Playboy TV

Playboy TV
Playboy TV logo
Launched November 1, 1982 (as The Playboy Channel)
Owned by Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (via PBTV LLC, a subsidiary)
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
(North America)
576i (SDTV)
(Europe)
1080i (HDTV)
(United States)
Country United States
Language English
Spanish
Broadcast area United States, Canada, Latin America, Sweden, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Greece, Spain and Norway
Formerly called The Playboy Channel (November 1, 1982 – October 31, 1989)
Website Playboy TV website
Availability
Satellite
Euskaltel (Spain) Channel 51
SKY México Channel 926
Canal+ (Spain) Channel 99
SKY Network Television (New Zealand) Channel 217
Dish Network (U.S.) Channel 488/9 (English)
Channel 487 (Spanish)
DirecTV (U.S.) Channel 580 and 589 (English; HD)
Channel 583 (Spanish)
Shaw Direct (Canada) Channel 680
Bell TV (Canada) Channel 780
Sky UK Channel 900
Cable
Videotron (Canada) Channel 221 (SD)
UPC Ireland Channel 860
Com Hem (Sweden) Channel 54
UPC Romania Channel 974
Virgin Media (UK) Channel 979
Available on most U.S. cable systems Check local listings for channels
IPTV
Telus TV (Canada) Channel 910
Verizon FiOS (U.S.) 440 (English)
441 (Spanish)
AT&T U-Verse (U.S.) 3952 (English)
3954 (Spanish)

Playboy TV (originally The Playboy Channel) is an American pornography premium cable and satellite television network that is owned by the Manwin Group, a division of MindGeek, Incorporated. Its programming focuses mainly on softcore and some hardcore adult erotica, including motion pictures, first-run television series and specials. The channel is available internationally in countries such as Sweden, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Latin American countries, New Zealand, Greece, Iberia (Spain and Portugal) and Norway.

Background

The channel launched on November 1, 1982 as The Playboy Channel. It was originally owned by Playboy Enterprises in partnership with Cablevision Systems Corporation, which eventually sold its interest in the channel back to Playboy in 1986. The original programming and style of the Playboy Channel was developed by Hugh Hefner and Michael Trikilis. Playboy hired its own sales and marketing staff and launched the channel on several major multiple system operators. At the time of its launch, programming featured on the channel consisted only of R-rated films. The channel re-launched as Playboy TV and adopted its current name on November 1, 1989, and originally broadcast for only ten hours each day, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. ET, during its first eleven years of existence. The network expanded its programming with the adoption of a 24-hour schedule in 1994.[1]

The staff, led by Lahoucine "Al" Reddad, included Mbarek "Mark" Hassounya. Reddad launched Playboy in the hotel markets as a pay-per-view service. Playboy TV has become a leading entertainment channel for adult entertainment. In 2011, Playboy Enterprises sold the channel to MindGeek;[2] the Playboy name remains in use by the channel under a brand licensing agreement.

Programming

The programming content on Playboy TV is more explicit than the softer material of its magazine counterpart. Although it initially broadcast softcore content (with any hardcore footage edited out), in recent years, Playboy TV has begun showing sex acts including oral and vaginal penetration in some programs, without showing any explicit ejaculation or anal sex. This is due to Playboy TV's programming policy, which reflects a desire to produce material that can be used in countries and U.S. jurisdictions (notably Utah) that restrict what can be shown on television, although less Uncensored material is shown on the Playboy website.

Some programs that do contain sex acts are also done in a way that is characteristic of Playboy, such as Sexy Urban Legends, a show where two young men give their humorous accounts of urban legends that are related to sexual situations. Other series, such as Foursome and 7 Lives Xposed are more explicit and show non-simulated sexual activity, with varying degrees of explicitness. Naughty Amateur Home Videos, for its first few seasons, edited out footage showing any penetration from the viewer-supplied videos, but in the early 2000s began showing uncensored hardcore footage (though, in keeping with network policy, explicit ejaculation and anal sex are not shown). Playboy TV Double Features, which start at 11 p.m. Eastern Time in the United States, are also uncut hardcore movies; however, they too follow the programming policy standard. Recently as of January 2008, the Nooner movies have included hardcore scenes as per the same standards as the nighttime block.

Programs featured on Playboy TV's primetime schedule range from couples-driven reality shows (Brooklyn Kinda Love) to unscripted comedic content (The Stash), to full-length movies (Playboy TV Double Features). In 2010, the network unveiled a new slate of TV For 2 programming,[3] which featured a selection of series tailored to both male and female audiences. That year, it also began airing classic sexploitation films such as Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens and Cherry, Harry & Raquel!.

Many of the more popular Playboy TV shows that are no longer in production, such as Night Calls and Naked Happy Girls, continue to be available on the network's subscription video on demand services.

List of programs broadcast by Playboy TV

Current programs

Programs on Playboy TV LA

Former programming

References

  1. ↑ Jones, Tim (16 August 1994). "Playboy Says Publishing, TV Weakness To Fuel Loss". The Chicago Tribune. Chicago.
  2. ↑ Horgan, Richard (2011-11-02). "Playboy Enterprises Now Officially Sleeping with the Enemy". Mediabistro.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
  3. ↑ Adams, Russell (4 October 2010). "Playboy TV's New Proposition: Bring in Women – as Viewers". The Wall Street Journal. New York.
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