AMC Networks

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Jason Zaccaro

AMC Networks logo [1]

AMC Networks

11 Penn Plaza, New York, NY

http://www.amcnetworks.com/

History

AMC networks was originally founded in 1980 as Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, a division of cable vision. In 2011 Rainbow Media became independent of cablevision, and was spun off as AMC networks, taking the moniker of its most successful and widely recognized channel, with Josh Sapan as president and CEO. It officially became a publicly traded company on July 1^st, 2011. AMC networks encompasses the AMC channel, the IFC channel, Sundance TV and WeTV, as well as a 49.9% interests in BBC America, a joint venture with BBC worldwide. As part of an effort to become a more international AMC also acquired Chellomedia, which operates cables networks internationally, primarily in Europe, in 2013 for $1.04 billion dollars. Chellomedia became AMC international on July 8^th, 2014.

Key Executives

Josh Sapan, CEO of AMC Networks [3]

Ed Carroll, COO of AMC Networks [2]

Sean Sullivan, Executive VP and CFO of AMC Networks [4]

Finances

AMC networks has expanded rapidly since 2007. The main driver of this success has been the AMC channel, due primarily to the success of original programing, namely Mad Men, The Walking Dead, and Breaking Bad. AMC’s fourth quarter earnings for 2015 exceeded most projections, posting a $1.23 earnings per share, up from $1.06 the previous fourth quarter, and up from the $1.18 that was projected. AMC posted a net revenue of $2.581 billion dollars in 2015, an 18.6% increase from 2014. AMC also posted revenue of $678.85 million in 2015, which represents a 10.82% increase over 2014. Despite all this growth, concerns over industry wide issues such as cord cutting, as well as worries over the stability of The Walking Dead, AMC’s flagship franchise, has caused stock prices to fall to $65.19, from a 52 week high of $87.18. AMC traditionally draws most of its revenue from cable subscriptions, with beloved original programming such as Breaking Bad and Mad Men, leading to customers who are very vocal with their cable providers about wanting the AMC channel. However, huge audiences, particularly in certain demographics that are sought after by advertising companies, has led to increases in revenue from advertising. Advertising revenue grew 23.6% in 2015, to $945 million. Revenue from distribution grew as well in 2015, and still represents the majority of AMC networks revenue, growing 21.5% from 2014 to 2015, to $1.190 billion.

AMC’s Stocks For the 2015 Fiscal Year. For up to the minute stock reports http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/amcx/stock-chart [10]

Fear the Walking Dead promotional poster for season 2 [26]

Current Programing

The Walking Dead promotional material [26]

Based on the popular comic book series and set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, The Walking Dead is AMC’s flagship program. This is due in no small part to its popularity among the coveted 18-49 demographic. The season 6 finale of The Walking Dead, which aired on April 3^rd, took the top spot for that week in cable programming, beating out even the NCAA Final Four, with a total viewership of over 14.1 million. Of that 14.1 million, 8.7 million where people within the 18-49 demo that advertising companies place a premium on, equaling a 6.9 rating. Talking Dead, the talk show that immediately follows The Walking Dead placed 5^th overall with 6.3 million viewers, but was 3^rd among the 18-49 demo, with 3.8 million viewers and a 3.1 rating. Fear the Walking Dead, a spinoff series of The Walking Dead, has managed to replicate its success, albeit to a lesser degree. Fear the Walking Dead has managed to beat out even the NBA playoff games, to hold on to the top spot in the weeks since The Walking Dead concluded its 6^th season. The success of The Walking Dead has been used to help launch more of AMC’s original shows, as placing the premieres of these new series immediately after episodes of the Walking Dead has helped to increase their exposure greatly.

Fear the Walking Dead is not the only spin off series that AMC has launched, as Better Call Saul, a spinoff of Breaking Bad, has just concluded its second season. Another original show, into the Badlands, a post-apocalyptic martial arts series, was launched following the Walking Dead to great success, enjoying the 3^rd highest rated first season for a cable television series ever, averaging 5.6 million viewers per episode.

Into the Badlands promotional Material [26]

AMC Networks other channels such as IFC, possess nowhere near the same kind of influence as AMC does, especially when it comes to negotiating distribution deals with cable providers, as they are simply not in as high demand. IFC specializes primarily in showing smaller, independent films.

Upcoming Programming

Much of AMC’s upcoming content focus on new seasons of already popular franchises, although there are certainly more original shows being launched as well. Both The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead have been renewed for a 7^th and 3^rd season respectively. Fear The Walking Dead will increase its episode count to 16 episodes per season, up from 15. In addition to the Walking Dead Franchise, the Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul, has been renewed for a 10 episode third season, after averaging 4.4 million viewers per episode in season 2, of which 2.5 million were in the 18-49 demographic. Into the Badlands has also been renewed for a 10 episode second season, that will premier in 2017. As part of AMC’s strategy to expand more internationally, the second season of Into the Badlands will air simultaneously in 125 countries, similar to how the first season did.

Promotional material for the upcoming Preacher [26]

Better Call Saul promotional poster [26]

A completely new show, The Preacher, will be launched after the mid-season finale of Fear the Walking Dead. The Preacher will star Dominic Cooper and follows a Texas preacher who is possessed by a mysterious entity, and will be a drama mixed with dark comedy. The series is based off a comic book series, and the hope is that premiering it after Fear the Walking Dead will cause more people to see it, similar to the strategy AMC employed with into the Badlands.

Advertising

The huge success of The Walking Dead franchise has caused AMC executives to be hopeful that they can continue their trend of increasing revenue from ad sales, and that their network can be seriously considered as an alternative to broadcast networks when looking to buy ad space, especially considering that AMC has the top 2 cable programs in both total viewership, and among the 18-49 demographic. AMC has been criticized for having a seemingly huge reliance on The Walking Dead franchise for success, but by using the franchise to help launch new original shows, AMC is continually diversifying its programming offerings. AMC has made it a point to target scatter advertising buys, as opposed to those bought during upfront season. The Walki
ng Dead currently pulls in among the highest advertising prices, with the average cost for a commercial being $502,000.

Overview

AMC’s Mad Men promotional poster [26]

AMC has experienced a near meteoric rise to prominence in the past few years. Primarily focusing on showing movies, like the American Movie Classics name suggests, it was only in 2007 that they started to produce widely successful original programming. Following the example HBO set with The Soprano’s, AMC set out to produce I high quality program, with the hope that critical acclaim would bring with it viewership. After Mad Men won 3 consecutive outstanding drama Emmys, AMC started to shift it’s focus to original content, and now has 10 original shows. AMC finished 4^th among all cable networks with the 18-49 demographic, a number which only seems poised to increase in the coming years.

Sources

AMC Network Works its Angles. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/amc_network_works_its_angles.php#.VxglxTArKM8
Ed Carroll. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.amcnetworks.com/about-us/leadership/ed-carroll
Josh Sapan. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.amcnetworks.com/about-us/leadership/joshua-sapan
Sean Sullivan. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.amcnetworks.com/about-us/leadership/sean-sullivan
Szalai, Georg. March 10, 2011. The Hollywood Reporter. Cablevision’s Rainbow Channels Unit to Be Renamed AMC Networks in Spin-Off. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cablevisions-rainbow-channels-unit-be-166575
Kissel, Rick. November 17, 2015. ‘Into the Badlands’ Ratings: AMC Drama Opens Strong Sunday. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/ratings-amc-into-the-badlands-opens-strong-sunday-1201641489/
Prudom, Laura. March 8, 2016. ‘Into the Badlands’ Renewed for Season 2 at AMC. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/into-the-badlands-renewed-season-2-amc-1201725696/
Porter, Rick. April 5, 2016. TV by the numbers. Cable weekly Top 25: ‘Walking Dead’ finale, Final Four lead the week of March 28-April 3. Retrieved April, 20 2016. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2016/04/05/cable-weekly-top-25-march-28-april-3-2016/
Porter, Rick. April 19, 2016. TV by the numbers. Cable weekly Top 25, April 11-17: ‘Fear the Walking Dead,’ NBA dominate. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2016/04/19/cable-weekly-top-25-april-11-17-2016/
AMC Networks Inc. Stock Chart. Nasdaq. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/amcx/stock-chart
Seward, Zachary. August 13, 2013. Quartz. AMC is succeeding by breaking the rules of legacy television. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://qz.com/114483/amc-is-succeeding-by-breaking-the-rules-of-legacy-television/
Nule, Taylor. April, 19, 2016. Vista Voice. AMC Networks Inc (AMCX) Downgraded by Zacks Investment Research. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.thevistavoice.org/2016/04/19/amc-networks-inc-amcx-downgraded-by-zacks-investment-research/1076381/
Boston, Claire. March 23, 2016. AMC Networks Sells $1 Billion of Junk-Bonds for Debt Repurchase. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-23/amc-networks-plans-750-million-junk-bond-offering-to-repay-debt
Grant, Jack. March 15, 2016. AMC Using ‘Fear The Walking Dead’ To Launch Newest Drama ‘Preacher’. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/16/03/7710999/amc-using-fear-the-walking-dead-to-launch-newest-drama-preach
Gibbons, Kent. March 15, 2016. AMC Calls For ‘Better Call Saul’ Season 3. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.multichannel.com/news/networks/amc-calls-better-call-saul-season-3/403348
Steinberg, Brian. February 26, 2016. AMC, Sensing Ad Dollars On Table, Makes Bid For ‘Scatter’. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/amc-networks-2016-tv-upfront-scatter-advertising-1201715687/
Szalai, Georg. February 25, 2016. The Hollywood Reporter. AMC Networks Stock Drops Sharply Despite Strong Earnings. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/amc-networks-stock-drops-sharply-869502
Lynch, Jason. April 19, 2016. AMC Networks Doesn’t Need a Big Upfront Event. It Has The Walking Dead With new shows, network targets millennials every Sunday. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.adweek.com/news/television/amc-networks-doesn-t-need-big-upfront-event-it-has-walking-dead-170901
Steinberg, Brian. February 25, 2016. AMC Networks Profit Grows in Q4 But Stock Drops on Subscriber Worries. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/amc-networks-q4-walking-dead-into-the-badlands-1201714772/
Idov, Michael. May 15, 2011. The Zombies at AMC’s Doorstep. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://nymag.com/arts/tv/upfronts/2011/amc-2011-5/
AMC Networks Inc. Cl A. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://quotes.wsj.com/AMCX
AMC Stock Information. AMC Networks. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://investors.amcnetworks.com/stockquote.cfm
Prudom, Laura. ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ Renewed for Season 3 on AMC. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/fear-the-walking-dead-renewed-for-season-3-on-amc-1201754580/
Tartaglione, Nancy. February 2, 2016. Bruce Tuchman Exiting As President AMC Global, Sundance Channel Global. April 20, 2016. http://deadline.com/2016/02/bruce-tuchman-leaving-amc-networks-sundance-global-1201694854/
AMC Networks Inc. Announces Proposed Offering of $750 Million of Senior Notes. Nasdaq. Retrieved April 20, 2016. http://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/amc-networks-inc-announces-proposed-offering-of-750-million-of-senior-notes-20160323-00458
AMC. Retrieved April 21, 2016. http://www.amc.com/all-shows
Preacher trailer. Youtube. Retrieved April 25, 2016 https://youtu.be/UNgI2sRzr8I https://youtu.be/UNgI2sRzr8I

AMC Networks Inc.

