AMC Networks Boss Wonders If His Bundle Isn’t ‘Underpriced’

CEO Josh Sapan says his brands are on your mind — and that positions his channels “in very good stead” for cable’s uncertain future

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Gene Page/AMC

Josh Sapan doesn’t know for certain what the future of TV looks like, but he’s quite confident that AMC Networks is up for anything.

The publicly traded (AMCX) company boasts six U.S. cable channels, though not all of them are nearly as popular as “Walking Dead” and “Better Call Saul” home AMC. But despite the constant threat of skinny bundles, a la carte cable, and even what Sapan called the “experimentation” over at Amazon, his brands can absorb all this uncertainty.

The AMC Networks CEO reminded everyone that despite the much-debated possibility of a totally different TV landscape and pricing model, nothing has actually happened to disrupt traditional cable concepts — yet.

“We think we’re very fair priced — if not underpriced — for our value,” Sapan opined this morning during a conference call with investors, media analysts, and reporters.

That puts them in good position for any evolution, he said. And beyond those monetary reasons, there’s the quality that he believes consumers have come to expect from — and associate with — AMC Networks.

“We think that if we have brands that really are in people’s heads … that will stand us in very good stead,” Sapan told those listening to the investor event.

Beyond main-channel AMC, those brands are IFC, Sundance TV, BBC America, WE TV, IFC Films. The parent company also keeps AMC Networks International under its umbrella.

AMC Networks unveiled its fourth-quarter and full-year 2015 financials earlier on Thursday. For Q4, the company beat Wall Street’s expectations at both the top and bottom lines. Domestically, the National Networks saw a 13.4 percent ad sales increase during the most-recent three-month period — thanks “Walking Dead” universe!

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