AMC Networks will lean on its horror-themed streaming service Shudder to help facilitate its annual AMC FearFest programming stunt as the television industry looks to scare up audience viewership during the traditional Halloween season.

AMC’s two-month "FearFest, Shocked by Shudder" celebration, which officially kicked off in September with AMC’s airing of Shudder’s 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of all Time special, will feature more than 700 hours of films, series, and specials within the genre across AMC, AMC Plus and Shudder, according to AMC Networks Executive VP of Streaming Courtney Thomasma.   

“Shudder is the [horror genre] content leader in the streaming space, so we reached out to their producers to help program FearFest,” she said.

Along with airings of classic films from such horror films as Halloween, Rosemary’s Baby, and The Exorcist, AMC will also feature original programming from Shudder, including the season four premiere of Creepshow. 

Thomasma says AMC Networks will also offer FearFest-branded movies and specials for its other networks, including IFC, WEtv, Acorn TV, and Sundance Now. Earlier this month Shudder teamed with Black audience-targeted streaming service ALLBLK to premiere its original horror film The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.

Now in its 26th year, Thomasma says the FearFest stunt — launched originally as MonsterFest — has endured throughout the years as the horror genre has become more popular with viewers on multiple platforms. 

“Everything is so fragmented these days, but when this season comes around, everyone has a shared interest in the content and the genre,” she said. 

She also welcomes competition in the horror genre both on the linear and streaming front, adding that FearFest continues to curate an expansive lineup of horror content for fans to devour.

“FearFest has continued to deliver what audiences want to see during the season,” she said. 

WE tv has dropped a new trailer for the third season of its reality series Waka & Tammy: What the Flocka, which debuts Aug. 18 on the network.

The new season of the series finds hip hop power couple Waka Flocka and Tammy Rivera dealing with their recent divorce as they navigate through co-parenting and new life changes, according to the network.

Waka & Tammy: What The Flocka is executive produced by Tammy Rivera-Malphurs, Jauquin Malphurs, Datari Turner and Debra Antney. ■

The return of HBO’s Emmy-winning series Euphoria highlights an otherwise light schedule of new and returning scripted series debuting on cable and streaming services during the first week of 2021.

The eight-episode, second season of Euphoria debuts on January 9, with actress Zendaya returning in her Emmy-winning role as troubled teenager Rue. Euphoria also stars Hunter Schafer, Nika King, Eric Dane and Angus Cloud.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of January 3 to January 9 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

January 6 – BattleBots (returning series) – Discovery

January 6 – Go-Big Show (returning series) – TBS

January 6 – Joe Montana: Cool Under Pressure (sports documentary) – Peacock

January 7 – Johnny Test (returning series) – Netflix

January 7 – Ladies Who List: Atlanta (reality) – OWN

January 7 – Love During Lockup (reality series) – WeETV

January 7 – Search Party (returning series) – HBO Max

January 7 – The Tender Bar (drama) – Prime Video

January 8 – A Discovery of Witches (returning series) – Sundance Now

January 9 – The Righteous Gemstones (returning series) – HBO

AMC Networks said that it has put Brett Dismuke in charge of both UMC, its streaming service focused on Black viewers, and WE tv, a top-rated cable network with Black women.

Dismuke joined AMC as chief content officer of UMC in January. He fills a void left by WE tv's Marc Juris, who is leaving the company at the end of the year. Sylvia George, the former general manger of UMC, is taking a new role within AMC Networks and will be responsible for performance marketing across the company's targeted streaming services.

Last month, the company announced it was reducing its staff by about 10% and would incur severance costs of $20 million to $30 million in the fourth quarter.

AMC said Dismuke will report to Miguel Penella, president of SVOD for AMC Networks, who reports to  AMC Networks COO Ed Carroll.

“We have aspirations to make UMC the leading streaming service in the world serving Black viewers with compelling and high-quality content, and WE tv is already the #1 cable network with Black women and adults on Thursday and the #1 cable entertainment network with women 18-49 and 25-54 on Fridays,” said Carroll. “These are two successful businesses we believe will be even better positioned to serve viewers and take advantage of changing consumer behavior when working more closely together, under common leadership.” 

“Putting UMC and WE tv under a common leadership team, run by Brett, is a strategic move we believe will allow us to leverage strong programming franchises that exist on both platforms, build new ones and enhance the collaboration that is already happening between UMC and WE tv, with significant benefits to our company, our partners and, most of all, the viewers we serve and entertain,” added Penella.

Prior to joining AMC, Dismuke founded So Chi Entertainment. Earlier in his career he was senior VP of acquisitions, urban content for Image Entertainment, which was bought by Robert L. Johnson in 2012 and became part of RLJ, which launched UMC before the company was acquired by AMC. After leaving RLJ, he consulted with UMC.

“The strong growth we have achieved at UMC is based on our ability to dial into the lives our subscribers are living and deliver stories and content that they care about,” Dismuke said. “The same is true of WE tv, a network that has been successful by bringing fans real and relatable shows, stories and characters. Now we have the ability to further explore the synergies that exist between these two dynamic platforms and build on the success UMC and WE tv have already achieved, with great content at the core of everything we do. We have fans watching, now it’s time to surprise them in a great way and raise the stakes. I’m so excited for this opportunity and for the great things we can do together.” 

