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AMC Networks is looking to squeeze more life out of “The Walking Dead.”
AMC Networks’ CEO Josh Sapan and Charlie Collier, the president and general manager of the flagship network, are discussing airing episodes of AMC’s zombie hit on lower-rated sister network IFC, The Post has learned.
Time Warner Cable, which in currently in negotiations to renew its agreement to carry AMC’s IFC and WE tv, has balked at paying increases for those smaller cable networks.
The move, which is still under discussion, could boost IFC’s ratings and its bargaining position with pay-TV providers. Among the possibilities are shifting some original episodes to IFC or doubling up and running the show on both networks at the same time.
A spokeswoman for AMC declined to comment.
Season 3 of the zombie series returned on Sunday and shattered records, attracting some 12 million viewers. The show beat the broadcast networks and drew bigger ratings among younger viewers aged 18 to 49 years old than an average episode of “American Idol.”
The killer ratings prompted parent AMC Networks to explore ways to leverage the series, the first wholly owned by AMC Studios.
Separately, repeats of another AMC hit, “Breaking Bad,” are headed to its Sundance Channel. That show, which centers on a science teacher-turned-drug kingpin, is made by Sony Pictures TV.
While moving top-rated TV shows around could help AMC Networks charge higher rates for its channels, it could also lead to viewer confusion.
The AMC flagship gets between 30 cents and 50 cents per subscriber a month from cable and satellite-TV providers but is trying to raise that to about 75 cents. Combined, IFC, WE tv and Sundance Channel get about 47 cents per subscriber a month.