AMC Networks Ends Q2 With 10.8M Streaming Subscribers, Ad Revenue Dips

If you listen to the many pundits out there who will bend your ear off about every topic, one of the biggest topics right now is theatrical and how theatrical can “live” for the rest of the summer and beyond without superhero films and tentpoles. Check the trades, there have been many various nervous posts worried about the theatrical experience between now and, say, October when some blockbusters return to the screen.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer“Better Call Saul” said goodbye last Monday and brought a big crowd to AMC Networks’ streamer AMC+ as its farewell gift.Per AMC, first-day viewing on AMC+ of the final episode of the Bob Odenkirk-led series was more than four times as big as the Season 6 premiere, which aired April 18. The final season of “Better Call Saul” is the No.

EXCLUSIVE: As streaming leaders Netflix and Disney prepare to roll out ad-supported subscription tiers, new research from Fandom indicates a majority of paying customers plan to take a wait-and-see approach before trading down to a cheaper plan.

The board of Madison Square Garden Entertainment said today that it is considering a spinoff of its live entertainment business that would include MSG Networks and NYC’s Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre, among other assets.

Fans were shocked the other day when it was revealed that the average age of The CW‘s viewers is 58 and now data for all five broadcast networks has been revealed.

After a banger of a set-up that played out over the first 3-4 episodes of AMC’s clever “Kevin Can F**k Himself,” one could almost see the air coming out of the high-concept balloon. The second half of the first season doesn’t feel nearly as confident, as if one could sense the uncertainty in the writer’s room as to what exactly to do with their concept.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaShudder has inked a deal with The Boulet Brothers to expand their Dragula franchise with a new season, a new spinoff series and an additional special set to debut on Shudder over the next twelve months. The pact comes on the heels of “The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula’s” fourth season, which became one of Shudder’s most watched series of 2021.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorThe headline number out of Disney’s quarterly results Wednesday seemed to show a notable milestone: The Mouse House had 221.1 million total subscriptions worldwide across its streaming services. On that individual metric, that means Disney is now just ahead of Netflix, which ended Q2 with 220.7 million total paid subscribers.But the value of those subscriber bases is much different.Domestically, for example, Disney+ generated about 39% as much revenue per subscriber as Netflix for the second calendar quarter, a measure referred to in the finance world as ARPU (average revenue per user).

Disney today cut its Disney+ subscriber growth target to between 135 million and 165 million by the end of fiscal 2024 as it expects users in India to migrate after losing streaming rights to cricket, a huge draw in the region.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAMC Networks has renewed the Emmy-nominated short-form series “Cooper’s Bar” for a second season, while Acorn TV — AMC Networks’ streamer devoted to British and international fare — has given a Season 2 renewal to “Harry Wild,” starring and executive produced by Jane Seymour.Both pickups were announced Wednesday during AMC Networks’ portion of the Television Critics Assn. press tour.

AMC Networks’ streaming platform Sundance Now is expanding its 2023 slate with orders for two new series, dark comedy Totally Completely Fine and fantasy mystery series Sanctuary, based on V.V. James novel. They join the recently announced upcoming series Clean Sweep, The Lovers, SisterS, Black Snow, and Far North, all for premiere in 2023.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefA+E Networks is giving a multinational launch Wednesday to “If You Wish Upon Me,” a Korean drama series that was produced by its A+E Studios unit.The show is a transformational story of an impoverished man with a troubled past and a twisted attitude who accidentally joins Team Genie, a group which carries out the last wishes of patients in hospice care. He starts caring for people other than himself for the first time and learns how to open his heart and live harmoniously.

EXCLUSIVE: Candle Media-backed Spanish-language powerhouse Exile Content Studio has promoted Nando Vila to succeed Daniel Eilemberg as Head of Studio.

her last campaign proved to be a smash hit. The 55-year-old’s viral ad features her dressed to the nines as she waltzes through an empty movie theater, gazing at the camera and reminding audiences of the wonder of going to the movies.

AMC Networks announced Friday that sitting Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Christina Spade will be stepping up as its new CEO, effective Sept. 9.

AMC Networks Inc. reached 10.8 million subscribers, the company reported Friday in its second-quarter earnings report. The company increased its subscriber base by 1.3 million from Q1, a 46% year-over-year increase driven partly by the AMC+ premium streaming bundle launch in Spain.

AMC Networks has appointed COO and CFO Christina Spade as its new CEO, succeeding Matt Blank, who has held the role in an interim capacity since last September.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorChristina Spade, a veteran media executive who was previously chief financial officer of the former ViacomCBS, has been named the new chief executive of AMC Networks, tasked with leading the small but influential media company through a tricky time in the media business.She replaces Matt Blank, a Showtime veteran who had been serving as the company’s interim CEO, and will assumer her new responsibilities on Sept. 9.“I’m delighted that Chris is taking over as our new CEO,” said James Dolan, AMC Networks’ chairman, in a statement.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorWarner Bros. Discovery is not going to say how many HBO and HBO Max customers it has.In the second quarter, the media conglomerate said HBO Max, HBO and Discovery+ subscribers combined were 92.1 million, up about 1.6 million from 90.4 million the prior quarter. That’s up 22% 75.8 million on a pro-forma basis versus a year earlier.However, WBD’s streaming businesses lost subscribers domestically in Q2, dropping 300,000 — falling from 53.3 million in the first quarter to 53.0 million as of June 30.For Q1, AT&T — the prior owner of WarnerMedia and HBO Max — had reported 76.8 million total HBO and HBO Max subscribers worldwide, including 48.6 million domestically.