AMC rebrands Spanish channel as Sundance

AMC Networks International is rebranding its Spanish movie channel CTK to Sundance Channel.

The shift to Sundance will take effect from the start of next month and the programming line-up will be tweaked accordingly. The channel will exclusively show AMC’s original US series Rectify on the new channel, starting on October 9.

Bruce Tuchman, president of AMC Global and Sundance Channel Global, said: “Spain continues to be one of our biggest priority expansion markets in Western Europe. We’re looking forward to offering an exclusive selection of distinctive independent-minded programming to local audiences throughout Spain.”

The rebrand comes as AMC Networks International preps the rollout of AMC in Europe, Latin America and Asia. That process will start next month and continue through to the end of the year, with the existing MGM channels taking on the AMC brand and original content from the US AMC channel feeding through to the new service. AMC took control of the MGM channels aspart of its US$1 billion deal for Chellomedia.

The MGM and CTK rebrands will see channels in the AMC stable take on new branding, but Ed Carroll, AMC Networks COO, told TBI there will not be wholesale rebadging of the Chellomedia services it has acquired.

“For many years we were owned by Cablevision, which was a pioneer in local news, programming and channels so we know the value of local and pan-regional services – our plan is to keep that balance.”

He added that while the MGM-AMC rebrand was a specific opportunity, the Chellomedia channels in the fold are unlikely to be widely rebadged. “We will not be fast to substitute domestic with global brands, we like the legacies of the local channels andwill build these brands,” Carroll said.