The following post first appeared in Streamlined, our new twice-weekly CTV newsletter which is taking the place of our Thursday CTV Roundup.
Dan McDermott spent more than three decades at the center of American storytelling — from the early days of Fox to creating prestige television at DreamWorks.
Now, as Chief Content Officer, AMC Global Media and President of AMC Studios, he oversees one of the most distinctive portfolios in the business: AMC, Shudder, BBC America, IFC, Acorn TV and HIDIVE, among others. With his contract recently renewed through 2028, McDermott sat down to discuss creative identity, the future of television and what it takes to make a hit show.
Streamlined: You oversee development, production, acquisition, scheduling and release across a remarkably diverse ecosystem. How do you maintain distinct creative identities for each brand?
DAN McDERMOTT: They’re distinct and unique, but together they offer a level of curation and depth that no one else can offer — and that’s a central part of our strategy. We have a team of subject matter experts dedicated to overseeing each brand, and we have clear curatorial clarity around what each platform does and what we source for each platform. I get to sort of jump around into all these different, really interesting pools, knowing that everybody who’s directly overseeing them is spending 24/7 in that pool.