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Hsin-Tzu Lin

by Hsin-Tzu (Teresa) Lin

ABOUT AMC NETWORKS INC. :

[1] AMC Networks Inc. Logo

Founded in 1980 (formally known as Rainbow Media Holdings LLC), AMC Networks Inc. [2] is an American Entertainment company currently standing as the one of the leading cable television broadcasters in the United States. AMC Networks owns and operates various popular channels within the cable television realm: AMC, The Independent Film Channel (IFC), Sundance TV, Women’s Entertainment TV (WE tv), and IFC Films [3]. The company also acquired Chellomedia in 2013 and through a joint venture with BBC Worldwide, now operates BBC America as well [3]. With an impressive programming portfolio, the cable network has aired many critical and popular series such as “Breaking Bad”, “Walking Dead”, and “Mad Men”, reaching more than 95 million households across the country [4].

HEADQUARTERS ADDRESS:

11 Penn Plaza,

New York, NY 10001,

United States

EXECUTIVES:

: Charles F. Dolan – Executive Chairman

: Joshua W. Sapan – President and Chief Executive Officer

: Edward A. Carroll – Chief Operating Officer

[5]

FINANCIALS AND STRATEGIES:

AMC Networks Inc. is a publicly traded company with a stock price of $77.27 as of April 16^th 2015 [3]. In its fourth quarter reports of 2014, AMC Networks exceeded expert estimates with the reported $1.15 earnings per share, vastly beating the prediction of $0.99 [6]. Its fourth quarter also showed promising numbers as the company’s revenue increased 40%[7] to $609.44 million [8], and also revealed a 24.3% jump in advertising revenues [7] to $255 million [9]. The company continues to expect the advertising sector to be the “growth driver” of the year. AMC Networks’ First Quarter 2015 report will be released May 4^th [10].

[17] Chellomedia’s Logo

It has been a fruitful and successful season for AMC Networks. With its strategic acquisition of Chellomedia[17] and partnership with BBC Worldwide, AMC Networks has greatly boosted its international revenue by 516% to $110.3 million [11], helping the company exceed estimated Q4 earnings. The company also seeks further development through striking a deal with Dish Network Corporation: to include AMC’s “Walking Dead” and “Mad Men” in Sling TV, its newly launched online video streaming service [12].

SPRING 2015 – THE SEASON OF NEW SERIES SPINOFFS:

AMC has carried numerous programs throughout its 30 years of existence. Amongst its most popular and successful are “Breaking Bad”, “Walking Dead”, and “Mad Men”. The former two of these series have sprung a spinoff off their original plot-lines, in hopes to further continue the series’ monumental success and keep their fan-base after losing “Breaking Bad” after the series has aired [26].

♦Breaking Bad and its spinoff “Better Call Saul”♦

Game changer underdog series “Breaking Bad” has finished its run, ending with 10.3 million viewers and a 5.2 rating within the adults the 18-49 demographic[13]. From its previous season (premiered in 2013), Walter White and Jesse Pinkman have brought in an astonishing 442% increase in viewership within just two years[13]. With this kind of result, AMC released a trial prequel spinoff series “Better Call Saul” earlier this year to extend the popular series further. “Saul” wrapped its first season with amazing results, raking in $2.53 million viewers overall, and very positive reviews (Click here to read why people think “Saul” might just be better than “Breaking Bad”). AMC Networks turned their best assets into best revenue generators, working to increase consumption of their most popular series even after it is gone.

♦“The Walking Dead” and its spinoff “Fear the Walking Dead”♦

One of AMC’s most popular cable television shows, “The Walking Dead”, delivered stellar numbers on its season finale. The Season 5 finale episode drew in an averaged rating of 8.2 within the adults 18-49 demographic[16] (and gathering 15.8 million viewers overall)[14]. This has been the highest rated season of “The Walking Dead” in this television season. Seeing the previous spinoff “Better Call Saul’s” success, “The Walking Dead” creator, Robert Kirkman, green-lighted another series spinoff “Fear the Walking Dead” to air in Summer 2015. The six-episode prequel mini-series[15] has already created significant anticipation within the “The Walking Dead” fan base, keeping the audience in the loop as they wait for Season 6 of “The Walking Dead” premiering in October[15].

: “Breaking Bad” spinoff – “Better Call Saul”

: “The Walking Dead” Prequel – “Fear the Walking Dead”

[18] [19]

This tactic of releasing spinoffs in order to maintain and possibly increase their audience base is currently working extremely well for AMC Networks Inc. “Better Call Saul” ended its first season strongly, and “Fear the Walking Dead” has generated great potential for its release in the summer. The success of “The Walking Dead” and “Breaking Bad” has been extremely beneficial to the company and creating a prequel/spinoff to the original series was a wise direction to lead to.

OTHER PROGRAM NEWS

AMC Networks also houses the growingly popular series “Orphan Black”, and the critically acclaimed, award winning “Mad Men”.

[21] Orphan Black Season 2 Cast

Just recently, Season 3 of “Orphan Black” ran across all 5 network channels of AMC Networks (AMC, SundanceTV, IFC, We TV, and BBC America) as a way to boost the series’ audience reach. AMC Networks COO Edward A. Carroll quotes…

“AMC Networks is a channel group known for high-quality storytelling and creating a premiere television event for ‘Orphan Black’ is a perfect opportunity to use our programming assets to help extend the reach of this quality series.”

[20]

[22] Mad Men in AMC Networks is not doing as well as it should

Although considered as one of the best dramas in cable, “Mad Men” does not pull as much of an audience as it should [23]. Unfortunately, “Mad Men” was ranked #21 amongst other cable dramas last year [23]. Despite this, AMC Networks announced that the ad spaces on “Mad Men’s” season finale on May 17^th have been completely sold out [24], still indicating the affluence and importance of the show.

WHAT IS NEXT?

As AMC Networks Inc. develops, CEO Josh Sapan quotes that international expansion “continues to be a focus” and allowing AMC Networks to “capitalize long term on international pay TV growth and drive long-term value for our shareholders.” [11] With the acquisition of Chellomedia and BBC America, AMC is now transitioning towards a more global distribution to show it’s content. AMC now is available in 120 countries as well as the Sundance Channel in 70 countries [25].

AMC Networks Inc. has a bright future ahead of its path. Not only is the company busy with its national expansion with series spinoffs, but it is also seeking to expand globally to distribute its contents to the world. Global distribution would only propel AMC Networks’ development forwards and bring the company to the next level of the cable television realm.

SOURCES –

[1] AMC Network Inc. Logo. Logosandbrands.com, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[2] AMC Network Inc. Website. Amcnetwork.com, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[3] AMC Network Company Profile. Yahoo Finance, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[4] AMC Network Company Information. Hoovers, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[5] AMC Network Executives. Amcnetwork.com, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[6] “AMC Networks Now Covered by Piper Jaffray (AMCX). Dakota Financial News, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[7] “AMC Networks’ Walking Dead Finale Sees Record Closing”. Zacks.com, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[8] “AMC Networks Receives “Hold” Rating from Evercore Partners Inc. (AMCX)”. Mideasttime.com, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[9] “AMC Networks Ad Revenue Jumps on Demand for Original Programming”. Wall Street Journal, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[10] “AMC Networks to Report First Quarter 2015 Results”. Yahoo Finance, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[11] “AMC Networks International Operations Help It To Beat Q4 Earnings Expectations”. Deadline.com, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[12] “Dish Network Rolls Out Sling TV, Reaches Deal With AMC”. Wall Street Journal, Retrieved April 14th 2015.

[13] “‘Breaking Bad’ series finale ratings smash all records”. Entertainment Weekly, Retrieved April 16th 2015.

[14] “‘The Walking Dead’ Season 5 Finale is Highest Rated Finale in Series History, Garnering 15.8 Million Viewers”. TVByTheNumbers.com, Retrieved April 16th 2015.

[15] “Here’s the First Teaser for The Walking Dead Spin-Off”. Vanity Fair, Retrieved April 16th 2015.

[16] “AMC’s ‘Walking Dead’ Draws Record Finale Ratings”. Variety.com, Retrieved April 16th 2015.

[17] Chellomedia’s Logo. Chellomediapaytv.com, Retrieved April 16th 2015.

[18] Better Call Saul Photo. Amcnetworks.com, Retrieved April 17th 2015.

[19] Fear the Walking Dead Photo. fansided.com, Retrieved April 17th 2015.

[20] “‘Orphan Black’ Season Premiere to Air Across All AMC Networks Channels”. Variety.com, Retrieved April 17th 2015.

[21] Orphan Black Season 2 Cast photo. TVLine.com, Retrieved April 17th 2015.

[22] Mad Men Cast Photo. pop-break.com, Retrieved April 17th 2015.

[23] “‘Mad Men’ brings prestige, if not powerful ratings, to AMC”. CNN Money, Retrieved April 17th 2015.

[24] “AMC sells out advertising space for the ‘Mad Men’ series finale”. CNN Money, Retrieved April 17th 2015.

[25] “Investors Better Call AMC Networks, Company Is Far From Walking Dead”. Seeking Alpha, Retrieved April 17th 2015.

[26] “‘Better Call Saul’: More AMC spin-offs to join ‘Breaking Bad’ prequel” Entertainment Weekly, Retrieved April 17th 2015.

AMC Networks

Posted on December 1, 2014 by htfergus

by Griffin Morrow

AMC Networks and their cable family. [31]

Profile

AMC Networks Inc., operating under the title of Rainbow Media Holdings for decades, is a former subsidiary of Cablevison that was spun off in the Summer of 2011 as a publicly traded company [1]. The New York based organization owns and operates cable channels AMC, IFC, WE tv, and SundanceTV and recently acquired a stake in BBC America [2]. AMC, the obvious bell-cow of the cable bundle, has birthed dramas such as Mad Men and Breaking Bad that helped catalyze the so called “golden age” in cable television from 2007 onwards. This stretch of critical acclaim has scored AMC 207 Emmy nominations along with 33 wins [3], including five of the last six Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series [4].

Key Executives

Joshua Sapan – President and Chief Executive Officer (photos curtesy of AMC Networks [37])

Charles F. Dolan – Executive Chairman

Edward A. Carroll – Chief Operating Officer

Sean S. Sullivan – Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Programming Reach

Ranking as the 14th most watched network among the coveted 18-49 demo [5], AMC reaches 97 million American households. AMC Networks, however, finds itself in a unfortunate predicament. Other cable entities WE tv, IFC, and Sundance have failed to match the margins AMC has managed. Among the 18-49 demographic, WE tv ranks 39th, IFC stumbles into 58th, and Sundance checks in at a disappointing 88th [6].

Economics

Three year economic landscape since going public [33].

