Movies of War

Apr 29, 2026 5:30pm PT AMC Sees Second Chance to Win Ad Dollars for First Views of Long-Lasting Series By Brian Steinberg Plus Icon Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor bristei Latest CW Sports to Stream Via ESPN in Unique Content Pact 13 hours ago Enhanced Games, a Sports Competition Where Athletes Can Take Performance-Enhancing Drugs, Taps Emmanuel Acho, Abby Labar, Bryan Johnson 1 day ago Higher Expenses Cut Into TelevisaUnivision Q1 Operating Income 2 days ago See All Courtesy of AMC The media company behind such iconic TV characters as Don Draper, Rick Grimes and Walter White wants advertisers to give a stronger gaze at first looks. Recognizing that many fans don’t watch TV series when they are first made available via linear TV or streaming video, AMC Global Networks has suggested to advertisers that the first dip into a series is worth more to them, and should be seen as a premium piece of inventory — even if the program being watched has been available for several seasons or years. Related Stories Fernando Mendoza Makes NFL Draft Appearance (With Help From LinkedIn) CW Sports to Stream Via ESPN in Unique Content Pact “One thing that we’re bringing to the market this year, from the digital side, is the ability for an advertiser to buy what we’re calling a ‘first streamer,'” says Evan Adlman, executive vice president of commercial sales and revenue operations for AMC Networks, during a recent interview. “So we have packages now where somebody could actually buy the first slot in the first pod of a first stream.” AMC would define a first view as the moment when a particular device first registers as watching one of its programs, which might span from the current series “Dark Winds” to past offerings like “Halt and Catch Fire.” Popular on Variety In a different era, NBC ran promos telling viewers that “If you haven’t seen it, it’s new to you,” part of a bid to get people engaged in summer reruns. The effort prompted light scoffing, but perhaps the people who ran the network in 1997 were ahead of their time. The fact is that recent or older series can gain new footholds with modern viewers who haven’t seen them. HBO’s “The Sopranos” gained new life during the coronavirus pandemic. “Friends” became popular with a new generation once the series was made available for streaming. AMC’s offer puts a spotlight on the efforts many traditional media outlets are putting on monetizing digital inventory which is quickly being commoditized by new technology. More marketers and agencies are relying on so-called “programmatic” advertising that relies on algorithms to identify ad time that is watched by very specific kinds of viewers, such as consumers who might be in the market for a new car, who speak Spanish, or live in a particular geographic region. Such a transaction takes some of the leverage out of the seller’s grasp on the transaction. By identifying moments when viewers are likely to be more engaged, however, TV companies hope to gain some of their pricing power. Paramount Skydance last year unveiled a new ad format for its Paramount+ streamer that aims to create new value for streaming inventory. New “streaming fixed units” give advertisers who buy them the same ad placement in the premieres of new episodes of top shows including “Tulsa King,” “Landman” and “Mayor of Kingstown.” When an advertiser buys the unit, it it is also buying a guarantee that Paramount will run the ad in a fixed place, such as the first spot in a commercial break, for the first seven days after the episode debuts. Paramount said at the time the new units have been purchased by financial-services companies, marketers of alcoholic beverages, consumer product giants, backers of A.I., app publishers, automobile marketers, casual-dining chains and even Western lifestyle brands such as Boot Barn that want to reach viewers of series under the supervision of producer Taylor Sheridan. AMC’s new concept may help it generate more dollars from series that take a while to catch on with audiences. “What streaming has provided is an opportunity for a great show to be an evergreen show,” says Kim Kelleher, president and chief commercial officer for AMC Global Media. “People are finding ‘Gangs of London,'” in its third season, she says, “and it’s elevating season one and season two performance on AMC+.” The sector may want to consider ” the redefinition of a premiere. A Premiere is no longer, you know, must see TV on Thursday nights. or, in our case, even, Sunday night original premieres,” Kelleher adds. “It’s really the first time someone ever watches a show, and I feel like marketers and advertisers are really starting to get that.” According to AMC’s vision, a first time encounter with a program would occur when a connected device signals that the user is “sitting down and pressing ‘play’; onj AMC+” for their first session with a series, says Adlman, Or “pressing ‘play’ on VOD on one of our virtual distributors or traditional distributors.” More series stay available for years on ad-supported tiers of Netflix, Disney+, Peacock and other streaming venues. If AMC gets its way, Madison Avenue will probably have to take a second pass at the value of a consumer’s first encounters. 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