 Key executives working with Dismuke will be Lauren Gellert, executive VP of development and original programming at WE tv; NIkki Love, VP of development and original production for UMC and ; Theresa Patiri, senior VP of production and business affairs for WE tv.

The first week of November will feature a relatively light schedule of new scripted and reality shows.

Leading the new scripted show premieres is Showtime's Moonbase 8. The series, premiering Nov. 8, stars Fred Armisen and follows several astronauts as they attempt to qualify for their first lunar mission, said the network.

On the unscripted front, WeTV on Nov. 5 premieres the seventh season of its hit series, Braxton Family Values, which continues to follow the exploits of the musical Braxton sisters.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Nov. 2 to Nov. 8 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Nov. 4 -- The A Word (returning series) -- Sundance

Nov. 5 -- Riviera (returning series) -- Sundance Now

Nov. 5 -- Save Me Too (returning series) -- Peacock

Nov. 5 -- Two Weeks to Live (drama/comedy) -- HBO Max

Nov. 7 -- Behind Every Man (reality) -- OWN

Nov. 7 -- Earth’s Great Seasons (documentary) -- BBC America

Nov. 7 -- Gemusetto (animation) -- Adult Swim

The 2019-20 Fall TV season officially kicks off this week with several cable and streaming services debuting shows as the broadcast networks launch their new and returning series.

Epix’s drama series Godfather of Harlem debuts Sept. 29, and stars Forest Whitaker as notorious gangster Bumpy Johnson, who looks to take back the Harlem underworld in the late 1960s after a long jail stint.

Streaming service Shudder on Sept. 26 will launch a reboot of the classic horror anthology series Creepshow, while Amazon Prime Video on Sept. 27 debuts a special musical finale for its Emmy-winning series Transparent.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting this week on cable networks and streaming services:

Sept. 23 -- Team Kaylie (comedy) -- Netflix

Sept. 25 -- Buzz (documentary) -- HBO

Sept. 25 -- Cake (animation) -- FXX

Sept. 25 -- Crank Yankers (returning series) -- Comedy Central

Sept. 25 -- It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (returning series) -- FXX

Sept. 25 -- Liza on Demand (returning series) -- YouTube

Sept. 26 -- Untold Stories of Hip Hop (music series) -- WEtv

Sept. 27 -- In the Shadow of the Moon (movie) -- Netflix

Sept. 27 -- The Politician (drama) -- Netflix

Sept, 27 -- Van Helsing (returning series) -- Syfy

WE tv will cook up a new unscripted series based on New York’s famed Pink Tea Cup soul food restaurant, the network said Wednesday.

The six-episode series, Hustle & Soul, will follow the Brooklyn-based restaurant’s owner and head chef Lawrence Page as he looks to take the restaurant to new heights while managing staff in-fighting, power moves and love triangles, said network officials.

Hustle & Soul is executive produced by Dan Cesareo, Ken Martinez and George McTeague, and Kim Osorio serves as co-executive producer, according to the network.

“When Lawrence Page resurrected the Pink Tea Cup and relocated it to Fort Greene, Brooklyn, he brought along a high-spirited team that always keeps love and dysfunction on the menu,” said Marc Juris, WE tv president in a statement. “WE tv viewers will be fascinated with Hustle & Soul and the engaging and highly entertaining staff of the Pink Tea Cup, where every dish comes with a side of drama.”

AMC Networks revenue rose 5.7% and adjusted operating cash flow (AOCF) increased 10.6% in the first quarter, driven by increased digital licensing and affiliate fees.

Overall revenue was $707 million in the period, driven by a 6.4% rise at its national networks (including AMC, IFC, WeTV, BBC America and Sundance TV). Distribution revenue, including licensing and affiliate fees, rose 10.9% in the period and ad revenue increased 1.3%. AOCF rose 10.6% to $287 million.

"AMC Networks is continuing to build on the momentum and strength of 2015 with a strong start to 2016," CEO Josh Sapan said in a statement. "First quarter 2016 revenues, AOCF and operating income were healthy and growing. Our performance continues to be driven by the strength of our brands and the popularity of our original programming, particularly The Walking Dead, Better Call Saul and Fear the Walking Dead, with viewers and advertisers. With the refinancing of our debt on favorable terms and the authorization of a $500 million share repurchase program, our Company remains focused on creating and delivering value for shareholders.” 

We TV's supernatural thriller, South of Hell, has started production in Charleston, S.C. for a 2015 premiere, the network announced today.

Mena Suvari stars in the lead role, and is joined by Zachary Booth, Bill Irwin, Drew Moerlein, Lamman Rucker and Paulina Singer. Recurring cast includes Lydia Hearst, Slate Holmgren and Lauren Velez.

Suvari plays Maria Abascal, an exorcist with her own demon living inside her, as she fights a constant battle between good and evil.

The series is set for eight one-hour episodes.

Produced by Sonar Entertainment and Blumhouse Television, James Manos Jr. serves as executive producer and showrunner. Gerard Bocaccio, Stewart Till, Gene Stein, Erica Motley and Roth also work as executive producers, along with James Blum of Blumhouse Productions.