To the blind eye, AMC Networks would seemingly be reveling in their cult-like headlining dramas they’ve found in Madison Avenue and meth making high school chemistry teachers. Since going public on June 21st of 2011 AMC Networks shares are up nearly $29 in price, an increase of almost 82% over three years [7]. Affiliate fees augmented from a 2007 margin of 22 cents per customer per month to 33 cents in 2013 [8]. The recent 3Q report stated a stout 31% increase in net revenue from levels a year ago to $514.2 million [9]. So what’s not to like for AMC Networks? Ad revenues have slipped by 6% in this recent quarter with a 19% drop in audiences [10]. Operating income this quarter was $12 million short of last years. Shares hit a 52-week low on October 13th when prices fell to $52.75. Moreover, AMCX stock has tumbled by approximately 18% in the last year.

Life After Mad and Bad

Dramatic successes that once stoked the AMC flame have begun to fade. Viewers said goodbye to Breaking Bad last fall and will prepare to jettison Mad Men after it’s end next spring. Questions as to how the organization will survive such gigantic losses in programming have dominated industry conversations for some time. One common theme reigns supreme: if AMC plans on continuing on, they need something to replace their prior hits. And fast. The majority of the industry, AMC Networks investors in particular, are wondering if this is possible.

Zombies Devouring American Audiences

Iconic Walking Dead season 1 poster art where protagonist Rick Grimes investigates a desolate Atlanta.

Protagonist Rick Grimes investigates a desolate Atlanta in the iconic season 1 poster. [32]

The most life in AMC Networks ironically resides within the cold clammy hands of the undead. A television adaption of Robert Kirkman’s zombie apocalypse graphic novel “The Walking Dead” has has wowed audiences suspenseful storytelling and heaps of zombie carnage. The Walking Dead premiered on Halloween night in 2010 with 5.35 million viewers, an AMC first [11]. The show has produced end over end increase since. The Walking Dead ended it’s 4th season with an average of 13.3 million viewers [12], a growth margin that prompted AMC to renew the show for a sixth season before the fifth season even aired [13].

A “Walker” enjoying a mid-afternoon snack. [34]

The infectious love for zombies has proved so strong that the first episode of season five shattered television viewing history. An audience of 17.3 million viewers for the season five premiere crowded The Walking Dead as the highest rated show in cable television history [14]. The October 12th premiere, with help from the 7% increase in viewership, managed to out muscle typical ratings power house Sunday Night Football [15]. Playing off of a dedicated following from the graphic novel has allowed the show to become the most popular program among the 18-49 demographic for two consecutive years [16].

Lightning Doesn’t Strike Twice…

All in all, AMC networks has whiffed when it comes to finding their next trademark show. Recently premiering series that AMC networks hoped would share the same prestigious stage as their predecessors have fallen significantly short. Rubicon, a conspiracy thriller set against the New York skyline, proved anything but thrilling for viewers and was cancelled three months after debuting due to subpar ratings [17].

The Walking Dead stifles the average viewership of the other AMC programming. [35]

The Detroit based crime drama Low Winter Sun adapted from a two-part British mini-series of the same name lasted only ten episodes [18]. Even the more constant series such as Hell on Wheels, Halt and Catch Fire, and TURN have underperformed expectations.

there is importantnt text here that you can’t see

…or Does It?

While millions may have mourned the passing of anti-hero Walter White reign on television, they will not have to wait long to satisfy their Breaking Bad junkie addictions. Former show runner Vince Gilligan and AMC have partnered to produce a prequel to the former Emmy winning series [19]. Better Call Saul, airing this upcoming February, will star Bob Odenkirk and be set six years prior to the events of Breaking Bad. AMC has already renewed the spin off for a 13 episode second season despite a delayed production process [20]. AMC also green lit preliminary production on a companion series for current hit The Walking Dead earlier this year [21]. The show will be standalone from the current series, displaying a new set of characters in an entirely different region of the post-apocolyptic zombie world. Both spin offs are obvious attempts by AMC Networks to brandish new programming through past and present successes.

DirecTV and AMC Clash on Contract

AMC Networks warning message to DirecTV viewers about potential stoppages in content.

AMC Networks warning message earlier this month on website to DirecTV viewers about potential stoppages in content. [36]

DirecTV viewers may been in danger of losing AMC Networks‘ programming after this holiday season. AMC Networks went public with a contract dispute with the satellite provider during a November 2 episode of The Walking Dead [22]. They warned viewers that they were at risk of missing future content stating that DirecTV had not “engaged in meaning negotiations”. AMC Networks has gained a reputation of quarreling with service providers by often publicizing carrier contract disputes and using their viewer as meaningful leverage. Disputes have included Verizon FiOS [23], Suddenlink Communications [24], Rogers Communications [25], and AT&T U-Verse [26] over the past two years. The worst of the carrier disputes came when DISH dropped AMC Networks from their service for nearly four months [27]. The conflict, like the others, stemmed from AMC Networks aggressive price evaluation set in an attempt to profit from newfound success in dramatic programming.

International Distribution Taking Center Stage

AMC Networks rolled out programming in various international markets starting in November, an organizational first for a company that once prided itself on broadcasting classic American movies. AMC International started distribution in Europe with broadcasts in Spain on November 5th [28]. Broadcasts of the new international distribution arm furthered in Latin America a week later [29]. The company plans to continue it’s stretch across the globe with further rollouts. These recent investments into foreign markets can be linked to AMC Netoworks‘ $1.04 billion purchase of Liberty Global’s content division Chellomedia last year [30]. The array of TV networks will be distributed across an estimated 138 countries worldwide with access to more than 390 million foreign households.

Source:

[1] AMC Networks Becomes a Public and Separate Company AMC Networks RT: 11/24/14

[2] AMC close to $200 deal for stake in BBC America New York Times RT: 11/24/14

[3] Budget Squeezing, Producer “Bake-Offs” and Post-‘Breaking Bad’ Challenges The Hollywood Reporter RT: 11/24/14

[4] Emmy Nominee/Winner Database Television Academy RT: 11/24/14

[5] ‘The Walking Dead’ Is A Huge Hit. So Why Is AMC’s Stock Trading So Low? Forbes RT: 11/24/14

[6] ‘Dead’ Breathes Life into AMC Networks Adweek RT: 11/24/14

[7] Financials: AMC Networks Inc (AMCX.OQ) Reuters RT: 12/1/14

[8] AMC is Thriving by Breaking the Rules of Legacy TV The Atlantic RT: 11/24/14

[9] AMC Networks tops 3Q net income and revenue expectations Associated Press RT: 11/24/14

[10] Media Companies miss ad dollars after signing streaming deals NYPost RT: 11/24/14

[11] ‘The Walking Dead’ Snags AMC Highest Premiere Ratings of 2010 Time RT: 11/24/14

[12] The Walking Dead Season 4 Finale Breaks Finale Record With 15.7 Million Viewers AMC blog RT: 11/24/14

[13] ‘The Walking Dead’ Renewed for Season 6 Variety RT: 11/24/14

[14] Walking Dead breaking US cable TV record BBC News RT: 11/24/14

[15] ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 5 Premiere Hits Series High Ratings, Delivering 11 Million Adults 18.49 & 17.3 Million Viewers TVbytheNumbers RT: 11/24/14

[16] ‘Walking Dead’ Renewed For Season 6 By AMC Deadline Hollywood RT: 11/24/14

[17] ‘Rubicon’ is Cancelled by AMC Entertainment Weekly RT: 12/1/14

[18] ‘Low Winter Sun’ Cancelled by AMC Variety RT: 11/24/14

[19] ‘Better Call Saul,’ a prequel spinoff series from ‘Breaking Bad,’ greenlit by AMC NY Daily News RT: 11/24/14

[20] ‘Better Call Saul’ Renewed for Second Season, Delayed Until 2015 Rollingstone RT: 11/24/14

[21] ‘The Walking Dead’ companion series gets pilot greenlight Entertainment Weekly RT: 11/24/14

[22] AMC Uses ‘Walking Dead’ Fans as Weapon in DirecTV Talks Bloomberg RT: 11/24/14

[23] AMC Networks Warns Verizon FiOS Customers That Channels Could Go Dark Deadline Hollywood RT: 11/24/14

[24] AMC Networks, Suddenlink in License Fee Dispute Broadcasting and Cable RT: 11/24/14

[25] Rogers and AMC Networks End Carriage Dispute With Multi-Year Canadian Deal The Hollywood Reporter RT: 11/24/14

[26] AT&T Statement on AMC Networks Programming Agreement AT&T press release RT: 11/24/14

[27] Dish Network Says It Will Drop AMC Networks Due To Price, Not VOOM Deadline Hollywood RT: 11/24/14

[28] AMC TV channel launches in Spain telecompaper RT: 11/24/14

[29] AMC Networks International Announces Major Expansion of Sundance Channel Global in Latin America With First-Ever Launches in Six Territories AMC International press release RT: 11/24/14

[30] AMC to Buy Liberty Global’s Chellomedia for $1.04 Billion Bloomberg RT: 11/24/14

[31] AMC Networks logo AMC Networks Website RT: 12/1/14

[32] Walking Dead season 1 poster IMDb image search RT: 12/1/14

[33] AMCX stock three year chart GoogleFinance RT: 12/1/14

[34] Zombie eating an arm Walking Dead fan page RT: 12/1/14

[35] AMC programming averages TV by the Numbers RT: 12/1/14

[36] AMC Networks warning page AMC Networks website RT: 12/1/14

[37] Executive Officers AMC Networks Websites RT: 12/1/14

Columbia Pictures

Posted on December 1, 2014 by iwmccour

by Ian McCourt

Columbia Pictures

Image Courtesy Fortune.com [i]

Contact Information: [ii]

10202 West Washington Boulevard

Culver City, CA 90232

310-244-4000

www.sonypictures.com

Key Executives:

Michael Lynton CEO, Sony Entertainment, Chairman and CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment

Amy Pascal Co-Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group

Doug Belgrad President, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group President, Columbia Pictures

David Hendler Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Sony Pictures Entertainment

Michael De Luca
President, Production, Columbia Pictures

Hannah Minghella President, Production, Columbia Pictures

Executives Photos and Information Courtesy of: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/management.html [iii]

About Columbia Pictures:

In 1918, Harry and Jack Cohn formed CBC Film Sales with an associate of theirs, Joe Brandt. CBC Film Sales (Cohn-Brandt-Cohn) then produced small-budget short films and featurettes until a few experiments with feature films and an eye for larger profits prompted them to form Columbia Pictures Corporation in 1924. Columbia established itself in the cinema world, however, with the discovery of director Frank Capra in 1927. He would bring the company many Academy Awards, including the Best Picture films “It Happened One Night” and “You Can’t Take it With You.” Columbia would continue to grow and prosper as the decades moved past, and it was bought by Coca-Cola in 1982. However, a mere seven years later, Columbia Pictures and all of its holdings were bought by the Sony Corporation in 1989. [iv] It is now a part of Sony Pictures Entertainment‘s Columbia Tristar Motion Picture Group, along with Tristar Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics and Screengems. [v]

Financials:

It is to be noted that Sony’s Financial Reports for the Pictures Division encompasses not only Columbia Pictures, but also the Tristar Pictures and Screengems studios, as well as any TV production and distribution financials. Regardless, Sony Pictures Entertainment reported that revenue decreased 3% on a constant currency (U.S. dollar) standard to 1,671 million dollars for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2014 from 1,815 million for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2013. [vi][vii] This was due to lower theatrical revenues due to fewer theatrical releases in Q2 FY14 as opposed to Q2 FY13. [viii] Sony predicts that the pictures division will make 8,100 million U.S. dollars for the total Fiscal Year ending March 31, 2015. [ix]

What’s Happening Now?

