When Warner‘s top brass cast doubt on the future of the classic film channel TCM in June 2023, a revolt broke out in Hollywood, led by directors Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson: “It has always been more than a channel. It is a precious cinematic resource, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It may never have been a financial giant, but it has been profitable since its inception,” they wrote in a letter. Warner couldn’t anger the industry bosses by killing off a channel with 30 years of history in one fell swoop, so after a video conference between the filmmakers and CEO David Zaslav, the dust settled. Cinephiles breathed a sigh of relief, but one question arose: did classic cinema still have a place on television in the age of platforms?
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Because TCM, which opened its doors in the US in 1994, is a classic in itself. In fact, broadcasts in Spain began just five years later, with the arrival of digital in our country. And this September TCM turns 25, a quarter of a century in which almost everything has changed in cinema and television. Meanwhile, Turner Classic Movies has survived three corporate takeovers (TimeWarner, AT&T and Discovery). “So many things change that you feel like everything is evolving, but the important thing is to maintain the essential: the passion and love for cinema,” explains Marta Alonso, head of the channel in Spain and in charge of its programming.
Alonso, who through synergies and acquisitions has made the channel evolve with miniseries such as Chernobyl y Open wounds (both HBO/Warner) or more modern auteur cinema, he believes that classic cinema can still have this space, although he recognizes that TCM has evolved to expand it. “We always knew that selection and context were essential, to help in that journey. We wanted to be prescribers and above all to ensure that great films were seen. A few years later we started with the original production to introduce and explain them.
Leonor Watling presents TCM’s ‘Cinema in Three Acts’.TCM
“That was necessary to talk about classic cinema,” explains Alonso. For this anniversary, for example, they have produced the series Cinema in three acts Presented by Leonor Watling, which premieres this Friday and where they compile fragments of Antonio Banderas, Almodóvar, Viggo Mortensen, Penélope Cruz, Icíar Bollaín… to review how they emerged and forged their careers. Sticking to current events (with Women’s Month or Pride) to talk about cinema, or with its cycles dedicated to stars is another of the strategies with which the channel guides this accompaniment. “Every year on his birthday we program Clint Eastwood’s and it breaks the ratings,” she points out.
Presentation of the Clint Eastwood cycle, on TCM.Video: TCM
“There is no doubt that the more there is talk about something, the more curiosity there is, so in the end we see many things not because we want to, but because of what they insist on. They get into our throats. But, if I like cinema, it is because someone has told me, ‘hey, look at this’, and that prescription is lost on the platforms,” explains Alonso about the lack of commitment of the streaming for that other cinema. Also on the case of José Luis Garci, who was left without a programme on 13TV when they denied him the possibility of programming black and white films: “We don’t have advertising, and that allows us to do a cycle of silent films but also another of Christopher Nolan. All companies go for commercial objectives, and we can’t ask the platforms to give up what gives them subscribers, and fast consumption. But the problem is that what you don’t know, you don’t look for it. If they don’t know it exists, you don’t miss it,” he explains.
That is why Alonso, who believes that film education is the foundation, welcomes the initiative to program films for schools, which has been announced by the Ministry of Culture: “You cannot make a kid watch films from scratch. Philadelphia Storiesbut if you have accustomed him, taught him to understand other times and accompanied him, he will have a great time. I think it is a first step in that education. There is nothing more fascinating than someone who tells you that he remembers a film, a book or a record that left a mark on him, and that you discover it.” And also highlights the work of TCM in festivals (sponsoring the youth prize in San Sebastian), re-release events or producing its own documentaries such as The forbidden orangewhich helps them build a brand, collaborate with theaters, and forge an identity. “TCM doesn’t show movies, but rather seeks to share the best of cinema, whether it’s from the 1920s or one that won an Oscar five years ago, regardless of genre or nationality. Films should only have something that moves you. We seek them out and share them. Scorsese said that curation is an act of generosity.”
