Paul Raymond Publications

Paul Raymond Publications
Parent company Blue Active Media Ltd.
Status Active
Founded 1964
Founder Paul Raymond
Successor Paul Chaplin
Country of origin United Kingdom
Distribution (as high as) 500,000
Publication types Escort
Club International
Mayfair
Men Only
Men's World
Razzle
Swing Mag
Club DVD
Escort DVD
Nonfiction topics Adult content
Revenue £20 million
Official website www.paulraymond.xxx

Paul Raymond Publications is a British pornography publisher of monthly softcore pornographic magazine titles: Escort, Club International, Mayfair, Men Only, Men's World, Razzle, Swing Mag, Club DVD and Escort DVD. It also publishes an adult website at www.paulraymond.xxx which features both softcore and hardcore content since UK law does not allow hardcore R18 imagery to be sold on newsstands. Their magazines are generally available in most newsagents, although some larger retailers require a modesty bag in order to protect minors from seeing gratuitous flesh on display on the cover. As from 2013, their magazines are also available in digital format exclusively on the Paul Raymond digital newsstand. Blue Active Media Ltd. is the parent company.

History

Paul Raymond's (1925–2008) publication ventures, financed by Raymond Revuebar profits, began with the short-lived King in 1964 [1] but the company was established with the purchase of Men Only in 1971 and Club International in 1972.[2] Raymond relaunched Men Only with photographs of the women who worked at his strip-clubs.[1] Within a few years he made claim of a 500,000 circulation.[1] In 1979 he launched the Electric Blue series of videos, a range which was produced until the mid 1990s.[3] Raymond's daughter Debbie ran the company for a time, until her death in 1992 from an overdose.[2] The company's main competitors in the UK are Gold Star Publications, formerly owned by David Sullivan, and Northern & Shell, owned by Richard Desmond.[4] In 1999 the company had revenues of £20 million, and pre-tax profits of £19 million.[4] As of 2001 it produced eight of the 10 best-selling pornographic magazines in the UK, aided by its deal with Comag, one of Britains largest magazine distributors.[4] In the 2000s the companies fortunes waned due to competition from the internet and "lad mags".[2][4]

Sale and acquisition

Following Raymond's death, the US arm of the company was sold to Magna Publishing Group; the UK arm was sold to private investors that formed Tri Active Media Ltd. holding it for about 3 years. Paul Chaplin bought (6 October 2012) Paul Raymond Publications for an undisclosed sum, and reunited it with Loaded and Superbike magazines under the newly formed Blue Active Media Ltd. The latter acquisition provided capital to focus rejuvenation of Paul Raymond brand publications to their heyday. Mayfair, has improved on paper quality and pagination.

Chaplin, recognizing the value that digital media can bring to print publication, has invested in redeveloping the online presence of the Paul Raymond brand with new websites, focussing on the new .xxx TLD.

Magazine Titles

See also

Pornography in the United Kingdom

References

  1. 1 2 3 Obituary:Paul Raymond, Daily Telegraph, 3 March 2008
  2. 1 2 3 BBC NEWS | UK | Porn baron Raymond dies aged 82
  3. ↑ "Paul Raymond the King of Soho". Strip Magazine. 27 December 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Observer - Top shelf gathers dust
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