In 2014, Columbia Pictures has released nine films, three of which are still in theaters as of December 1, 2014. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and 22 Jump Street are leading in gross so far respectively, with 22 Jump Street still in theaters. [x]

22 Jump Street
This sequel to the hit 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum and follows the adventures of Officers Schmidt and Jenko as they go undercover as college students. The film is directed by Christopher Miller and Phil Lord.

Image and Synopsis Courtesy IMDB [xi]

In its opening weekend (June 13-15, 2014), 22 Jump Street opened at number one, making $57,071,445 domestically to its $50 million budget. The film is now in its twenty-third week, having made $331,333,876 worldwide as of December 1, 2014. [xii]

The Equalizer
In The Equalizer, Denzel Washington stars as a man who has put his dark past behind him, only to return to his old ways when he meets a girl who is under the control of Russian gangsters. The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua.

Image and Synopsis Courtesy IMDB [xiii]

In its opening weekend (Sept. 26-28, 2014) The Equalizer opened number one at the box office, earning $34,137,828 to its $55 million budget. Now in its ninth week, the film has made $190,173,178 internationally as of December 1, 2014. [xiv]

Fury
Fury, starring Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, and Shia LaBeouf, tells the tale of an Army Sergeant nicknamed Wardaddy (Pitt) who commands a Sherman tank with a five-man crew against amazing odds in an attempt to cripple Nazi Germany. The film is written and directed by David Ayer.

Image and Synopsis Courtesy IMDB [xv]

Opening number one at the box office, Fury made $23,702,421 to its $68 million budget during its opening weekend (Oct. 17-19, 2014). Going through its seventh week in theaters, Fury has made $171,707,000 internationally as of December 1, 2014. [xvi] On Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, 2014, the movie was free at Regal and AMC Theaters for all current personnel or veterans with a valid I.D. [xvii]

Ghostbusters (30th Anniversary Re-Release)
To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the 1984 classic, Ghostbusters was back in theaters beginning August 29, 2014. [xviii] It tells the story of three parapsychology professors struggling for work who decide to open up a ghost removal business. It stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Sigourney Weaver. It is directed by Ivan Reitman. [xix]

Image Credit Fandango.com [xx]

The re-release opened at fifteenth its opening weekend (August 29-31, 2014), making $1,756,513. It closed on September 18, 2014, despite being advertised as only being open for one week. During this time, it made $3,580,343. This makes the film’s total lifetime gross $242,212,467 as of December 1, 2014. [xxi]

In Other News:

In early November, Columbia Pictures requested to a Florida federal court that its anti-piracy policies be kept secret. The information on these policies is now in a closed case between Hotfile, a file-sharing site that closed down in 2013, and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). [xxii] Columbia is insisting that if this information were released, it would render the company incapable to protect its copyrighted works. This comes after U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ruled that the information is in the public interest and should be released. [xxiii]

Image Courtesy Dailytech [xxvi]

On November 24, 2014, hackers took control of Sony’s computer systems. A group claiming to be the hackers then criticized Sony CEO Michael Lynton in a tweet, calling him “a criminal.” [xxiv] Since then, versions of five films belonging to Sony Pictures have been released online: Annie, Fury, Still Alice, Mr. Turner, and To Write Love on Her Arms. Of those five films, only Fury has been released in theaters, but even that film hasn’t had a DVD release yet. These films are already reported to have been illegally downloaded hundreds of thousands of times. [xxv] Sony has since hired Mandiant Forensics Unit to clean up the attack, and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations has begun looking into the incident. Sony has been looking to see if the attack was perpetrated by North Korea-backed hackers in retaliation to the upcoming release of the movie, The Interview, which is a comedy about an attempt to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. [xxvii]

What’s To Come:

Annie

Image Courtesy IMDB [xxix]

One of the films leaked from the hack, Annie will be released in theaters on December 19, 2014. Starring Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx, and Cameron Diaz, this musical film tells of a young foster kid (Wallis) who toughs out the hard knock life of New York City in 2014. While it will be competing against Disney‘s Into The Woods, the film is predicted to make about $95 million. [xxviii]

The Interview

Image Courtesy IMDB [xxxi]

To be released on Christmas Day, December 25, 2014, The Interview is the latest comedy co-directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Starring Rogen and James Franco, the film is about journalist Dave Skylark and producer Aaron Rapoport from the popular TV show Skylark Tonight as they are hired by the CIA to assassinate Kim Jong Un. It is predicted to make $90 million. [xxx]

[i] Columbia Pictures Logo. Retrieved 11/29/2014.
[ii] Sony Pictures Contacts. Retrieved 11/29/2014.
[iii] Sony/Columbia Executives. Retrieved 11/29/2014.
[iv] History of Columbia Pictures. Retrieved 11/29/2014.
[v] Sony Divisions. Retrieved 11/29/2014.
[vi] Sony Financials Q2 FY14. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[vii] Sony Financials Q2 FY13. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[viii] Sony Financials Q2 FY14. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[vix] Sony Predictions. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[x] Columbia Films 2014. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xi] 22 Jump Street Info. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xii] 22 Jump Street Box Office. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xiii] The Equalizer Info. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xiv] The Equalizer Box Office. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xv] Fury Info. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xvi] Fury Box Office. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xvii] Fury Free for Veterans 11/11. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xviii] Ghostbusters Re-release Info. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xix] Ghostbusters Info. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xx] Ghostbusters Re-release Poster. Retrieved 11/30/2014.
[xxi] Ghostbusters Re-Release Box Office. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxii] Hotfile Shuts Down. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxiii] Columbia Anti-Piracy Case. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxiv] Hackers take Sony. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxv] Sony Movies Leaked. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxvi] Hackers Call Out Lynton on Twitter. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxvii] Sony Responds to Hack. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxviii] Annie Info. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxiv] Annie Poster. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxx] The Interview Info. Retrieved 12/1/2014.
[xxxi] The Interview Poster. Retrieved 12/1/2014.

Paramount Pictures

Posted on October 5, 2014 by sdtanz

by Steph Tanz

[1] The Paramount Pictures Logo

Key Executives:

[2] Brad Grey, Chairman & CEO

[3] Rob Moore, Vice Chairman, Paramount Pictures

[4] Frederick Huntsberry, Chief Operating Officer, Paramount Pictures

[5] Adam Goodman, President, Paramount Pictures

History

Adolph Zuker, Jesse Lasky and Cecil DeMile founded Paramount Pictures in 1912. It was only after Zuker and Lasky combined their business ideas and created Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, now known as Paramount Pictures. In 1920, Paramount Pictures became the first successful nationwide film distribution company and is currently considered to be part of the “Big Six” film studios in Hollywood. Paramount Pictures has released iconic films such as The Ten Commandments, The Godfather, Top Gun and Titanic [6].

Paramount Communications Inc. and Viacom Inc. merged in 1994 and the deal was said to be valued at $8.2 billion [7]. The current Chairman and CEO, Brad Grey, began his position in 2005 and continues to bring the company success.

Financials

In 2013, Paramount began a new approach in the film industry by releasing fewer films but increasing their profits. Although domestic ticket sales have plunged to less than $900 million, Paramount has become consistently profitable. This is because of the studio’s profit margin that has been more than 5 percent for the past few years [8]. Although, the 2013 tactic did not work out because Paramount Home Media Distribution’s revenue fell 38% as a result of fewer releases. However, revenue increased to $1.36 billion, which is a 12% increase from last year. The increase is primarily because of a strong theatrical performance from Transformers: Age of Extinction [9].

[10] Transformers: Age of Extinction captures the story of Optimus Prime and his Autobots fighting to save Earth’s history with the help from Optimus’ daughter and a mechanic.

Transformers: Age of Extinction was released on June 27th and hit a box-office milestone by reaching $1 billion worldwide. This is only the second movie that has ever hit this mark in the toy-to-film franchise. China showed the biggest contribution by selling $300 million in ticket sales [11]. With performers such as Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci and Nicola Peltz, the movie has received 8 nominations and won 1 award [12].

IN THEATRES

[13] Interstellar is based on a team of explorers that travel beyond our galaxy and discover the future among the stars.

INTERSTELLAR

The Sci-fi film starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway was released on November 5^th in the United States and internationally. The film had pleasing results when it was first released in 3,561 theatres and averaged $13,342 per theatre. During opening weekend, the movie made $48 million domestically and was ranked #2 following Big Hero 6. The film has accumulated grosses of $147 million domestically, which accounts for 27.1% of the entire gross, and $542 million worldwide. The budget is estimated to be $165 million therefore the gross income quadrupled their budget[14].

Interstellar is nominated for the Hollywood Music in Media Awards and already won the Truly Moving Picture Award in the Heartland Film Awards.[15]

[16] Interstellar Trailer

Paramount Pictures is not satisfied with the results of the film and teamed up with AMC theatres to offer a promotion that lets the audience have the opportunity to get unlimited repeat viewing of the film. This is directed towards AMC’s frequent customer program “Stubs” and gives the customer an Interstellar pass at a discounted price and unlimited viewing at any AMC theatre. [17]
Also, Paramount Pictures and Google teamed up and began creating a time capsule that is going to capture all the highlights of “life on earth and preserve the past.” [18]

MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN

[23] Men, Women & Children follows the story of a group of teenagers and their parents discovering how the internet has impacted lives.

The drama film starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Garner was a flop for Paramount Pictures.The domestic total gross is estimated to be $705,908. There was a limited release date, October 1st, that was only shown in 17 theatres and averaged $2,825 per theatre. The wide opening weekend was released to 608 theatres and only averaged $504 per theatre[19]. According to BoxOfficeMojo, these results are the fifth-worst ever for a movie on more than 600 screens[20].

Although Adam Sandler is a popular actor, that wasn’t enough to bring out a huge audience. Men, Women & Children did not get a strong response from the Toronto International Film Festival [21] and the critics on Rotten Tomatoes were not a fan of the film and gave them at 31 percent[22]. Also, the movie was competing against another R-rated movie, Gone Girl, which was a big hit in the marketplace.

WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW

In mid-October, investors took Paramount Pictures to trial claiming that the studio secured a “risky business strategy” when it obtained $40 million in financing. The investors are upset that the movies released during the mid 2000’s did so poorly. The investors were asking for $16 million and punitive damages in which they claim amounted to fraud. Both sides agreed with the films disappointing results in the box office therefore the investors argued that it is unfair that Paramount didn’t disclose it’s plans to reduce international distribution [24]. The US judge dismissed the case by ruling the evidence “inconsistent with the investors claims,” therefore Paramount Pictures won the lawsuit [25].
Paramount Pictures is ranked as the #6 studio in the overall studio market share with a 10.4% market share. Overall, they have released 11 movies in 2014 and generated $953.6 million [26].

