AMC, WE Set Local Avails
By Jim Forkan -- Multichannel News, 5/16/2002 7:24:00 AM
AMC Networks is readying its affiliate kits, as both American Movie Classics and WE: Women's Entertainment are poised to carry full commercial loads in October, replete with local avails.
The programmer will offer the same national/local mix on both networks -- two minutes of local time and eight minutes of network avails per hour, executive vice president of distribution and affiliate marketing Kim Martin said.
The networks will be among 'the least cluttered of all,' she added.
AMC Networks has not yet decided when in each hour those two ad minutes will be offered, Martin said. The programmer is still talking with affiliates about that point, she added.
MSOs are enthused about the prospect of two more networks to sell to local clients -- especially one that's fully distributed (83 million-home AMC) and another that's growing quickly (WE, in 47 million households), Martin said.
Given the advance notice, Martin was confident that AMC's ad-insertable-household count will be 'enormous right out of the gate,' following a growth timetable similar to that of sister service Bravo.
AMC already had 'a handful of commitments' with unspecified MSOs, she added Wednesday.
In April 1999, Los Angeles interconnect Adlink became the first to insert two local minutes per hour on Bravo. By the end of that year, Bravo's insertable count neared 15 million, and it could reach 40 million by the close of 2002.
Cox Communications Inc. is among the MSOs interested in the networks. AMC, which targets adults 25 through 54, is now 'deep in conversations' with the company, Martin said.
Cox officials could not be reached by press time.
Martin plans to meet with various MSOs and interconnects in the coming weeks to get their input on what the programmer should include in its affiliate kits.
They will be distributed at the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau's Local Cable Sales Management conference in late June.
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