Because, within the limited canons of thematic channels (it reaches 0.1% of the audience), TCM Spain maintains a loyal audience month after month. In August, for example, it was thirteenth among thematic channels, with 3.5 million unique monthly viewers, according to the report by the consultancy Barlovento. It was below the sports channels, and generalist film channels such as Canal Hollywood, but above another ten such as AMC, Canal Cocina, National Geographic or Discovery, its parent company. Month after month, it remains between 10th and 15th in the ranking, adding between 3.4 and 4.1 million monthly viewers since January.
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But everything has changed, and so has this business. Cable television has become a headache for companies in the US, given that the drop in audiences is bottomless and linear television is giving way to streamingWarner, like Disney or Paramount, is faced with the issue of what to do with its secondary network groups. But in Spain, for the moment, they do not need a Scorsese to defend them. Because, given that the reach of subscription channels was never as generic as in the US, they have managed to maintain their audience, and TCM continues to make a profit, despite not having advertising. “Suddenly the platforms have linear channels again, advertising… everything is repositioned, it comes back, it seems that everything has been invented,” Alonso anticipates about the future of the channel, which has been paving the way for on-demand cinema, as well as its collaboration with Max, the platform of the company to which it is increasingly linked.
Opening of the TCM Festival in 2017, at the Press Palace (Madrid).TCM
When TCM Spain was launched in 1999, it premiered Matrix, All about my mother, The sixth sense, American Beauty o Magnolia. Nowadays, that wide range of films can be included among the classics of their programming, with the difference that back then, general television programmed those films, and cinema is increasingly relegated to thematic channels. In that year, in addition, there were only two second parts among the 10 highest-grossing films, compared to the full number of sequels in 2024. Everything has changed in cinema and television. But sometimes, new technologies also offer a space of hope: “We are film lovers, so we have TCM tuned in at all hours at home,” said Martin Scorsese in a TikTok of his daughter Francesca that has accumulated 7.5 million views. Sometimes the recommendation is in the most unexpected place.
Table of Contents
The Timeless Allure of Turner Classic Movies: A Precious Cinematic Resource
In June 2023, Warner’s top executives sparked a revolt in Hollywood by questioning the future of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), a beloved television channel dedicated to showcasing classic films. The outcry was led by renowned directors Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Paul Thomas Anderson, who emphasized the significance of TCM as a ”precious cinematic resource” that has been profitable since its inception in 1994 [[1]]. The channel’s 30-year history and cultural importance eventually led to a resolution, and cinephiles everywhere breathed a sigh of relief.
A Quarter of a Century of Classic Cinema
This September, TCM celebrates its 25th anniversary, marking a quarter of a century of bringing classic cinema to audiences worldwide. Since its launch in the United States in 1994, TCM has expanded its reach to Spain and other countries, surviving three corporate takeovers (TimeWarner, AT&T, and Discovery) [[3]]. According to Marta Alonso, head of TCM Spain, the channel’s evolution has been key to its longevity, incorporating new content such as miniseries (e.g., “Chernobyl” and “Open Wounds”) and modern auteur cinema while maintaining its core focus on classic films [[2]].
The Importance of Curation and Context
Alonso stresses the importance of selection and context in presenting classic cinema, citing the need for a guiding hand to introduce and explain the films. This approach has been instrumental in shaping TCM’s programming, with the channel offering thematic cycles, original productions, and collaborations with industry professionals to provide context and insights into the world of classic cinema. For example, TCM’s “Cinema in Three Acts” series, presented by Leonor Watling, compiles fragments of interviews with prominent filmmakers and actors to review their careers and contributions to cinema.
A Place for Classic Cinema in the Age of Platforms
The question remains: does classic cinema still have a place on television in the era of streaming platforms? Alonso believes that TCM’s unique offering, combining curation, context, and passion for cinema, sets it apart from online platforms. While platforms may offer a vast library of films, they often lack the guidance and expertise that TCM provides, making it an essential resource for cinephiles and film enthusiasts.
The Value of Prescribed Viewing
Alonso notes that the ”prescription” aspect of TCM’s programming is essential to fostering a love for cinema. By introducing audiences to new films and filmmakers, T
Turner Classic Movies closing down
The Future of Classic Cinema: Can TCM Continue to Thrive in the Age of Streaming?
In June 2023, Warner’s top executives cast doubt on the future of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), a channel that has
