• by David Goetzl , September 15, 2011

AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan said his company respects the producers that continue to turn out hits, such as "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad," but it needs to ensure top-notch creativity filters down to bottom-line success.

"We really admire and revere our partners who make these shows and we are also business-minded, so we look at the economics of the shows and we pay close attention to what they are," Sapan said at an investor event Thursday.

"If a show succeeds and runs for four or five years and there are renewal negotiations, there tends to be generally some tension about money and so ... we negotiate to do the right thing and to keep our costs in line and keep our rights as broad as possible."

Echoing recent comments made by AMC network head Charlie Collier, Sapan said success breeds scrutiny and indicated the media coverage is a validation of the shows' popularity. "The attention is a consequence of the profile, and that's generally a good thing for us," he said.

The AMC network could balance some of the costs of producing expensive dramas with several non-scripted series coming. While there is a risk in deviating from a movies/drama brand, Sapan said viewers are "accustomed" to a range of programming on a channel, so the key is to ensure the productions are "consistent" with the quality of the dramas.

Separately, Sapan said early on, the conversion of the IFC network into an ad-supported outlet appears to be generating interest by marketers looking to reach young men, but it will take several years to move into high gear. IFC is in 62 million homes and targets adults 18 to 49.