Weiner had been in tough negotiations with AMC, the
cable network that carries “Mad Men” and Lionsgate, the production
company that makes the hourlong drama about fast-living advertising
executives in 1960s
The show, which normally runs in the summer, had
already been pushed to early next year, in part because of the contract
dispute. It will probably return to the air in
While Weiner will be paid handsomely for staying with the show — people familiar with his contract say it is worth close to
a season — money was not the main issue threatening his status. AMC had
wanted to add additional commercials to “Mad Men” and Lionsgate wanted
to find ways to cut costs in production of the expensive period drama.
AMC had also wanted to pursue more product placement and product
integration in the show to help it recoup its costs.
A compromise of sorts was reached on the
commercials. The first and last episodes of the upcoming fifth season
will run at 47 minutes and the rest of the episodes will run at 45
minutes. Weiner will have the option to make those other episodes at 47
minutes for other platforms including video on demand, DVD and iTunes.
With regard to the cast, people close to the show
said the main characters are all locked in for the next two seasons,
which is how long AMC’s current deal with Lionsgate for the show runs.
A seventh season with Weiner onboard is likely unless AMC decides it is
ready to move on from the series or the bulk of the cast is not renewed.
In a statement, Weiner said, “I want to thank AMC
and Lionsgate for agreeing to support the artistic freedom of myself,
the cast and the crew so that we can continue to make the show exactly
as we have from the beginning.”
“Mad Man” has won three Emmy Awards for outstanding
drama and helped boost AMC from an also-ran cable network to a
first-tier channel. It now has other successful original shows
including “The Walking Dead” and “Breaking Bad” and it has been able to
boost both the dollars it attracts from advertisers and the fees pay-TV
distributors shell out to carry the network.
———
(c) 2011, Los Angeles Times.
Visit the Los Angeles Times on the Internet at http://www.latimes.com/.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
