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Playboy TV (originally The Playboy Channel) is a
pay television Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to Subscription business model, subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichan ...
channel based in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.


History

The channel first launched on December 9, 1980, as Escapade by Rainbow Programing Services (a joint-venture of four cable companies, led by
Cablevision Cablevision Systems Corporation was an American cable television company with systems serving areas surrounding New York City. It was the fifth-largest cable provider and ninth-largest television provider in the United States. Throughout its ex ...
). At launch, Escapade aired mostly R rated
B movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...
s. The channel aired five nights a week from 9 PM to 4 or 6 AM, Tuesday through Saturday. Sunday and Monday nights were reserved for Rainbow's other new channel
Bravo Bravo(s) or The Bravo(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Groups and labels *Bravo (band), a Russian rock band * Bravo (Spanish group), represented Spain at Eurovision 1984 *Bravo Music, an American concert band music publishing company ...
. The satellite time the two networks used was subleased from
National Christian Network The National Christian Network was a religious television network in the United States which formed in 1979. The channel was founded by Ray A. Kassis and located in Cocoa, Florida, where it owned studios. The programming was originated from Jewish ...
. By July 1981, the service expanded to seven nights a week. In August 1981, Playboy Enterprises became half-owner of Escapade and announced a plan to produce original programming that reflected the contents of
Playboy magazine ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
beginning in early 1982. On January 21, 1982, the Playboy Channel on Escapade debuted as a four-hour programming block. The first program was an interview with John and Bo Derek, followed by footage of January
playmate A Playmate is a female model featured in the centerfold/gatefold of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month (PMOTM). The PMOTM's pictorial includes nude photographs and a centerfold poster, along with a pictorial biography and the "Playm ...
Shannon Tweed, the
West German West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
adult movie ''
Vanessa Vanessa may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Vanessa'' (Millais painting), an 1868 painting by Pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais * ''Vanessa'', a 1933 novel by Hugh Walpole * ''Vanessa'', a 1952 instrumental song written by Bernie ...
'', and a magazine features including "Ribald Classics". Over the months that followed, Escapade would gradually increase the amount of Playboy programming. The channel officially relaunched as the Playboy Channel on November 18, 1982. The original programming and style of the Playboy Channel was developed by
Hugh Hefner Hugh Marston Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017) was an American magazine publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of ''Playboy'' magazine, a publication with revealing photographs and articles which provoked charges of obsc ...
, and producer
Michael Trikilis Michael Trikilis (July 14, 1940 – December 28, 2019) was an American film and television producer, known mostly for his involvement with Playboy TV. In 1981, Trikilis, along with Hugh Hefner, developed much of the original programming for "The ...
. 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 of R-rated films. It was broadcast for only ten hours each day, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. ET, during its first eleven years of existence. In October 1983, Rainbow Media exited the partnership by selling its share to Playboy, but would continue to distribute the channel until 1986. The channel re-launched as Playboy TV and adopted its current name on November 1, 1989. The network expanded its programming with the adoption of a 24-hour schedule in 1994. In 2008, the channel launched its HD simulcast feed under the name "Playboy TV HD". In November 2011, Playboy Enterprises sold its ownership of its media properties (including the
Spice Networks The Spice Networks are a group of television channels operated on a pay-per-view basis that broadcast adult and pornographic content. The channels are owned by MindGeek, but they were originally launched by Playboy Enterprises in March 1994. They ...
) to
Manwin MindGeek (formerly Manwin) is a Luxembourg-based, privately held company with Canada as its center of operations that primarily focuses on pornography. It is owned by Feras Antoon, Bernd Bergmair (Bernard Bergemar), David Marmorstein, and — mo ...
(later MindGeek), who would operate them, including Playboy TV, under the "Playboy Plus Entertainment" subsidiary. Although Playboy Enterprises would re-acquire their website, MindGeek still continues operate Playboy TV under license.


Programming

Playboy TV was originally developed as a video version of
Playboy Magazine ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
. Programming featured music reviews, celebrity interviews, men's fashion and segments on cars. It was a video extension of the magazine - an established lifestyle brand. Slowly the programming on the channel evolved to feature more attractive women and eventually soft core features. This then evolved to what would become more standard television programming with a focus primarily on a male demographic. In 2010, Playboy TV unveiled a new program slate, which featured series tailored to both male and female viewers.


