AMC Networks Offers Free Programming Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
By Joe Otterson
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – AMC Networks announced Friday a new coronavirus initiative that includes a host of free programming from across its network portfolio.
The “We’re With You” campaign will allow viewers to watch the first half of “The Walking Dead” Season 10 on the AMC website, and will also make several BBC America nature documentaries free to watch. Free IFC programming will include full seasons of “Baroness von Sketch Show,” “Birthday Boys,” and “Spoils of Babylon” among others. It was previously announced that AMC and BBC America had moved up the premiere ate of “Killing Eve” Season 3 to April 21.
The networks will also be running a variety of spots that feature talent like Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Rhea Seehorn, Giancarlo Esposito and more in home-made videos meant to encourage and entertain viewers. One of the spots can be viewed below.
“We want to join with our talent and respond to this moment in the best way that entertainment companies can – which is, to entertain people. Our We’re With You campaign is intended to give information, to offer companionship in the kind of responsive way that linear tv is uniquely able to, and we want to offer audiences the chance to have a laugh, maybe especially important at times of crisis,” said Sarah Barnett, President of AMC Networks Entertainment Group and AMC Studios. “We also wanted to make our great content available to more viewers at a time when we are all looking for fantastic things to watch.”
The full AMC Networks free programming lineup can be found below.
–AMC has made the first half of “The Walking Dead” Season 10 available in front of the paywall until May 1st on AMC.com and AMC TVE.
–BBC America has curated a collection of free nature documentaries on BBCAmerica.com and the BBC America app as part of its “Nature NOW” collection for the month of April, including “Life Story: First Steps,” “Seasonal Wonderlands: New England,” “Wild Singapore: Hidden World,” “Attenborough and the Giant Elephant, and Chimp Sanctuary.”
–IFC is offering a comedy line-up that includes free and unauthenticated full seasons of IFC series for the month of April, including “Baroness von Sketch Show,” “Birthday Boys,” “Spoils of Babylon,” “Spoils Before Dying,” “Bunk,” “Food Party,” as well as select episodes from “Comedy Bang Bang” and “Mystery Science Theatre 3000,” and the season premiere of “Brockmire,” and more on IFC.com and IFC TVE.
–SundanceTV’s hit series Liar season 1 will also be available in front of the paywall on Sundance Now, encouraging viewers to catch up with the compelling series as Liar season 2 premieres on SundanceTV on April 6th. Additional series available for free on Sundance Now from now till April 14th include the first seasons of hit international series Riviera, The Restaurant, Public Enemy, and The Bureau.
–BBC America will be adding a second day to its hit nature programming destination, Wonderstruck, with Thursdays joining the current Saturday micro-net in April. Themed marathons include: America The Beautiful (4/2), Circle of Life (4/9), and Under the Sea (4/16).
–WonderstruckTV.com —BBC America also launched a free short-form nature site where audiences can search by mood, animal or geographic location for quick bursts of awe-inspiring, anxiety-reducing nature content anytime.
–BBC America will also be expanding nature programming across the BBC America website, app, and on demand platforms over the next few months, bringing viewers the entire Planet Earth collection, including Planet Earth I & II, Blue Planet I & II, Frozen Planet, and Seven Worlds, One Planet for a limited window. The collection will also feature a selection of free nature documentaries available for the month of April.
–BBC America is extending its Earth Day 50th Anniversary Celebration to four days, from Monday, April 20th through Thursday, April 23rd. The celebration will include the premieres of the documentary feature She Walks with Apes, narrated by Sandra Oh, and the Best of Seven Worlds, One Planet special, featuring highlights from the epic BBC landmark series.
