AT&T Audience Network to Shut Down, Become Promo Channel for HBO Max

AT&T’s Audience Network will no longer be a home for original programming. Instead, AT&T is turning the premium network into a promo channel for HBO Max.

The transition will happen sometime in the spring, ahead of HBO Max’s May launch. The upcoming streaming service from WarnerMedia will cost $14.99, the same price as a monthly subscription for HBO.

“We will begin to transition Audience Network from its current approach to support AT&T’s broader original content and marketing focus on the upcoming HBO Max service,” said Daniel York, chief content officer of AT&T Consumer. “I am proud and grateful to the team at Audience for their many successes over the years, creating unique, fresh and provocative content along with our great studio partners. 20 years ago we were the first pay TV provider to differentiate our content offering with the best exclusive original content, and the team truly brought to life the network vision: Always Original, Never Ordinary.”

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Audience Network currently has four scripted originals, “Mr. Mercedes,” “Condor,” “Loudermilk” and “You Me Her.” A rep for AT&T told TheWrap that “any future use of Audience Network content will be assessed at a later date.”

The Audience Network first launched  launched as “FreeView” in November 1999 and primarily focused on music and concerts. It grew its content portfolio and was rebranded to “The 101 Network” in early 2005, and to Audience Network in 2010 when it expanded into scripted original series. It was run by DirecTV, which was acquired by AT&T in 2014.

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