Time Warner Inc (TWX): Will AMC Networks Inc (AMCX) Survive the Loss of Breaking Bad and Mad Men?

It’s a good thing it did, because Game of Thrones has turned into HBO’s money-maker, its most popular show ever next to only The Sopranos. But if HBO had been run like a traditional channel — paying attention only to weekly ratings — Game of Thrones might never have seen a second season.

Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) takes HBO’s model and pushes it even further, flat out refusing to release data on viewers for its original shows like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. Both shows appear to be popular, and have certainly received critical praise, but without the actual data, it’s impossible to say with certainty.

HBO’s management took a subtle swipe at Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) back in July, characterizing the company’s refusal to release ratings as “curious.”

Nevertheless, Netflix’s strategy appears to be working — the video streaming giant surpassed HBO in US subscriber base earlier in the year, and if CEO Reed Hastings can make good on his goal of 90 million subscribers, Netflix could more than triple it.

AMC can make through
Unlike its competitors in premium original programming — HBO and Netflix — AMC is still a network that has to rely on advertisers. With the loss of Mad Men and Breaking Bad, it needs new hit shows to come in and pick up the slack.

Fortunately, it still has The Walking Dead, not to mention new shows like Low Winter Sun, and an interesting product in the pipeline in the form of the Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul.

AMC has shown that it’s capable of delivering great original programming, and there’s reason to be hopeful that it will continue.

The article Will AMC Survive the Loss of Breaking Bad and Mad Men? originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Sam Mattera.

Sam Mattera has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends AMC Networks and Netflix. The Motley Fool owns shares of Netflix.

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