The Adult Channel - History - Playboy TV

Playboy TV

In May 1995 it was announced Playboy would start a new UK Television station, in partnership with Flextech 51%, and BSkyB30%. PEI Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Christie Hefner said, "Two years ago, we began selling blocks of programming to existing cable services overseas. The establishment of an overseas Playboy network was a logical step for us in our strategy for growth and we are pleased to be involved in this venture with such respected partners as TCI, Flextech and BSkyB." David Chance, deputy managing director of BSkyB, and Roger Luard, managing director of Flextech plc, jointly said, "Playboy has a strong brand name worldwide and has a successful adult-oriented television channel in the United States that appeals to both men and women. Our research shows there is a strong demand for the channel, with its wide variety of high quality programming in the UK and Benelux countries". Playboy TV UK started on the 1 November 1995. In December 1998 Home Video Channel acquired the 81% interest in Playboy TV UK/Benelux,from Flextech and British Sky Broadcasting Limited, further to the deal HVC and playboy merged. Playboy said that Home Video Channel will pay approximately U.S dollars 9 million for the 81% interest and that timing of the payments will be based on the network's future cash flows. Playboy TV and HVC will continue to be delivered on Sky's satellite platform as well as via cable.

Playboy Entertainment Group President Anthony J. Lynn said: "Our international Playboy TV networks offer us enormous opportunities for growth. We have seen the success of Playboy TV in the United States and the profit and margin potential that accrues once the network reaches breakeven. While we look forward to continuing our relationship with Flextech and BSkyB, this acquisition will give us a valuable asset that will be of increasing importance to us going forward. With the pending acquisition of Spice, we plan to offer Playboy TV and a complementary movie service combining HVC and Spice. The economies of scale that the merger offers, combined with the ability to market attractive options to consumers, should improve our growth and profitability potential. On 1 May 1999 HVC/The Adult Channel package ceased transmission with the The Adult Channel only carrying on afterwards

In February 2005 the channel was fined by Ofcom for broadcasting "Sandy Babe Abroad" a hardcore pornographic film. Ofcom said " it includes material which should not be transmitted at any time under any circumstance on British television" ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2005/feb/11/business.broadcasting. In 2009 the station was once again fined by Ofcom for breaches of its licence, by broadcasting "sexually explicit material unencrypted". In January 2013 it was fined again for making sure potentially harmful pornographic material was protect from children. Ofcom says "there wasn't a system in place on Playboy's on-demand programmes services and they didn't have "acceptable controls in place to check that users were aged 18 or over"

Playboy TV is also available in Finland and Scandinavia through Canal Digital (in Norway also through Get). In Belgium through Telenet Digital TV, in Switzerland through Cablecom Digital TV, in Africa, and also in New Zealand through SKY Network Television.