Bringing the Living to the Walking Dead

AMC's commercial mandate is to make money by having the largest audience to their material and to get as many people to include AMC as part of their cable subscription package. This mandate is fulfilled by the use of this practice. By having the Gateway Film Center play AMC's The Walking Dead they are fulfilling this mandate by opening their content to even a larger audience than just AMC cable buyers. By giving people access who wouldn't necessarily have access at home, AMC has increased its chances to have potential new customers and viewers. AMC is known for having unusual shows, like Breaking Bad, and is usually viewed by smaller niche audiences than the larger audiences of broadcast TV. AMC is using this new technique of free views to increase that niche audience and making them aware of the type of content that can be available to them if they choose to have AMC in their cable subscription. Their is also the power of word of mouth and a community that is formed after seeing the show together. This gives free marketing and popularity to the show that continues to fulfill its commercial mandate

This technique also has a huge impact on the exhibition and distribution practices. The Walking Dead is played not only on AMC but also on Netflix. AMC has already been changing their practices by making their material available online. By having the show available on a movie theater screen. This is a whole new way of viewing the film, in a whole new location. This completely changes the show's traditional distribution practices and opens up a whole new way to view TV. By having the show online, on TV, in a movie theater, and later on DVD, AMC is covering all of their bases for distribution and exhibition, thereby increasing all chances of the show being a success and getting AMC's brand out to larger audiences.

Showing the TV show for free at a whole new place of exhibition for television not only fulfills the commercial mandate of AMC but also modernizes their exhibition and distribution practices.