[27] Plans for Paramount Pictures park

Paramount Pictures plans to create a Hollywood-inspired theme park that would include water parks, restaurants and hotels based on Paramount’s movies [28]. The resort plans to open at Easter 2020 and create close to 27,000 jobs. The London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH) is in charge of the plans for the theme park. The location is set to be in Kent, which is very close to London [29].

On December 1, 2014, Viacom shares were down 1.44% at $74.54 a share. Although this is not the highest market share, it is a rebound from the company’s low point in October ($68.24 a share) but nowhere close to the company’s high point this summer ($87.31 a share, in July) [31].

COMING SOON TO THEATRES NEAR YOU

TOP FIVE

[32] Top Five Trailer

The comedy film from writer-director Chris Rock is set to release a limited screening of Top Five on December 5th. The wide release date is set to be December 12th. Top Five follows a comedian attempting to become a serious actor but ends up broadcasting his wedding with his fiancé who is a reality-TV star [33]. At the Toronto International Film Festival the comedy garnered positive attention therefore it is expected to do well [34].

THE GAMBLER

[35] The Gambler Trailer

The drama/thriller film directed by Rupert Wyatt is set to release on December 19th. The film has a skillful cast that includes Mark Wahlberg as the main character and other actors such as Jessica Lange, Brie Larson and Michael Kenneth Williams. The Gambler is about a college professor who has an affair with one of his students while being a high-stakes gambler. [36]

SOURCES:

[1] Paramount Pictures Logo, Paramount.com, RT: 11/15/2014

[2] Brad Grey, Chairman & CEO, Cached.newslookup.com, RT: 11/15/2014

[3] Rob Moore, Vice Chairman, Trekmovie.com, RT: 11/15/2014

[4] Frederick Huntsberry, Chief Operating Officer, Gettyimages.com, RT: 11/15/2014

[5] Adam Goodman, President, Tfw2005.com, RT: 11/15/2014

[6] “The Paramount Story”, Paramount.com, RT: 11/17/2014

[7] “Deal Ends Long Paramount and Viacom Saga”, Articles.latimes.com, RT: 11/17/2014

[8] “Strong Profit Margin at Paramount Pictures Underlines a Hollywood Shift”, Nytimes.com, RT: 11/17/2014

[9] Paramount Q4 Profit Drops 27%, Homemediamagazine.com, RT: 11/17/2014

[10] Transformers: Age of Extinction, Imdb.com, RT: 11/17/2014

[11] “Box Office Milestone: ‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ Hits $1 Billion Worldwide,” hollywoodreporter.com, RT: 11/20/2014

[12] Transformers: Age of Extinction, Pro-imdb.com, RT: 11/29/2014

[13]Interstellar, Imdb.com, RT: 11/29/2014

[14]Interstellar, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[15] Interstellar, Pro-imdb.com, RT: 11/29/2014

[16] Interstellar Trailer, Youtube.com, RT: 11/29/2014

[17] Paramount Tries New Ticket Tack to Boost Interstellar Sales, Blogs.Indiewire.com, RT: 11/20/2014

[18] Paramount, Google Start on ‘Interstellar’- sparked ‘time capsule’ Film, latimes.com, RT: 11/29/2014

[19] Men, Women & Children, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[20] Worst Wide Openings, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 11/20/2014

[21] Jason Reitman’s ‘Men, Women and Children’ Takes Box Office Bellyflop, Thewrap.com, RT: 11/29/2014

[22] Men, Women & Children, Rottentomatoes.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[23] Men, Women & Children, Imdb.com, RT: 11/20/2014

[24] Investors take Paramount to trial over U.S. movie Losses, Reuters.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[25] US judge tosses Paramount Movie Financing Fraud Case after trial, Cnbc.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[26] Studio Market Share, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[27] Paramount Pictures Plan for Park, Slashfilm.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[28] Paramount Pictures Signs Development Deal For U.K. Theme Park, Slashfilm.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[29] Paramount Pictures resort plans on display, Bbc.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[31] Viacom Shares, Wikinvest.com, RT: 12/1/2014

[32] Top Five Trailer, Youtube.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[33] Top Five, Pro-labs.imdb.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[34] Paramount Sets Chris Rock’s Toronto Biggie ‘Top Five’ For December, Deadline.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[35] The Gambler Trailer, Youtube.com, RT: 11/30/2014

[36] The Gambler, Pro-labs.imdb.com, RT: 12/1/2014

DirecTV

Posted on October 5, 2014 by mjnixon

by Marla Nixon

DIRECTV logo, Photo courtesy of: [1] www.slashgear.com

CONTACT INFORMATION [2]

2260 E Imperial Hwy

El Segundo, CA 90245 United States

(310) 964-5000

www.directv.com [3]

COMPANY OVERVIEW

DIRECTV was founded in 1990 and is currently one of the world’s largest digital television services. The company provides services to over 32 million customers in the United States and Latin America (20 million in the United States and 18 million in Latin America). These services include HD, 3D and Video-On-Demand programming. DIRECTV is known for their #1 ranking in customer service as well as their sports programming which includes the NFL Sunday Ticket (see below “Deals and Acquisitions” for more details) [4].

ELECTED OFFICERS [5]

Michael White, Chairman, President & CEO, Photo courtesy of: [5] www.directv.com

Chairman, President & CEO: Michael White

Chief Human Resources Officer: Joseph Bosch

President, DIRECTV Latin America: Bruce Churchill

Chief Financial Officer: Patrick Doyle

General Counsel: Larry Hunter

Chief Technology Officer: Romulo Pontual

Chief Accounting Officer: Steve Adams

FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT

DIRECTV announced their 2014 3rd Quarter results on November 6th, 2014 [6]. The results showed a revenue growth of 6%, making their total revenue $8.4 billion. This revenue growth was due to an increase in U.S. ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) and DIRECTV Latin America (DTVLA) subscriber growth. However, this increase in revenue was offset by a lower ARPU at DTVLA. The lower ARPU at DTVLA was due to unfavorable changes in exchange rates.

DIRECTV stock quotes from June 2014 to present (6 months), Photo courtesy of: [7] www.money.cnn.com

Their current stock price (as of December 1st, 2014) is at $87.37 per share. This price has a year-to-date increase of 26.51% and a three-year increase of 89.69% [7]. Although financials have shown an increase it is important to note that DIRECTV has sustained subscriber loss in both the United States and Latin America units. This subscriber loss has been attributed to their credit policies and a rise in competition [6] [8].

MAIN COMPETITORS

DIRECTV has three main competitors: Comcast, Dish Network and Time Warner Cable [9]. Comcast is their biggest competitor ranking number one in the pay-TV market with 22.5 million video subscribers (DIRECTV holds about 20 million video subscribers) [10]. There is currently a proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable (see Tuned In [15] and The Eyes Have It [16] graphics under “Deals and Acquisitions). This merger is still under consideration by the FCC, but if approved will put Comcast even further in the lead of the pay-TV market [11].

DEALS AND ACQUISITIONS

On September 1st, 2014, a negotiation dispute between Raycom Media and DIRECTV caused a 7-day standoff that resulted in a blackout for some DIRECTV subscribers. 43 Raycom stations, including channels with NFL programming, went dark on DIRECTV. The dispute was resolved before the Sunday NFL game and all channels were restored [12].

Displays percentage of the market Comcast and DIRECTV will have if both mergers are approved, Photo courtesy of:[15] www.wsj.com

In May of 2014 AT&T announced that it planned on acquiring DIRECTV with a $48.5 billion merger. If combined, DIRECTV and AT&T will have more than 26 million subscribers in the United States. This would put DIRECTV ahead of Comcast (22.5 million subscribers as of Fall 2014) in the market for pay-TV. However, if the Comcast and Time Warner Cable merger occurs, DIRECTV would still remain second-largest. Looking at the graphic “The Eyes Have It [16],” if the DIRECTV and AT&T merger is made they will have a total of 25.8 million subscribers, unfortunately that number will remain dwarfed by Comcast if the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger occurs bringing them up to 33.1 million subscribers (note that The Eyes Have It graphic only shows data up to 2013, data not referencing The Eyes Have It are current). However, both mergers have yet to be approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) [13]. Both mergers have been under heavy consideration by the FCC because of the massive amount of subscribers each merger affects. If either or both merger are approved the pay-TV market competition will rise dramatically. On September 25th, 2014, DIRECTV stockholders approved the merger with AT&T in a vote that represented 77% of all outstanding shares. The voting results showed that more than 99% of votes casted were in favor of the merger agreement [14].

Current subscribers to DIRECTV, AT&T, Comcast and Time Warner Cable, Photo courtesy of: [16] www.wsj.com

To learn more about the AT&T and DIRECTV merger watch a news broadcast here. Video courtesy of: [17] www.wsj.com.

On October 1st, 2014, DIRECTV renewed it’s deal with the National Football League (NFL) for the NFL Sunday Ticket. The NFL Sunday Ticket includes the showing of all out-of market games (regular season games outside of their local markets) as well as real time stats [18]. The NFL Sunday Ticket has been given exclusive rights to DIRECTV and is being extended for 8 years. The price was confirmed at $1.5 billion per season which is a 50% price increase compared to what DIRECTV paid in previous years. DIRECTV produces revenues of about $600 million from the NFL Sunday Ticket with around 2 million subscribers. This revenue is far below what they are now paying for the rights of the NFL Sunday Ticket programming [19]. A possible reason for DIRECTV’S agreeing to a dramatically increased price is their proposed merger with AT&T (see above paragraph). If DIRECTV did not renew it’s deal with the NFL for the Sunday Ticket, AT&T was allowed to walk away from the deal without any penalties [19] [20].

In early November, AMC Networks threatened to go dark on DIRECTV if negotiation standards are not met. With their hit show The Walking Dead halfway through its season a blackout would be dangerous for DIRECTV business. The contract is set to expire in 2015 and there have been warnings aired on the show that DIRECTV subscribers may not continue to receive programming from AMC [21]. However, DIRECTV has stated that subscribers will be able to view every episode of the upcoming season of The Walking Dead in a public promise on their website [22].

DIRECTV and Guest-tek announced a strategic relationship on November 13th. This relationship expands technology and programming for hotels and guests [23].

LOOKING FORWARD

DIRECTV is now offering 4K Television. 4K television, also known as Ultra HD, is the latest HD technology and is called 4K because of the image width (4,000 pixels) [24]. DIRECTV is the first and only multi-channel video provider to offer 4K/Ultra HD TV. To receive DIRECTV 4K programming, subscribers need the DIRECTV Genie HD DVR and a DIRECTV 4K ready television. Currently the only DIRECTV 4K ready TV’s are the 2014 Samsung Ultra HD/4K television models [25]. The DIRECTV 4K programming was released on November 14th and currently has about 20 movie titles to choose from [26].

Photo courtesy of: [27] www.seriable.com

DIRECTV has also been creating some of their own content programming since 2013. Most recently, a new drama called “Kingdom” starring Jonathan Tucker and Nick Jonas has had a 20-episode renewal a week after its premiere. The show is about a mixed Martial Arts group living in Venice, CA. “Kingdom” has been their most-watched series on their Audience Network [28]. The DIRECTV Audience Network is devoted to their original programming [29].

