AMC (stylized as aMc; an abbreviation of the channel's original name, American Movie Classics) is an American basic cable television channel that first launched in 1984, and is the namesake flagship property of AMC Networks. Since 2002, the full name has been de-emphasized as a result of a major shift in its programming. AMC's primarily produces original scripted dramas and documentaries, while airing theatrically released films, and acquired television programming. In July 2015, AMC was received by approximately 94,832,000 households in the United States that subscribe to a pay television service (81.5% of U.S. households with at least one television set). By December 2023, that number has dropped to approximately 65,054,000 households