AMC Networks Promotes Scripted Execs

EXCLUSIVE: UK-based VFX and animation company Jellyfish Pictures has appointed Archie Donato as Managing Director of Animation. 

The morning before the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary, the atmosphere at the media center of gravity in Manchester was busy but hardly frenetic — muted may be more like it.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Mythical Entertainment, the digital media company founded and led by YouTube creators Rhett & Link, appointed Jacob Moncrief — who is returning to Mythical after more than two years at Westbrook Media — as chief operating officer and promoted Brian Flanagan to the role of president. In his role as COO, Moncrief (above left) will report directly to Rhett & Link alongside Flanagan and chief creative officer Stevie Wynne Levine.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Scripted TV output in the U.S. dropped sharply in 2023, thanks to a combination of twin Hollywood strikes and a pullback on content spending, according to a new study from research firm Ampere Analysis.

The number of scripted TV seasons being ordered in the U.S. has nearly halved since 2019, according to new research from Ampere Analysis, which revealed a “Hollywood displacement” as international orders outpace the U.S.

Toby Byrne, who spent 20 years at Fox, has joined A+E Networks as EVP, National Ad Sales as part of a broader revamp of the cable programmer’s sales team.

Caroline Brew editor CAA has upped six employees to agent and executive roles, including Sebastian Brogan, Olivia Brooks, Kaitlin Gascoyne, Ross Lee, Jeff Lynds and Jenna Powell. Based in New York, Brogan was promoted to agent in the basketball department. He began his CAA career in 2016 as a mailroom clerk, then serving as an assistant to Lloyd Frischer and Tyeke Sullivan in basketball prior to his acceptance into Elevate, CAA’s agency training program, in 2021.

Amazon is investing in Diamond Sports Group, which operates the Bally-branded regional sports networks, as part of a plan for the Sinclair subsidiary to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Toby Byrne, who rose over two-decades to run advertising sales for Fox Broadcasting and Fox Sports, is getting back into the TV-ad game. Byrne has been named executive vice president of national ad sales at A+E Networks, reporting to Peter Olsen, president of ad sales at the company, which is a joint venture of Hearst and Walt Disney Co.

Turnout for the Iowa caucuses was down, and so was viewership. Early numbers show that interest was down considerably from 2020 and, before that, from 2016, with about 4.67 million watching primetime coverage across Fox News, CNN and MSNBC.

Networks are heavily promoting their night of Iowa caucus coverage, with reporters fanned out across the state and, throughout the day on Monday, anchors doing their best to stir up excitement in the waiting game before voting actually begins.

Giancarlo Esposito struck career gold with playing Gustavo Fring in AMC‘s “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul.” He’s everywhere now thanks to that unforgettable villain.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Heartbreak feels good in a place like the Sotheby’s “Visions of America” auction. The grey, pin-striped Michael Kors suit that Nicole Kidman wears in her iconic AMC pre-film advertisement is now being auctioned off for $5,000 to $10,000 as part of Sotheby’s new “Visions of America” series.

EXCLUSIVE: Earlier this morning, Amazon revealed that it was letting go several hundred employees across Prime Video and Amazon Studios as part of a review of its business.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Sundance turns 40 this year and AMC Networks is celebrating the film festival’s big 4-0 with the release of a curated lineup of dozens of movies that previously debuted at the event, including “Birth/Rebirth,” “Sleeping with Other People,” “Savage Grace” and “Heathers,” for streamer AMC+. A long-time sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival with roots in indie films through IFC Films and now horror-focused streamer Shudder, whcih is debuting Chris Nash’s “In A Violent Nature” at the fest this year, AMC Networks will be offering the compilation of Sundance movies all through January, in connection with the 2024 edition of the film festival running Jan.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has promoted Teni Melidonian to the newly created role of Chief Oscars Officer and MaryJane Partlow to Executive Vice President, Awards Production and Special Events. Melidonian will report directly to Bill Kramer, Academy CEO while Partlow will report to Melidonian. In her new role, Melidonian will lead strategy, talent relations, special events and production teams for all awards programs and events.

Olympian Mary Lou Retton is doing an interview with Today co-host Hoda Kotb on Monday, her first since being released last year from the hospital.

AMC Entertainment stock fell 2% today and dropped 15% this week to establish a new all-time, split-adjusted low of $5.17.

Gardner Reed, whose recent credits include Netflix’s King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch, has been promoted at Wheelhouse Entertainment. He is now SVP, Development.

We’re looking back at all of the cancellations and renewals made by TV networks over the last 12 months, and AMC had quite the year.