AMC Squeezing 'Mad Men' In Season 3
"With the Lionsgate TV series Mad Men set to make its Season 3 bow in August on AMC, I'm told there's a big fight leading up to the premiere over, of all things, ads. AMC has told the show's producers to make allowances for another commercial break each hour -- so that'll be two minutes less of actual programming. That might not sound like such a big deal, but it's galling given how well the show has done, how carefully it's put together, and how much money it's already making AMC and parent company Cablevision which recently announced a $20M 1st-quarter profit, while subsidiary Rainbow Media cited a 7.6% increase in ad sales. Naturally, the suits are blaming the bad economy and saying the show simply doesn't bring in enough revenue. Producers are raising a big stink, but it looks like AMC isn't budging. At a time when networks are cutting back on commercial breaks, you've got to wonder why AMC is screwing its golden goose. How can Mad Men compete with premium cable when basic cable is squeezing it for every penny?"

An unfortunate, but somehow appropriate "fate" for the Mad Men - don't you think?

Harry would love that!

ha ha

I think the whole idea stinks out loud - after waiting all this time for Season 3, I want more Mad Men, not less!

.....Unbelievable.....Like I said before, if I were Matt, I'd be looking into my legal options.....

Just sayin'.....

First they ask for more commercials... then they ask for a more commercial show... then they start interfering with the story lines... Let's hope it never gets that far! :(

Thus as ever: art takes a back seat to the commercial gods. Even Michelangelo had this problem.

Much as I don't like the idea, we have no choice -but at least please, better quality commercials and not the same three over and over.

Dear Lord deliver us from those endless hotel.com & chemistry.com -- or whatever it was -- with the guy's little vocal/trombone concert (!) and asking-his new love to promise-to-never-wear-a-nightgown ads....help.

I wish they'd go back to having those little lead ins to the commercials with what the advertised co. is up to today...or little historical snippets...those were fun.