New York – AMC/Sundance Channel Global, the international division of AMC Networks, announced that Harold Gronenthal has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Programming and Operations. 

In addition, Jennie Morris has been promoted to Vice President, Affiliate Marketing, while Mark Fareri has been elevated to Director of Operations, AMC/Sundance Channel Global. These developments follow recent announcements of plans to bolster staff in Asia across numerous areas of the business.

“Harold has been integral to the growth of our global business, and his promotion reflects his many valuable contributions. These promotions and expanded programming initiatives reflect the strong growth of AMC/Sundance Channel Global and the increased demand for our linear and VOD services,” said Bruce Tuchman, President of AMC/Sundance Channel Global.

Gronenthal is a veteran of AMC Networks (formerly Rainbow Media Holdings) with management experience in many of the key areas of the business. Reporting to Tuchman, he oversees programming and network operations for Sundance Channel and WE tv’s international business. 

Morris oversees marketing and multiplatform media campaigns for AMC/Sundance Channel Global to support affiliates and drive consumer and distributor demand for the company’s entertainment brands, Sundance Channel and WE tv. Fareri will be responsible for managing operations including the preparation and delivery of all VOD content for affiliates. He also continues to manage relationships with foreign language customization vendors, as well as the Company’s European origination facility. 

New programme acquisitions and premiere dates

The company also announced the acquisitions of docu-series Push Girls (14×30’) for WE tv Asia through an agreement with Passion Distribution; and docu-soap Cyndi (12×30’) – featuring over-the-top life of Grammy winner Cyndi Lauper, for WE tv Asia through a deal with WE tv U.S. Both series are slated to premiere later this year.

Sundance Channel will also debut a line-up of programmes across Europe and Asia over the coming months. This includes five new films from the 2013 Sundance Film Festival Computer Chess, This is Martin Bonner, Halley, I Used to Be Darker and It Felt Like Love – which will be made available to subscribers on VOD prior to the premiere on the linear service.

In addition, the channel will continue to premiere their original series from the AMC Networks family – including season three of Breaking Bad (13×60’) slated to roll-out across Asia on April 11 as a first window for the channel’s subscribers. New seasons of Mad Men (13×60’) will premiere across Europe and Asia this summer in agreement with  Lionsgate, as well as, the second season of The Hour (6×60’) premiering May 26 across Asia in a first window deal with Shine International.

Independent films The Unloved, Shifty, Submarine and Faintheart, among others, are also slated to debut on the channel in Asia. They will be released in the summer.