AMC Networks Announces New Leadership

AMC Networks (Nasdaq: AMCX) today announced a new leadership structure for its AMC Studios operation and expanded its scope. Current AMC head of business affairs Rick Olshansky and AMC Networks Senior Vice President of Finance and Studio Operations Stefan Reinhardt will become co-heads of the in-house studio, which will now oversee production and business affairs functions across AMC and SundanceTV. Both executives will report to Charlie Collier, President of AMC, SundanceTV and AMC Studios. Olshansky is based in Los Angeles and Reinhardt is based in New York.

The expansion of AMC Studios is designed to further AMC Networks' strategic goal of owning more of the scripted content that appears on its networks, and also builds on the opportunities associated with the company's growing international footprint. The AMC Global channel, which launched in late 2014 and is now available in more than 125 countries and territories throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia, AFRICA and the Middle East, will premiere the next AMC Studios' series, "Fear the Walking Dead," this summer. It will be followed later this year by the global premiere of AMC's martial arts drama "Into the Badlands."

"Expanding the scope and solidifying the leadership of AMC Studios is an important step in the continued evolution of AMC Networks, as content ownership and global expansion have become significant drivers of our industry and meaningful contributors to the success and growth of our company," said Ed Carroll, chief operating officer of AMC Networks. "Working closely with our programming and development groups for both AMC and SundanceTV, Rick and Stefan have the right expertise and practical experience to lead this expanded studio operation."

Reinhardt, a 10-year company veteran who was instrumental in the launch of AMC Studios in 2010 and active in the running of studio operations since, was most recently AMC Networks SVP of Finance and Studio Operations. He will continue in his finance role and in that capacity will continue to report to Mary Martin, senior vice president of strategic planning and operations for AMC Networks. Prior to AMC Networks, Reinhardt spent eight years at FOX NEWS channel in operations and finance.

Olshansky joined AMC late last year as head of business affairs, after holding senior positions in business affairs at NBCUniversal, the Endeavor Talent Agency and as a consultant to Microsoft's Xbox Entertainment Studio.

As part of the new studio alignment, Vice President of Business Affairs Scott Stein will be promoted to Senior Vice President of Business Affairs for AMC and oversee the negotiation of development and production agreements for AMC Studios original productions. He will continue to report to Olshansky.

Scripted series currently owned and produced by AMC Studios are: "The Walking Dead," "TURN: Washington's Spies," "Halt and Catch Fire," "Rectify" and the forthcoming "Fear the Walking Dead," "Into the Badlands" and "Hap and Leonard."

To post a comment, you must register and login.