Latest in Josh Sapan

AMC Networks says this morning that its board has increased the company’s stock repurchase authorization by $500 million — giving itself, and its stock, a vote of confidence following a month when the share price declined about 10.4%. This morning’s news contributed to a slight lift in AMC’s stock price in pre-market…

With Wall Street fretting about mounting indications that pay TV is losing subscribers, AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan urged analysts today to look at his company as a content producer — as well as an owner of channels. Exhibit A is the recent deal AMC Studios made to produce new content to be shown exclusively in the…

AMC Networks had already warned that “unfavorable comps” would hurt U.S. networks ad sales in Q1. So the 6.2% drop it reported this morning may already be baked into the stock, enabling the Street to focus on the other elements of a report that mostly exceeded analyst expectations. AMC generated net income of $136.2…

AMC Networks shares lost 29.9% of their value last year — but due to a quirk in the way it had to report compensation you wouldn’t know that from the package for CEO Josh Sapan. The proxy statement it just filed at the SEC shows him with $30.5 million, up 72.4%. Much of the increase is due to a shift in AMC’s pay…

AMC Networks is reportedly in the planning stages of launching a commercial-free streaming service that would be accessible to subscribers of its channels, according to a Reuters story today. If true that would differentiate it from stand-alone services like the ones offered by HBO or CBS, which don’t require a cable…

It’s too early to call AMC Networks a studio — but it “is becoming, and has become, more of a studio as opposed to only a channel operator,” CEO Josh Sapan told analysts today in a call to discuss the company’s Q4 performance. Asked if AMC might produce shows for others, the CEO says he “wouldn’t rule that out.” But…

UPDATE with stock trading info: AMC Networks shares soared about 13% this morning after the programmer reported Q4 earnings that topped Wall Street expectations. CEO Josh Sapan said in December that advertising in the year-end period looked lighter than he had anticipated. Some analysts followed by slashing their ad…

The nation may be politically divided. But producers can, and should, try to bring people together by addressing universal questions about the human condition, a panel connected by ties to AMC’s The Walking Dead said today at the industry’s NATPE confab. AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan kicked off the discussion noting…

AMC Networks doesn’t fear the growth of skinny bundles and Internet video services, CEO Josh Sapan told investors today at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference. “We’re in every alternative bundle that’s been offered to date,” including Sling TV and Sonly’s PlayStation Vue, he says. “That’s not because…

AMC Networks execs’ efforts this morning to reassure investors about the prospects for the company’s diversification efforts apparently worked: AMC shares are up nearly 3% following a conference call to discuss the disappointing Q3 earnings out this morning, which helped to depress the stock price to a 52-week low in…

Low ratings for shows including Fear The Walking Dead helped to undermine AMC Networks’ just-released Q3 financials, which fell short of most analysts’ expectations. Company shares are down 2.8% in pre-market trading. The programming company generated $65.4 million in net income, down 10.1% vs the period last year, on…

Shares of cable programming pioneer Robert Johnson’s RLJ Entertainment opened up more than 26% this morning after it disclosed that AMC Networks has loaned it $65 million — and picked up stock warrants that could give it control. RLJ owns subscription streaming services UMC (the Urban Movie Channel) and Acorn TV…