“That’s a great question,” says Alison Hoffman, president of Starz Networks. “We’ve been trying to drive engagement in the Outlander fan base over time with lots of our other shows.” 

For those unfamiliar, Outlander is based on a series of bestselling novels by author Diana Gabaldon and follows a British World War II nurse as she travels back in time through different historical periods (1740s Scotland plays a central role). Against a rollicking love story between its two protagonists, Claire (Caitríona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan), the show broaches themes of war, grief, sexual violence, and the meaning of family. It has been a huge driver of female viewership for Starz, a fact clearly on display when I attended the series’ New York City premiere last week: Rows and rows of women, some dressed in homemade period costumes, packed a movie theater at Lincoln Center. Their emotional investment in the series reminded me of my days as a One Direction groupie.

“Our strategy is to be the destination for women and underrepresented audiences,” says Hoffman. ”We have a very strong pipeline for women.” She namechecks Starz original series including Power (a modern day thriller that revolves around New York’s Black and Latino communities), The Royal Collection (period dramas, often with female protagonists) and an upcoming adaptation of All Fours, Miranda July’s zany novel about a woman’s midlife awakening. And there is Blood of My Blood, an Outlander prequel that premiered last year in a bid to keep the show’s fans from cancelling their subscriptions after the finale airs. It has brought a “new and younger” audience to the network, Hoffman says.

Starz launched in 1994 as a premium cable channel that was positioned as a competitor to the likes of Showtime and HBO Max. Over time, it has evolved into a mid-sized network that encompasses both a TV channel and an app that showcase acquired movies and a slate of original series. Acquired by Lionsgate in 2016, the company was spun off last May. Recent earnings show its revenue in decline (7.3% for the first nine months of 2025 year-on-year). However, in a world of streaming juggernauts, its focus on shows that appeal to women and Black and Latino viewers, groups historically underrepresented in mainstream TV drama, makes it an important niche player. “From a business strategy perspective, we sit on top of the basic streamers,” says Hoffman. “We’ve partnered with Amazon, Hulu, Apple because we’re a premium offering that is meant to be enjoyed alongside your basic television service.”

“Back when we launched Outlander, most of the premium TV landscape was focused on men,” she continues. “We won the show in a competitive process…and we said, ‘here is something we can do that nobody else really has their eye on.’” Hoffman believes that Outlander’s longevity and cultural impact (the show is linked to a rise in Scottish tourism) proves that the Starz model still works. “That [Outlander] audience has carried through time and even as the industry has changed, it’s been a constant for us,” she says. “The business case is there.”

Ellie Austin
ellie.austin@fortune.com

The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Today’s edition was curated by Emma Hinchliffe. Subscribe here.

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

Meghan and Netflix part ways. The Duchess of Sussex's lifestyle brand As Ever was developed in partnership with the streamer ahead of the premiere of her show With Love, Meghan. There are no currently announced plans for another season of the show. The brand, which sells jams and other products, will continue without Netflix. A spokesperson said: "As ever is grateful for Netflix’s partnership through launch and our first year. We have experienced meaningful and rapid growth and As ever is now ready to stand on its own. We have an exciting year ahead and can’t wait to share more."

The Jordan brand signs a new star. UConn's Azzi Fudd is expected to start her WNBA career this season. Under brand president Sarah Mensah, the Nike brand has turned to WNBA stars like Napheesa Collier and now Fudd to expand beyond the legacy of Michael Jordan. 

A concerning new study. One-third of Gen Z men across 29 countries believe a wife should "always obey her husband." That's higher than the share of millennial, Gen X, or baby boomer men who say the same. Fifty-seven percent of Gen Z men also agreed that "we have gone so far in promoting women's equality that we are discriminating against men." 

OpenAI x Pentagon news. My colleague Sharon Goldman reports that Caitlin Kalinowski, who had been leading hardware and robotics operations teams at OpenAI since November 2024, has left the company in the wake of the AI giant's Pentagon deal. Kalinowski wrote on LinkedIn: "AI has an important role in national security. But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got. This was about principle, not people. I have deep respect for Sam and the team, and I’m proud of what we built together.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​"

ON MY RADAR

At what point in my career should I pause to have kids? The Cut

Here's why child care is getting more expensive and forcing parents to make 'heartbreaking' choices Fortune

I was told my inability to conceive a second child was a ‘mystery’. In fact, I was simply ignored Guardian

PARTING WORDS

"You also know that 'Mommy does basketball.' ... When I see you in the locker room with the team or in the training room, laughing and playing with the trainers, it kind of blows my mind just how normal that all feels." 

— WNBA star Chelsea Gray in a letter to her 2-year-old son, about how things have changed for athletes who are moms since she was drafted 12 years ago