Programs on Playboy TV have included

*'' 69 Sexy Things 2 Do B4 U Die'' *''
Around the World in 80 Babes ''Around The World In 80 Babes'' is a collection of segments currently airing on Playboy TV that feature models and ''Playboy'' cover girls showing off various exotic cities across the globe. Format Produced in 2008, the show features 18 different ...
'' *''
Brooklyn Kinda Love ''Brooklyn Kinda Love'' is an adult reality series which aired on Playboy TV. It was created by Joe and Harry Gantz, who had previously produced HBO's ''Taxicab Confessions ''Taxicab Confessions'' is a television series of hidden camera docume ...
'' *''
Canoga Park Canoga Park is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. Before the Mexican–American War, the district was part of a rancho, and after the American victory it was converted into wheat farms and t ...
'' *''
Cougar Club ''Cougar Club'' is a 2007 American comedy film directed by Christopher Duddy. The film details the attempts of two college graduates, Marshall Hogan III and Spence Holmes, to find direction in life. While working as interns for abusive divorce l ...
'' *'' Dark Justice'' *'' The Tryst List'' *'' Early Bird Yoga'' *''
E-Rotic E-Rotic are a Eurodance duo act formed in 1994 by German record producer David Brandes. The act is best known in Europe for the hits "Max Don't Have Sex With Your Ex" and "Fred Come to Bed". E-Rotic originally consisted of German born singer Ly ...
'' *'' Electric Blue'' *'' FrolicMe Passion'' *'' FrolicMe Stories'' *''Hot Babes Doing Stuff Naked'' *''
Intimate Tales Intimate may refer to: * Intimate examination, a physical examination for medical purposes that includes examination of the breasts, genitalia, or rectum of a patient * Intimate ion pair, the interactions between a cation, anion and surrounding so ...
'' *''Jazmin's Touch'' *'' Jenna's American Sex Star'' *'' King of Clubs'' *'' Money Talks'' *'' Naughty Amateur Home Videos'' *'' Night Calls'' *'' Playboy Centerfolds'' *''
Playboy Muses ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
'' *'' Playboy Shootout'' *'' Playmates!'' *''
Sam's Game ''Sam's Game'' was a celebrity poker program on Playboy TV. It featured a lineup of comedians, Playmates, and professional Texas Hold 'Em players and was hosted by '' Simpsons co-developer, Sam Simon. Format Shot at Hugh Hefner's private sk ...
'' *''
School Of Sex Playboy TV (originally The Playboy Channel) is a pay television channel based in the United States. History The channel first launched on December 9, 1980, as Escapade by Rainbow Programing Services (a joint-venture of four cable companies, ...
'' *'' Search for the Perfect Girlfriend'' *'' Secret Sessions'' *'' Seduction Principles'' *''
Seven Motives 7 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 7 or seven may also refer to: * AD 7, the seventh year of the AD era * 7 BC, the seventh year before the AD era * The month of July Music Artists * Seven (Swiss singer) (born 1978), a Swiss recording artis ...
'' *''
Sex Court Sex Court is a US adult-themed cable TV show that was produced by 'Playboy Magazine Productions that made its debut on Playboy TV in 1998. It starred Julie Strain, Alexandra Silk, an unknown man who played the Sex Court 'Bodyguard', Henry, and o ...
'' *'' Sexcetera'' *'' Suite Rendezvous'' *'' Sexcape'' *''
Show Us Your Wits ''Show Us Your Wits'' is a Playboy TV adult game show based out of the Las Vegas Palomino Strip Club and hosted by Daphnee Duplaix. Format Touted as the first " strip club game show", ''Show Us Your Wits'' uses a similar format to the television ...
'' *''
Swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing rid ...
'' *''
The Life Erotic ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
'' *'' The Tryst List'' *''
Totally Busted ''Totally Busted'' is an adult hidden camera practical joke series that ran original episodes from 2003 to 2006 on Playboy TV. Format ''Totally Busted'' bears a strong resemblance to past practical joke shows like '' Candid Camera'' and ''Punk' ...
'' *''
Triple Play In baseball, a triple play (denoted as TP in baseball statistics) is the act of making three outs during the same play. There have only been 733 triple plays in Major League Baseball (MLB) since 1876, an average of just over five per season. Th ...
'' *'' Undercover'' *'' World of Playboy'' *''
Canoga Park Canoga Park is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. Before the Mexican–American War, the district was part of a rancho, and after the American victory it was converted into wheat farms and t ...
''


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Playboy Tv American pornographic television channels American pornographic film studios Television networks in the United States Commercial-free television networks Playboy Television channels and stations established in 1982 Men's interest channels Nudity in television 18+