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But theres reason to suspect the company is happy with Acorns performance over the past six years.
We love the Acorn business.
Youre a lot like Netflix in that you began as a physical-media company long before streaming was a thing.
Tell me more about that history.
We were aniche home-video distributor.We had a very strong business in selling British and related television.
So Acorn was never strictly a British company.
The watchword was alwaysquality.
Obviously, British TV is almost synonymous with quality, so of course, we leaned into that.
And in a sense, nothings changed really since then.
Whats the profile of your audience?
COURTNEY THOMASMA:We know a lot about who our audience is.
And the Acorn audience its probably who you think it is.
But a lot of the shows do see high levels of co-viewing and a pretty even gender split.
And not surprisingly, its a really intellectually curious and internationally minded audience.
We talk about the Acorn audience a lot as being armchair travelers.
So its sort of like the dream audience just from a psychographic and demographic level.
What was your goal then, and what is it now?
What I loved about that show is it could not have taken place anywhere else.
AMC Networks took full control of the company in 2018.
Theyve been making a huge push into streaming with their niche platforms,as well as AMC+.
Theyve also given you a lot more resources, particularly with marketing and promotion.
Has the service changed much under AMC, and how do you think you fit into their bigger gameplan?
Were a complementary service.
Look, Nordstrom, Macys, whatever, they have great stuff, a wide range of stuff.
But there are also boutiques where you know the staff, and they have a certain focus.
The same thing kind of carries through with streaming.
That said, I think that we really feel now the freedom to maybe stretch the brand.
We obviously have a very loyal audience, which I certainly dont ever take for granted.
We know that people have expectations of us, and so we obviously want to satisfy those expectations.
That would seem to indicate you thought its audience was strong enough to support it being completely stand-alone.
Its one of the most tenured, targeted streaming services in all of streaming.
I meet them everywhere I go.
They are not shy about giving recommendations, good and bad.
And they love being a part of the Acorn community.
Youve already started doing that over the last few years, right?
Using Acorn to promote AMC programming, and vice versa?
It was a bit of a test becauseDark Windsis not an international show.
It is a homegrown, U.S.-based AMC original.
So youll be seeing a lot more of that kind of strategic show-sharing.
We think it is nice to have two big, complementary services that can support each other.
And itsa mix of new programs and returning series.
It is currently shooting in the U.K. and should be on Acorn TV in the fall.
Right theres a mix of cozy murder mysteries on Acorn as well as some shows with darker tones.
And they were like, Is there going to be more?!
What exactly are you thinking is a reasonable and realistic growth story for the service?
THOMASMA:We all agree, up to our CEO, about the potential for Acorn.
Its a great business as a stand-alone.
Distribution, I think, was a key part of the early growth stage of Acorn.
At this point, we feel like the biggest missing piece is awareness.
So well be building that really by leaning into our own platforms and ecosystem.
Were also focused on the cross-promotional opportunities across that ecosystem.
How is that manifesting itself?
THOMASMA:Probably the biggest splash that weve made is the new Acorn programming block on BBC America.
And thenMy Life Is Murder,with Lucy Lawless, started June 17.
So we expect that to be just a big awareness boost for the service.
And weve been diving into a working partnership with our film distribution company, IFC Films, in earnest.
It premiered on Acorn at the same time it premiered on AMC+.
We think leveraging the power of the ecosystem infuses the service with some bigger, splashier, high-profile premieres.
THOMASMA:I wouldnt rule out any of that.
So I think that could work really well on that platform.
But bundling is something thats becoming very big in streaming right now.
Or letting people add Acorn TV to their AMC+ subscription so they can stream it all in one app?
This is just, as Ive said, such a unicorn of a business.
Theyre loyal and passionate and opinionated and they love good programming.
And were happy to be doing it.
