BBC America becomes 100% U.S. owned

AMC Networks has acquired the remaining stake in BBC America that it didn’t already control.

The transaction, which took place Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, involved AMC buying the 50.1% part of the channel still owned by BBC Studios.

The deal cost AMC $42 million in cash.

While the network is now wholly American-owned, AMC said it still plans to work closely with BBC Studios for content and programming, though exact details were not revealed. 

It’s also not clear if, given that AMC now controls the network, if new programming, including that not from BBC Studios, might start airing, though that could be seen as a misstep given the network’s association with the storied British brand.

The network will continue to be known as BBC America under license from the BBC.

BBC Studios, which was previously known as BBC Worldwide, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. 

While the BBC proper gets its funding from broadcast TV fees collected from U.K. residents and is offered free of charge — and without commercial breaks — to those viewers, BBC created a commercial arm to help monetize its content on a global basis outside of where it collects license fees.

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This has included digital offerings that, when accessed from outside the U.K., may contain commercials or require a fee.

BBC Studios also licenses content to both BBC America and other broadcasters, such as longtime partner PBS.

AMC Networks owns brands such as IFC, Sundance TV, WE TV, Acorn TV and Shudder, as well as streaming assets associated with some of those networks. It also has a stake in Philo and small part of BritBox, a streamer that features British programming from primary co-owners BBC Studios and ITV.