AMC Networks chairman to serve as interim exec until new CEO found

The Walking Dead

AMC Networks has appointed James L Dolan as interim executive chairman, following the exit of former CEO Christina Spade last week.

Dolan, who previously served as chairman, will provide “strategic oversight” of the company until a new CEO is named, said AMC, and is expected to remain in the position until 6 March 2023, unless a replacement for Spade is found sooner.

“AMC Networks has a seasoned executive leadership team and I look forward to working with them to provide high-level strategic direction and guidance as we navigate the business during this period of transformation in the media industry,” said Dolan.

His interim appointment follows a turbulent start to December for AMC, which cut around a fifth of its US workforce and announced plans to implement “significant cutbacks in operations” last week. Spade stepped down at the same time, after just three months in the role.

A few days after the exit, it was revealed that AMC is looking at restructuring costs of between $350m and $475m designed to achieve “significant cost reductions, in light of ‘cord cutting’ and the related impacts being felt across the media industry, as well as the broader economic outlook,” according to an SEC Filing by the network behind The Walking Dead and Better Call Saul.

Several other senior members of staff followed Spade, including head of unscripted, Marco Bresaz, David Stefanou, SVP of originals & development for WE tv, Rafael Ruthchild, VP of scripted for AMC and Sundance, Cassie Conaway, director of scripted at AMC Studios, and Laura Luckenbaugh, director of international programming & development for AMC Networks.

Yesterday, AMC cancelled sci-fi series Moonhaven, one of the most watched series on its streaming service AMC+, as it brought the axe to programming in an attempt to cut costs.