Watch the Kingdom series trailer here. Video courtesy of: [30] www.youtube.com.

SOURCES

1. DIRECTV’s Logo, www.slashgear.com, RT: 11/29/2014

2. Contact Information, www.hoovers.com, RT: 11/29/2014

3. DIRECTTV’s Website, www.directv.com, RT: 11/29/2014

4. “Our Company”, www.directv.com, RT: 11/30/2014

5. Elected Officers, investor.directv.com, RT: 11/28/2014

6. 2014 3rd Quarter Results, investor.directv.com, RT: 11/30/2014

7. DIRECTV Stock Quotes, www.money.cnn.com, RT:11/30/2014

8. “Tighter Credit, Competition Pressure DirecTV,” www.multichannel.com, RT: 11/30/2014

9. Competitors, www.hoovers.com, RT: 11/30/2014

10. Comcast Vs. DIRECTV, www.fool.com/investing, RT: 11/30/2014

11. Comcast and TimeWarner Merger, www.wsj.com, RT: 11/30/2014

12. “DirecTV, Raycom Media Blackout Ends Just in Time for NFL Games,” www.variety.com RT: 11/30/2014

13. “What Investors Need to Know About the AT&T-DirecTV Merger,” www.fool.com/investing, RT: 11/30/2014

14. DIRECTV Stockholders Approve Merger with AT&T, www.investor.directv.com, RT: 11/30/2014

15. “Comcast, TWC Blast Critics of Merger,” www.wsj.com, RT: 11/30/2014

16. “AT&T Has Approached DIRECTV About Possible Acquisition,” www.wsj.com, RT: 12/1/2014

17. Wall Street Journal Video, www.wsj.com, RT:12/1/2014

18. DIRECTV NFL Sunday Ticket, www.directv.com, RT: 11/30/2014

19. “DIRECTV Extends Its Deal With NFL For $12 Billion,” www.trefis.com, RT:11/30/2014

20. “CMO Today: NFL Sticks with DIRECTV for Sunday Ticket,” www.wsj.com, RT: 11/30/2014

21. “AMC Holds The Walking Dead Ransom In Dispute With DIRECTV,” www.digitaltrends.com, RT: 12/1/2014

22. DIRECTV Promise, www.directvpromise.com, RT:12/1/2014

23. DIRECTV and Guest-tek Strategic Relationship, www.guestek.com, RT: 12/1/2014

24. “4K TV and Ultra HD: Everything you need to know,” www.techradar.com, RT: 12/1/2014

25. “What is a DIRECTV 4K Ready TV and how does it work?” www.support.directv.com, RT: 12/1/2014

26. DIRECTV 4K TV Press Release, www.investor.directv.com, RT: 12/1/2014

27. Kingdom Photo, www.seriable.com, RT: 12/1/2014

28. “DIRECTV Orders 20 More Episodes of Original Drama ‘Kingdom,'” www.variety.com, RT: 12/1/2014

29. DIRECTV Audience Network, www.directv.com, RT: 12/1/2014

30. Kingdom Trailer, www.youtube.com, RT: 12/1/2014

DirectTV

Posted on October 5, 2014 by Nicholas Sabatino

by Nick Sabatino

Photo courtesy of www.interpretllc.com [1]

Contact Information

Headquarters: 2230 E. Imperial Hwy, El Segundo, CA 90245 Phone: (310) 964-5000 [2] Facebook: DirecTV Twitter: @DirecTV

Executives

President and CEO: Michael White Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer: Patrick T. Doyle Executive Vice President and President, DirecTV Latin America: Bruce B. Churchill [3]

President and CEO, Michael White
Photo courtesy of investor.directv.com [4]

About

DirecTV was founded in 1990 and was one of the country’s first satellite-cable providers. DirecTV offers quality television with a variety of channels, including many high definition (HD) channels. There are hundreds of channels on DirecTV and the number of channels a customer receives depends on the package that the customer buys. However, not only does DirecTV provide cable, they also provide On-Demand services, HD DVR products(recording devices) called Genie [5], and “TV Everywhere” applications so that you can enjoy your television shows or movies when you want, where you want, and on what device you choose.

DirecTV’s Genie: HD DVR
Photo courtesy of www.directv.com [6]

DirecTV is a satellite-cable provider, this means that instead of just having a cable box attached to your television inside of your home, DirecTV puts a satellite dish on top of your home. Appearance is mostly the only major difference. However, DirecTV has benefits over other cable providers. DirecTV is rated #1 in overall customer satisfaction, and has been ahead of cable for the past 14 years [7].

Financials

DirecTV offers its services in the United States and in Latin America. The company currently has over 37 million subscribers in these areas, and their revenues totaled about $30 billion dollars in 2013 [8]. DirecTV is a multi-billion dollar company traded publicly on the NASDAQ with the ticker symbol DTV. Their stock currently has a volume of 899,268 and it is being traded at $87.71 per share [9]. Over the past four years DirecTV has seen a substantial increase in subscribers. With that, came an increase in their stock value. Since 2010, DirecTV’s stock has rose about 60 points and it keeps steadily going up over time. These numbers are very good for DirecTV and proves that they are becoming more successful as a company and more people are choosing their product over others.

DirecTV stock over the last four years Photo courtesy of investor.directv.com

DirecTV’s stock price over the last four years
Photo courtesy of investor.directv.com [10]

AT&T Merger

In May of 2014, DirecTV proposed a deal to AT&T to join companies and create a merger. With this merger, AT&T could improve the services that DirecTV already has. AT&T would focus on improving the Internet quality in many areas of the country that DirecTV does business [11]. With improved Internet, customers would be able to get better access to On-Demand and Pay-Per-View options that DirecTV offers. It would also better allow for the DirecTV app to be on products such as iPads and iPhones that are contracted under AT&T service, so that DirecTV can be at your fingertips wherever, and whenever you want it to be. This is the concept of “TV Everywhere.”

Over the past few months, the merger has been overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Justice Department over the legality of this merger. On November 20, 2014, DirecTV’s CEO, Michael White, said the deal should be approved next year. With this approved merger it is uncertain if DirecTV’s sales will go up. In a perfect market, the merger would cause an increase in the stock price of both AT&T and DirecTV. However, if one of the two company’s stock price starts to fall, being that both companies are in a merger, investors will sell their stock from the attached company and then both companies will have a decrease in stock price. This results in a loss of money for both AT&T and DirecTV [12].

AT&T and DirecTV Merger
Photo courtesy of www.accessnorthga.com [13]

International Expansion

In 2006, DirecTV gained 100% ownership of DirecTV Latin America [14]. With the expansion into new countries, DirecTV has asserted itself as more of a global brand. As of 2013, the number of subscribers that are from Latin America is about 18 million, which is an increase of about 9 million subscribers compared to the year 2010 [15]. With the success of expansion into Latin America, it is probable that DirecTV will expand into other markets as well and become even larger of a company. In the end of the day, it is all about getting your product to as many people as possible and making as much money as possible.

The DirecTV satellite dish portrayed as being on top of the Latin American countries where DirecTV is in. Photo courtesy of www.gigaom.com

DirecTV has expanded to Latin America.
Photo courtesy of www.gigaom.com [16]

Raycom Media

Back in September of 2014 there was a dispute between DirecTV and a broadcasting company called Raycom Media [17]. The dispute was over the broadcasting of Raycom Media’s channels through the means of DirecTV. The two companies did not come to a financial agreement by September 1st (the deadline) so for customers that had DirecTV they were unable to watch any Raycom Media channels for several days. Raycom Media is in 37 markets and 18 states, and they provide many different forms of television [18]. A major concern among people who had DirecTV and were in a Raycom Media market was the fact that they would not be able to watch some of the opening day NFL games on September 7th. Raycom and DirecTV made sure that this did not happen because of the potential financial loss that could have come from it. Agreements were made, and on September 7th customers were reinstated with their television channels.

Original Programming and What to Expect in the Future

Over the past few years DirecTV has entered into the world that Netflix and Hulu are also in. It’s the world of original programming, and it is the key to gaining more viewership, and in the case of DirecTV, more subscribers [19]. DirecTV’s goal is to have shows that viewers cannot get anywhere else. If this happens, then people may substitute the cable provider that they already have for DirecTV. DirecTV has their own channel called “Audience” that is only on DirecTV. On this channel is their newest show called Kingdom, and it came out in Fall of 2014. It stars Nick Jonas as a mixed martial arts fighter [20]. There is also a crime drama starring Thandie Newton called Rogue.

Click photo for Kingdom trailer courtesy of Youtube. Photo courtesy of www.directv.com

Click photo for Kingdom trailer, courtesy of www.youtube.com
Photo courtesy of www.directv.com [21]

There is even a special channel called “DogTV,” which is a channel specifically made for your dog to watch.

DogTV Trailer Photo courtesy of www.directv.com Commercial courtesy of www.youtube.com

Click photo for DogTV Commercial
Photo courtesy of www.directv.com
Commercial courtesy of www.youtube.com [22]

DirecTV also prides itself on its sports channels and packages. They have many packages, but their most popular one is the NFL Sunday Ticket. Every Fall if you are a customer that has NFL Sunday Ticket you can watch every NFL game that airs every Sunday [23]. New this Fall too is the introduction of NFL Fantasy Zone, a show which is all geared towards Fantasy Football. Expect growth in this department over the next few years.

There is also an ongoing dispute currently taking place between DirecTV and AMC. AMC is threatening to take away all of their channels (AMC, We TV, IFC, and Sundance) because they are claiming that DirecTV violated the existing deal that they had with them [24]. AMC is running campaigns during its show The Walking Dead, and DirecTV has an online petition[25]. DirecTV says that AMC is issuing a false alarm and nothing will happen. This is a developing story that needs to be kept a close eye on in the coming months.

In the near future, expect DirecTV to come up with more original content, renewal of their successful shows, expansion into new countries, and new and better deals to lure new customers to their services.

