It seems that the United States and United Kingdom have finally buried the hatchet following the War of 1812, at least when it comes to cable television. In a huge movie, the AMC Network has purchased BBC America for $200 million (which is roughly £124343312.00, that’s Pounds Sterling, you know), and now control 49.9% of the Anglophilic upper-tier channel, also assuming its operational control. Whether this means the Doctor will be showing up at SC&P or that walkers will traipse their way into the Dyad Institute is still up for debate. But probably not.
The AMC Networks family already owns and controls other cable channels IFC, WE tv, and Sundance TV, but none of those have hits as big as Doctor Who, Orphan Black, Luther, or Top Gear, (or Sherlock, now that that’s been added) and none of them have the innate ability to make condescension sound charming simply through softening vowels and not pronouncing Rs at the end of words.
Though BBC Worldwide still controls 50.1% of its upstart Yank cousin, AMC will be completely in control of the advertising and marketing side of things, as well as affiliate sales. BBC America is available in nearly 80 million homes in the former colonies and its Manifest Destiny acquisitions. In addition, this might also garner more co-produced entertainment like last year’s Top of the Lake and this year’s The Honourable Woman, both of which did very well in the awards world. Maybe with a little of AMC’s awards-pushing ability, Tatiana Maslany might actually get a much-deserved Emmy Nomination, or Doctor Who might start getting directing recognition.
HT: The AV Club and The Wrap
Are you worried about the Americanization of British programming, the Britishization of American programming, or neither of these things and you’re just a regular person? Hopefully this merger goes better than when the British invaded on Mad Men. Let’s discuss below!
Are you kidding? I still miss the days when I could watch Bargain Hunt, Changing Rooms and Eastenders on BBCAmerica. Hopefully this will mean the return of The Nerdist TV Show, but otherwise please don’t change to AMC TV junior.
Hopefully this means they will utilize this brand for their cancelled AMC unscripted shows…I REALLY was looking forward to All-Star Celebrity Bowling and Hollywood Babble-On and then AMC cancels everything!
And if they can acquire the “Best of @Midnight”, we have all the elements needed to create an all Chris Hardwick channel!
Possibly a return of the Nerdist tv show?
I just hope they stop wasting whole days with playing huge blocks of Star Trek TNG
BBC America’s original programs (Copper and Orphan Black, for example) are already very Americanized (canadianized?) shows. There are no “British” shows being made for BBC America; aside from showing some of the BBC’s programming, they’re already very similar to AMC as it is. I don’t see much changing; if anything, I think we will see MORE original programming of the quality of Orphan Black.
I am not worried at all. With this move, there is a likely chance that Doctor Who and Orphan Black will get more exposure to the AMC audience.
Heck, if Doctor Who reruns air on AMC, that would be great!!