AMC Reaches Deal With AT&T

Channels remain dark on Dish

By Jon Lafayette -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/1/2012 3:37:13 PM

AMC Networks said it reached new carriage deal with AT&T that means channels including AMC, IFC and We TV will continue to be available to AT&T subscribers.

Terms of the deal were not immediately available.

AMC's also hada carriage deal with Dish Network that expired at the end of June and AMC's channels were dropped by Dish. AMC claims Dish dropped the channels because of a separate legal dispute between Dish and AMC.

In announcing its new deal with AT&T, AMC said:

"We have reached a long-term agreement with AT&T that appropriately recognizes the value of our networks and our award-winning and high-quality programming. We respect AT&T as a partner that has a genuine interest in working with us to ensure their customers continue to enjoy our programming, which includes the upcoming July 15 premiere of AMC's Breaking Bad."

AMC added: "It's telling that AMC Networks has historically been able to negotiate fair agreements with television providers that reflect the value of our content. Yet Dish, which dropped our networks as of July 1, never engaged with us in any rate discussions. Dish customers have lost some of their favorite shows because of an unrelated lawsuit which has nothing at all to do with our programming, our ratings or our rates."