Sources

[1] DirecTV Logo. Interpret. RT: 4/30/14

[2] DirecTV Headquarters. eCorporateOffices.com. RT: 4/30/14

[3] Corporate Governance: Elected Officers. Investor.directv.com. RT: 4/30/14

[4] Michael White. Investor.directv.com. RT: 4/30/14

[5] DirecTV Genie. DirecTV.com. RT: 4/30/14

[6] DirecTV Genie. DirecTV.com. RT: 4/30/14

[7] DirecTV vs. Cable. DirecTV.com. RT: 4/30/14

[8] DirecTV 2013 Annual Report. Investor.directv.com. RT: 4/30/14

[9] Stock Quote and Chart. Investor.directv.com. RT: 4/30/14

[10] Stock Quote and Chart. Investor.directv.com. RT: 4/30/14

[11] “DirecTV CEO Expects Feds to OK AT&T Merger”. BostonHerald.com. RT: 4/30/14

[12] “3 Reasons DirecTV’s Stock Could Fall”. Fool.com. RT: 4/30/14

[13] “AT&T Agrees to Buy DirecTV in $45.8B Deal”. AccessNorthGa.com. RT: 4/30/14

[14] Company Profile. DirecTV.com. RT: 4/30/14

[15] DirecTV 2013 Annual Report. Investor.directv.com. RT: 4/30/14

[16] “DirecTV Adds Another 600,000 Latin American Users in Q1”. Gigaom.com. RT: 4/30/14

[17] “Raycom Media Restores 43 Local Stations to DirecTV Homes”. News.directv.com. RT: 4/30/14

[18] “Raycom Media Reaches Agreement In Principle With DirecTV”. RaycomMedia.com. RT: 4/30/14

[19] “DirecTV tries to join Netflix, Hulu With New Original Series Kingdom: Can They Compete?”. SheKnows.com. RT: 4/30/14

[20] “Stepping Into the Cage with Kingdom‘s Jonathan Tucker”. News.directv.com. RT: 4/30/14

[21] Kingdom Poster. DirecTV.com. RT: 4/30/14

[22] “DogTV Commercial – Been There Done That – Part 2”. Youtube.com. RT: 4/30/14

[23] “How DirecTV is Capitalizing On Growth of Fantasy Football”. Forbes.com. RT: 4/30/14

[24] “AMC Sounds Alarm About DirecTV Tussle During ‘Walking Dead’ Episode”. Variety.com. RT: 4/30/14

[25] “Don’t Let AMC Scare You!”. directvpromise.com. RT: 4/30/14

Cablevision

Link

by Steven Spohr

Summary

Source – Cablevision.com

Founded in 1973, Cablevision Systems Corporation is a leading telecommunications company that primarily offers television, phone, and Internet services to millions in the NY metropolitan area. Initially serving a mere 1,500 customers on Long Island, Cablevision has since expanded to offer WiFi, a leading local newspaper, and business communications solutions to its over 3 million subscribers. Former properties include Madison Square Garden and Rainbow Media Holdings. [1]

Source – Optimum.com

Cablevision’s television, phone, Internet, WiFi, and business solutions all operate under the ‘Optimum’ brand name. These include (but are not limited to) –

Optimum TV – exclusive home of News 12 Networks, a series of local news channels
Optimum Voice
Optimum Online
Optimum WiFi
Optimum Lightpath – a “leading provider of integrated business communications solutions that meets the needs of larger companies” [1]

Source – www.newsday.com/

Cablevision also owns Newsday Media Group, which runs two local papers. Newsday is a Pulitzer Prize-winning daily newspaper that has been in circulation since 1940. Over 70% of Long Island adults read Newsday, and its articles and reporting have won numerous awards and made it the top paper on Long Island. To provide the most local news possible, Newsday works closely with MSG Varsity (part of the News 12 Networks) to provide detailed coverage of local high school and college sports. amNewYork offers a quick read of city news and events. In addition to the papers, NMG owns Star Community Publishing, which producers weekly shopper publications in Long Island and Queens. It is the largest publisher of its kind in the Northeastern United States. [2]

Leadership

The Dolan family founded Cablevision and continues to lead the company today. Key personnel include [3] –

Charles Dolan – Founder and Chairman / Source – Sean Smith, The Boston College Chronicle

James Dolan – Chief Executive Officer / Source – Al Iannazzone, Newsday.com

Kristin Dolan – Chief Operating Officer / Source – Variety.com

Brian Sweeney – President / Source – POST Online Media

Gregg Seibert – Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer / Source – Business Wire

Hank Ratner – Vice Chairman / Source – The Madison Square Garden Company

Financials

A detailed map of Cablevision’s stock pricing in 2014. / Source – Yahoo! Finance

2014 has seen Cablevision’s stock (CVC) prices gradually increase throughout the year. Starting the year at $17.22/share, CVC stock stands at $20.32/share as of November 29th. February 3rd saw the year’s low of $15.85. Prices peaked in late July, mid-September, and late November. [4]

The following financial information is from Cablevision’s Third Quarter 2014 Results.

Net revenue increased 3.7% to $1.62 billion.
Cable advertising revenue grew 6.8%
Average Monthly Cable Revenue per Customer increased 5.7% to $154.50/customer/month. [5]

These figures represent a continued loss of subscribers for Cablevision across the board. Between satellite TV providers, rival phone companies, and the public’s shift to watching TV online, Cablevision’s audience is becoming fragmented. The company chose to increase its subscription rates in response to decreasing numbers, which is represented by the net revenue and AMCR/C increases. [6]

Recent News

The latter half of 2014 has been a busy one, with notable hirings, financial news, legal troubles, and more.

August 4th

August 4th saw Cablevision’s announcement that it has hired David Dibble as Chief Technology Officer, a newly-created role. Dibble is formerly of Yahoo!, and his hiring is part of Cablevision’s efforts to “become the premier connectivity provider in the market, delivering a peerless customer experience”. [7]

November 7th

A New York Times article revealed a major legal proceeding against Cablevision. The National Labor Relations Board has charged Cablevision CEO James Dolan with “illegally threatening to deny company technicians in Brooklyn a pay increase unless they voted to quit their union”. The NLRB also charged Cablevision itself with “illegally [undermining] the union’s representation of those workers by sponsoring a nonbinding poll to determine whether they wanted to leave their union”, while some workers reported they were being ‘spied on’ during the vote. Federal law states that such a vote can only be conducted by the labor board, not the company. CEO Dolan fired back, calling the NLRB “a tool of Big Labor” and questioning the validity of its findings. The case is ongoing, and Cablevision has stated it will appeal to federal courts, if necessary. [8]

CEO Dolan has plenty of reasons to be frustrated, especially with his ongoing legal troubles with the National Labor Relations Board. / Source – ESPN.com

November 11th

Cablevision teamed up with Time Warner Cable to release the first ever “New York Television Audience Insights Report”. The report sampled the 3.5 million subcribers of Cablevision and TWC in the New York area, which is half of the TV homes in the region. Its aim was to help advertising and marketing departments and companies get better value out of their advertising purchases. Some key findings include –

74% of all TV programming watched was outside of traditional TV ‘prime time’ (8-11PM).
On average, a subscriber will only watch 25 channels in a month.
a whopping 90% of all viewing comes from a mere 100 channels. [9]

These new insights will help create better statistics for TV viewership and aid advertisers in spending money more efficiently.

November 18th

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city is planning an extensive new WiFi network across the five boroughs. The project, dubbed LinkNYC, would provide not only free WiFi, but also no-cost domestic calling and video chat. The 10,000 hotspot system would replace the city’s decaying network of archaic payphones and operate completely with money generated through advertising. Projected to cost around $200 million, LinkNYC would bring in over $500 million over the next twelve years, according to city officials.

This announcement led some to think Cablevision’s Optimum WiFi network would be threatened by this new, massive competition. Cablevision officials have not only dismissed these musings, but have actively worked with New York City on a number of initiatives, possibly including LinkNYC itself. [10]

Mayor-Elect De Blasio Makes Announcement

Mayor de Blasio’s ambitious project looks to dramatically improve WiFi services within the five boroughs. / Source – PIX 11

November 22nd

The Lewisboro Ledger revealed that Cablevision has a new deal with the town of Lewisboro (Westchester County). The deal, which primarily concerns franchising fees, has a number of key improvements –

Over $270,000 in new franchising fees are expected in 2015.
Free cable would be provided to 16 municipal and school buildings, including the public library.
New offers would include a senior discount for those aged sixty-five and older.
Town Board meetings would become available for live-streaming.
The town’s parks and baseball fields will become WiFi-equipped. [11]

November 25th

Kids video-on-demand network Kabillion announced a carriage deal with Cablevision. Kabillion, which is the only independently-owned VOD network ranked in the Top 10 Kids Free On Demand list, will now reach over 50 million homes nationwide. The deal is beneficiary to Cablevision too, as Kabillion reports views exceeding 65 million in 2014. [12]

Bibliography

AMC Networks

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Tyler Cunningham

By Tyler Cunningham


courtesy of [1] hitstate.com

AMC Network Entertainment LLC

11 Penn Plaza – New York, NY 10001 – (646)-273-7105

HISTORY + ABOUT:

Upon its launch in 1980, AMC Networks was originally known as Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of Cablevision. After 25 years of successful programming and mergers, Cablevision executives took Rainbow Media public on July 1st, 2011 under its new name, AMC Network Entertainment. [2]

courtesy of [3] imgl.wikia.nocookie.net

Now in its third year as a publicly traded company, AMC Networks owns and operates some of today’s most popular cable channels including AMC, Sundance TV, WE tv and IFC. Additionally, the company owns the independent film distributor, IFC Films, as well as the IFC Center cinema in Greenwich Village. [4] AMC Networks has a commitment to producing only the most distinctive and compelling content that engages many different audiences.

KEY EXECUTIVES:

[5]

Charles F. Dolan – Executive Chairman

[5]

Joshua W. Sapan – President & CEO

[5]

Edward A. Carroll – COO

[5]

Sean E. Sullivan – Executive VP & CFO

FINANCIALS AS OF SPRING 2014:

AMC Networks has not yet reported its First Quarter earnings for 2014, however it recently reported its Fourth Quarter & Full-Year Earnings for 2013.

The Fourth Quarter saw a net revenue increase of 18.7% to $435 million, up from $395 million in the company’s Third Quarter report. [6] And what’s more is that 2013 saw an annual net revenue increase of 17.7% to $1.592 billion, up from $1.353 billion in 2012.These increases, according to CEO Joshua Sapan, can be entirely attributed to the company’s “ability to produce content that is valuable and monetizeable.” [7]

courtesy of [8] nasdaq.com

The company is publicly traded as AMCX on NASDAQ and has seen an especially successful Spring 2014. As seen in this graph that documents AMCX’s share price since going public in 2011, the price has been at an all-time high since the beginning of 2014, hitting $78.39 per share on March 7th. This is up from $59.18 on the same day in 2013.

RECENT HAPPENINGS:

AMC’s The Walking Dead Continues its Ratings Reign –

courtesy of [9] beyondhollywood.com

Even in the face of the XXII Winter Olympics, The Walking Dead‘s mid-season premiere on February 9th still garnered 16 million viewers and maintained its position as the highest-rated program on all of television in the key 18-49 demographic. [10] The zombie apocalypse drama’s popularity is commonly attributed to its incredibly tense storytelling and excellent character development. The Walking Dead will return for its fifth season this October.

