Bruce Tuchman

A relative newcomer in the international cable and satellite channel landscape, AMC Networks has spent the last few years signing up operators across Europe and Asia for its Sundance Channel and WE tv brands. Since November, these efforts have been led by Bruce Tuchman, the recently installed president of AMC/Sundance Channel Global who previously spent a decade taking the MGM channels out worldwide.

WS: What’s your overall strategy as you come into this role?
TUCHMAN: [AMC Networks in the U.S.] is doing remarkably well and all the hit programming that’s being produced is not only getting a lot of attention but it’s inspiring people around the world. My overall strategy is to convert that attention and excitement into accelerated international expansion. So really, the overall goal is to bring Sundance and WE tv’s outstanding programming to markets throughout the world.

WS: You’ve done a number of carriage deals in Europe and Asia already. Why do you think your brands are resonating with operators?
TUCHMAN: It’s pretty clear to me there is an extremely strong demand. Despite the fact that in many markets there has already been years of cable and satellite growth and lots of different brands coming in, the opportunity exists for us. Operators always want to invest in and give viewers access to quality brands, quality programming. We came in at a really good time. If you look across the board, huge investments are being made in cable and satellite, into broadcast infrastructure, be it HD or interactivity or on-demand or TV Everywhere. Consumers are getting access to more quality, more choice, when and where they want it. What we bring to the table is, we are not encumbered by legacy analogue technology. We are going out full steam ahead with HD broadcasts. We have a brand that is synonymous with uncompromising quality and independent-minded viewing. These things resonate with many consumers. In terms of our Sundance brand, we’re really focusing in on high quality, engaging, independent films and original series and intelligent content outside of the conventional marketplace. With access to so much bandwidth and content, a lot of operators and consumers are very hungry for that. We bring TV Everywhere rights to a lot of markets and we’ve been quite successful in our forays into theatrical windows and offering on-demand during those windows. I think when you combine all of that, and you add in Mad Men, Breaking Bad and Hell on Wheels, etc., we are really offering a uniquely compelling choice to operators.

WS: What are the greatest opportunities you’re benefitting from now that perhaps weren’t available when you were first taking MGM Channel out internationally?
TUCHMAN: A decade or more ago, markets were changing from analogue to digital, and most markets have now done that. (But surprisingly, a lot of big markets are predominantly analogue—Indian cable, Latin America and other places.) That big paradigm shift is one of the key changes over the last decade. Digital is creating what I think is a wide-open and exciting opportunity—the advancement of digital technology means HD, it means TV Everywhere, it means robust on-demand services.

WS: What are some of your priorities for the year?
TUCHMAN: I’d say my major goal for the year is an accelerated effort to continue our expansion and create more awareness. I also want to strengthen and further grow the type and quality of programming we offer, meaning continue to bring great independent films and original series to our channels. We’re going to do really exciting things like premiere Breaking Bad in Asia. We’ve done the same with Hell on Wheels in Belgium and Poland, to mention a couple of markets. People are going to be really excited about Mad Men because it’s returning to air in the U.S. in March. That’s going to generate excitement all over the world. There are so many global places now that you can turn on our channel and watch Mad Men. So we’ll continue to do what we’re here for in the first place, and that is to create a compelling programming experience, demonstrate that to our constituents and use all the excitement generated to drive our business goals, which is to grow larger internationally.

To watch a video interview of Bruce Tuchman at an International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences panel, click here.