1 % ) interest in the channel and a hope that AMC will draw the channel ” consistent with BBC ’s editorial standard and policies . ” I am fascinated as to what that means since they’remostly concernedwith news reporting , and BBC America is primarily a place that re - airs already made show . Although I ’d roll in the hay to see an American show stress out the BBC’snew nonpartisanship guidelines .
https://gizmodo.com/bbc-institutes-changes-to-prevent-false-balance-in-sc-1600207025
The other interesting part of this story is that it ’s apparently a move that give both channels more system of weights in the font of supplier merger , like Comcast / Time Warner and AT&T / DirecTV . Striking mint with behemoths like that will be easier if a company can offer a crowd of properties with high-pitched ratings and the more - niche - critically - acclaimed fare . I ’m betting AMC Networks , whose only real attention comes from AMC and not IFC , Sundance video , and WeTV , is extend to be leaning intemperately on The Walking Dead and Doctor Who when making ad and distribution deals . As for BBC America , the joint speculation mean that they ’re not negotiating on the strength of a individual channel .
While I doubt we ’re going to see much of a variety on the viewer side of thing , it ’s an illustration of the effect that these mergers have on smaller networks whose personal make are based on mostly niche and “ high quality ” shows . Even AMC , with all the plaudit and viewership it ’s had over the last X , feels it ca n’t negotiate on even terms with a monolith .
That ’s worrisome , because part of the so - called unexampled golden age of television is the fearless direction that cable channels , especially AMC , have tackled their programing . If the merger make them more interested , there ’s every chance they ’ll be more cautious . Which is ironical , because it ’ll cede even more background to pay cable and the cyberspace .
[ Variety ]
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