Advertisement

AMC Networks Sets Carriage Deal With Dish, Sling TV Covering Linear and Streaming Channels

Click here to read the full article.

AMC Networks has set a new carriage pact with Dish and Sling TV that expands the distribution of AMC’s growing portfolio of subscription streaming services.

The deal covers AMC’s six linear channels — AMC, SundanceTV, IFC, We TV, BBC America and BBC World News — as well as streaming services Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, Urban Movie Channel, the ad-free AMC Premiere offering and IFC Films Unlimited.

More from Variety

“We’re pleased to expand on our successful longtime partnership with DISH with the launch of our diverse portfolio of growing ad-free and targeted on-demand services and continued carriage of our linear networks,” said Josh Reader, president of distribution and development for AMC Networks. “Much like our linear channels, our ad-free services provide passionate
audiences with exceptional content and new ways to innovate with valued distribution partners like Dish as our businesses evolve together.”

The deal is significant to AMC as Dish and Sling together have about 12 million subscribers. It comes amid a period of turbulence for major MVPDs as the loss of subscribers to cord-cutting and streaming alternatives is increasing at a faster pace that previously forecast for traditional MVPDs. The rate of decline has stirred renewed rumors about a merger of the nation’s two satcasters, Dish and DirecTV, which is now part of AT&T.

The deal also came together without any saber-rattling by AMC or Dish. In 2012, AMC channels were off Dish for four months while the sides battled it out over a legal settlement with AMC’s previous parent company, Cablevision Systems, over a carriage agreement for different set of channels.

(Pictured: AMC drama “Better Call Saul.”)

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.