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‘The Walking Dead’ VR scene puts you in the shoes of a walker
Would you submerge yourself in a fear-inducing virtual setting overrun by zombies? That's the world The Walking Dead has expertly crafted during its seven-year run, and now AMC is inviting you to step into it, courtesy of its VR app. You can grab it for iOS, Android, Samsung Gear VR, and Google Daydream right now, but the real fun begins on Sunday. Directly after the show's 100th episode, the network is dropping an exclusive VR scene.
AMC's streaming service would still need a cable subscription
Just because a TV channel wants to offer an online video service doesn't mean it's forward thinking. Case in point: AMC. Reuters sources claim that the network is prepping a paid streaming option (tentatively $5-7 per month) that would require a conventional TV subscription -- it'd be an add-on to your cable package, and nothing more. What this service would offer isn't clear (AMC isn't commenting), but there's talk of an online-only The Walking Dead spinoff in the mix. However, the bigger question is why AMC would chain the service to an existing TV bundle in the first place.
AMC's Yeah! interactive streaming movie service comes to iPad tomorrow
AMC Networks launched its Yeah! streaming service at SXSW 2013, and this week's debut marks the first major update since the platform's introduction back in March. Yeah! will be coming to iPad tomorrow, with a free application making its way to the App Store. The unique service pairs exclusive content, such as filmmaker and star interviews, flick facts and additional info, with full-length feature films. You'll find Wes Craven interviews packaged with A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream, Kevin Smith chatting about Clerks and Michael Madsen filling you in on his experience filming Reservoir Dogs. Yeah! films start at $5 for a 48-hour rental, including the full lot of additional features.
Dish Network settles Voom HD lawsuit, AMC comes back on the air tonight
Dish Network customers have been without AMC and its family of channels since July 1st, but thanks to a settlement between the satellite company and Cablevision's former Voom HD unit, AMC will be back on the air starting tonight. The possibility of a settlement leaked out late last week via a court filing, and it looks like Dish CEO Charlie Ergen will avoid taking the stand Monday after all. According to the terms, Dish will hand over $700 million in cash plus its 20 percent stake in Voom, and receive 500MHz of video and data spectrum licenses in 45 areas. In a separate deal, Dish and Cablevision spinoff AMC Networks have a new multiyear deal that should bring back AMC (on channel 131) in time for The Walking Dead to air tonight, and all of its other channels (IFC, WE tv, Sundance and for the first time, Fuse) starting November 1st. While Dish had previously claimed the channel deal was being held up by AMC's distribution of its shows via iTunes, Netflix and Amazon, now that lawsuit is over those concerns seem to have faded away.
Dish vs. Cablevision court filing hints at a settlement, could lead to AMC's return
If you're waiting for a sign that shows like The Walking Dead are coming back to Dish Network, a court document filed Thursday might be it. According to Reuters, the document was originally filed with the title "poss. settlement" (later changed to "adj. for briefing") and set a date for October 22nd. Additionally, the New York Post reports that on Wednesday the Judge adjourned proceedings for the week. As you'll recall, Cablevision sued the satellite company over its Voom HD channels being dropped back in 2008, and is asking for $2.4 billion in damages. If the two have found a resolution, the next question would be whether this affects Dish's negotiations with Cablevision spinoff AMC Networks, which the latter claims were derailed because of its connection to Voom. If the case proceeds, Bloomberg reports Dish CEO Charlie Ergen is set to take the stand Monday -- we'll see if this can get wrapped up before Mad Men and Breaking Bad return in 2013.
AMC dropped from Dish Network, cuts a new deal to stay on with AT&T U-verse
As June expired, so did AMC's contract with both Dish Network and AT&T U-verse. While negotiations continue with AT&T and its channels remain on for the moment, AMC is already firing at Dish for dropping its channel immediately (after shifting it to an entirely different channel number a few weeks ago), claiming no negotiations have even taken place. As we heard in May, AMC maintains that the real issue is a court case between the two over the Voom HD debacle. For its part, Dish is telling customers the problem is fee increases requested by AMC and "devaluing" its programming by offering it on iTunes, Netflix and Amazon.com. As a result it's swapping in commercial-free HDNet Movies for AMC, and replacing two other AMC channels, WE and IFC, with Style and HDNet (soon to become AXS TV). We'll see how these negotiations go -- it's not too bad now but let's see how viewers react once the new season of Breaking Bad starts airing July 15th. Update: As we went live, AT&T has announced it reached an agreement with AMC Networks, so it's only Dish Network that's on the hotseat now. [Thanks, @soulfliesfree]