Chellomedia is Offically Acquried for $1 Billion –

courtesy of [11] chellomediapaytv.com

After a lengthy courting process, AMC Networks purchased the London-based Chellomedia for $1 billion this spring. Chellomedia is a European television content distributor that owns and operates a massive collection of channels that reach an estimated 390 million homes across Europe. AMC Networks reportedly made the acquisition to broaden their European audience. [12] With net earnings of $465 million in 2013, Chellomedia is expected to now make up 20% of AMC Networks’ earnings. [13]

Final Season of Mad Men Opens to Lackluster Ratings –

courtesy of [16]

There’s no denying that Mad Men is one of the most critically-acclaimed shows in recent history, but when it comes to ratings, AMC wins some and they lose some. The seventh and final season of Mad Men premiered on April 13th to just 2.3 million viewers – their lowest premiere rating since the show’s second season in 2008. [14] Media analysts suspect that recycled, overused plot lines in season six (Don was predictably unfaithful, etc.) are to blame for the loss of public interest. [15]

New Drama, Turn, Premieres to Lukewarm Reviews –

AMC was hoping to add to its collection of hit dramas with the new Revolutionary War espionage thriller, Turn. However, it is looking unlikely that they will be able to do so. The series premiere on April 6th opened to a modest 2.1 million viewers (only .5 of them in the 18-49 demographic) and a bag of mixed reviews. [17] While some publications celebrated its arresting cinematography and stellar performances [18], most have labeled the show as “hollow,” with very little suspense or excitement to be found in its storytelling. [19] Turn – Trailer (YouTube)

UPCOMING PROJECTS:

Tech Drama, Halt and Catch Fire, to Premiere June 1st –

With Breaking Bad put to rest and Mad Men not far behind, “the question of ‘what’s next’ looms large for AMC.” [20] And many who attended the SXSW sneak peak of Halt and Catch Fire argue that the new series has what it takes to be the network’s next big smash. [21] The 1980s period drama tells the story of three techies with dreams of creating a more perfect personal computer that has the potential of replacing the most popular IBM model. The show’s riveting storytelling explores the multiple motives, burned bridges and egos involved in the fight to weaken IBM as the dominant player in the marketplace. The aptly titled series is slated for a June 1st premiere. Halt and Catch Fire – Trailer (YouTube)

courtesy of [25] amctv.com

Breaking Bad spinoff, Better Call Saul, to Premiere in November –

Diehard Breaking Bad fans were given reason to live again after a spinoff series, Better Call Saul, was announced following the show’s wrap. The show will center around Bob Odenkirk’s character, Saul Goodman, Albuquerque’s favorite crooked lawyer, and is named after the character’s hopelessly corny business slogan. The show will not be “Breaking Bad 2.0,” but rather a dive into the smattering of trouble and hilarity that ensues as a result of Saul’s shady business practices. [22] Better Call Saul – Webisode (YouTube)

courtesy of [26] leviathyn.com

Dark Comic Series, Preacher, to be Adapted for Television –

After many failed starts with other production companies, the 1990s comic book series, Preacher, will receive its first major television treatment from AMC. Preacher tells the story of Jesse Custer, a Texas preacher who becomes possessed by a supernatural entity that is half-angel, half-demon, making Custer the most powerful creature on Earth. Through his possession, he discovers that God has abandoned his responsibilities in Heaven and is now roaming freely on Earth. A preacher to his core, Custer sets out on a journey to track down God and send him back to his post. However, there are many demonic forces that will stop at nothing to keep this preacher from reaching God. The Seth Rogan-produced religious thriller is hoped to bring success similar to that of The Walking Dead. [23] A release date has not yet been set.

courtesy of [24] empireonline.com

SOURCES:

[1] – HitState, RT: 4/16/2014

[2] – Deadline, RT: 4/16/2014

[3] – imgl.wikia.nocookie, RT: 4/16/2014

[4] – AMC Networks, RT: 4/16/2014

[5] – AMC Networks – Investors, RT: 4/17/2014

[6] – AMC Networks – Investors, RT: 4/17/2014

[7] – Seeking Alpha, RT: 4/17/2014

[8] – NASDAQ, RT: 4/17/2014

[9] – Beyond Hollywood, RT: 4/17/2014

[10] – Seeking Alpha, RT: 4/18/2014

[11] – Chellomedia, RT: 4/18/2014

[12] – The Hollywood Reporter, RT: 4/18/2014

[13] – Seeking Alpha, RT: 4/18/2014

[14] – E! Online, RT: 4/18/2014

[15] – Indiewire, RT: 4/18/2014

[16] – SquareSpace, RT: 4/18/2014

[17] – Vulture, RT: 4/18/2014

[18] – The Daily Beast, RT: 4/19/2014

[19] – Variety, RT: 4/19/2014

[20] – Forbes, RT: 4/19/2014

[21] – Indiewire, RT: 4/19/2014

[22] – Screenrant, RT: 4/19/2014

[23] – The Hollywood Reporter, RT: 4/19/2014

[24] – Empire, RT: 4/19/2014

[25] – AMC TV, RT: 4/19/2014

[26] – Leviathyn, RT: 4/19/2014

AMC Networks

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Valerie Champeau

By Val Champeau

-courtesy of AMCtv.com

AMC Network Entertainment LLC.

11 Penn Plaza, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10001
646-273-7105

http://www.amcnetworks.com/

History

AMC Networks was originally known as, Rainbow Media Holdings, LLC. Rainbow, formed in 1980, started as a small network originally only including Bravo and SportsChannel New York. The Cablevision owned media conglomerate would, less than a decade later, go on to merge with NBC in 1988. This merger gave NBC 50% ownership of Rainbow Media in the original deal. After decades of trades, gains, and mergers, Cablevision considered taking Rainbow Media public, but did not actually go through with the deal until 2011. [1]

-courtesy of lyngsat-logo.com

On March 10th, 2011, Cablevision took Rainbow Media broke it off into a publicly traded company, AMC Networks today. Congruently, with AMC going public, Cablevision kept their cable business still as a private entity. [2]

Since going public, AMC has hit the ground running. Most recently, 2013, AMC Networks acquired the international content division of Liberty Global, Chellomedia, for a reported 750 million Euros, or $1.04 billion. This deal now gives AMC Networks access to approximately 138 countries. [3]

Financials

Most recently, in the 3rd quarter of 2013:

Net revenue increased by 19.1% to $395 million
Operating income increased 40.9% to $122 million
Adjusted Operating Cash Flow (AOCF) increased 25.4% to $137 million

“Our solid financial results in the third quarter were driven by a return on our investment in original programming…Our shows are performing well on IFC, Sundance Channel and WE tv. At AMC, our acclaimed series Breaking Bad came to a close with record viewership and the Emmy Award for Oustanding Drama Series, and The Walking Dead kicked off its fourth season with record ratings that extended its reign as the #1 show on television among adults 18-49. With our Chellomedia acquisition, we believe we will over time further capitalize on demand for our content by growing internationally, a key strategy to ensuring our long-term success.”

–Josh Sapan, AMC Networks President and CEO [4]

Looking at AMC Networks‘ one year stock evaluation it seems that the company, although currently in the red, has stayed relatively stable since going public. [5]

Key Executives

Josh Sapan

President and CEO AMC Networks INC

-courtesy amcnetworks.com

Josh Sapan has been the President and CEO of AMC Networks Inc since March 9, 2011. He was brought over from his previous position as CEO of Rainbow Media Holdings (Now AMC Networks), where he was employed since, 1995. Sapan currently serves on the boards of The Cable Center, CTAM, The New School and many others. [6]

Ed Carrol

Chief Operating Officer AMC Networks Inc.

-courtesy amcnetworks.com

Ed Carrol oversees all operations for each brand associated with AMC Networks – AMC, WE tv, IFC, and Sundance Channel. He is also responsible for ad sales in the company’s international divisions (AMC/Sundance Channel Global). He has been with the company for 24 years. [7]

Sean S. Sullivan

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer AMC Networks Inc.

-courtesy amcnetworks.com

Sean S. Sullivan is responsible for all of AMC Networks‘ financial needs. This includes, accounting, tax, financial planning, treasury, and investor relations. Along with financials, Sullivan, oversees the information technology and creative service departments, Broadcasting & Technology, programming origination and distribution division. He joined AMC Networks in September 2010 from HIT Entertainment. [8]

Recent News

Breaking Bad – “Felina”: The Final Episode Hype

-courtesy of businessinsider.com

Breaking Bad is considered one of the most compelling, addictive, and suspenseful dramas that has ever hit cable. Driven by plot and fueled by characters, AMC took viewers on a journey of a man’s total distraction, leaving in it’s wake one of the most highly anticipated final episodes ever for a series. In short, Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher, diagnosed with cancer, finds himself at a crossroads in his life. He has always played it safe for his family, and now with a baby on the way, White turns to a life of crime. Partnering up with his former student, Jesse (Aaron Paul), to cook meth, White finds himself spiraling down a dark path which eventually becomes his own demise. Everything he aims to save in the beginning of series, he slowly looses, until he has nothing left to loose. This is what has the audience on the edge of their seats for the final episode. What many people admired about the episode, unlike many other series such as, Lost and The Sopranos, is that it left no question unanswered and tied all 5 seasons up with a big bang at the end, which everyone knew was coming – Walt’s death. “Felina” had the highest ratings of any episode in the series, 10.28 million viewers. Along with viewership, the final Breaking Bad episode created an explosion over the twitter-shpear. Walter White’s final hours on screen generated 1.2 million tweets, making it the most talked about television show for the week (out-ranking “The Voice” and “Grey’s Anatomy“). Breaking Bad had 12 Emmy Nominations in the 2013 season. [9] [10]

The Walking Dead

– courtesy of collider.com

AMC defiantly has a way with drama. The hit apocalyptic zombie series, The Walking Dead, has accumulated what many would describe as a “cult” following. Much like other AMC shows, Breaking Bad and Mad Men, the viewers are drawn in by the concept, but, stay for the character development. AMC has made a name for itself in seeing just how far people will go when faced with a challenge, and for The Walking Dead, that challenge is to stay alive. Over the course of the series we see the protagonists stripped of humanity and brought down to nothing but animal instinct. How they act and, re-act, is what keeps viewers coming back week after week. It is not a typical zombie movie where the audience knows that, in the end, the humans will triumph and all is well in a matter of 2 hours. The Walking Dead has reinvented suspense, being known for killing off main characters at any moment. How do we know? Because numbers don’t lie. The most recent season of Walking Dead, season 4, had earth shattering numbers, which had the media buzzing with anticipation. The hour long zombie drama pulled in 16.1 million viewers and an 8.2 rating among adults 18-49. These statistics put the show up 30% in the demo from season 3’s finale (their pervious high). [11] [12]

In The Works

AMC’s New Pilot: Preacher

Originally considered by, HBO, AMC has reportedly ordered the pilot to adapt the extremely dark DC comic , Preacher. HBO apparently passed up the deal due to the comic being too controversial. Although, they didn’t state what was controversial about it, it could be assumed that it was the dark religious aspect of the storyline. Originally authored by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, Preacher has been described as many things, but to sum them up: the series is full on crazy. With the wrap up of Breaking Bad, AMC needs to fill the void that the dark drama has left for viewers. Although the pilot has only been ordered, there has already star power around the potential new show. Seth Rogen, a devoted Preacher comic fan, has sent out a number of hinting tweets that he could be involved with the project:

He then followed up the tweet with another, naming some main characters in the series:

Will the show get green lighted? No one can say for sure. However, one thing can be said- this will defiantly be a defining moment for AMC and their content. Judging from the comic books themselves, this show will be darker than anything seen on TV before, pushing AMC to the top of drama original programing. [13]

*Storyline of The Preacher Comic Book Series

Sources

[1] History

[2] History: Cablevision exlporing spinoff of Rainbow Media

[3] Purchase of Chellomedia