HBO is out of the adult entertainment business, as the network quietly removed all of the erotic-themed movies and TV shows from its channels and streaming services.
“Over the past several years HBO has been winding down its late-night adult fare,” an HBO representative told TheWrap. “While we’re greatly ramping up our other original program offerings, there hasn’t been a strong demand for this kind of adult programming, perhaps because it’s easily available elsewhere.”
For years, HBO has aired adult-themed “after-dark” programming, including “Real Sex,” “Taxicab Confessions” and “Cathouse,” a docuseries about life in a Nevada brothel. The network also aired specials with adult film star Katie Morgan, and adult-themed, “soft-core” feature films. HBO’s sister network, Cinemax, also became known for airing soft-core films even getting nicknamed “Skinemax.”
But with the advent of free porn available in just about every corner of the internet, viewers looking for that sort of thing had many other options.
HBO’s decision to remove all of their adult content comes after AT&T closed its deal to acquire the pay cable network’s parent company, Time Warner, but the decision has been in the works for more than a year.
But HBO still airs “Game of Thrones” and has “The Sopranos” in its library — both shows have featured their fare share of nudity — and has the upcoming sophomore season of David Simon’s “The Deuce,” which is about the birth of the porn industry.