Satellite X News

    Private Spice

Perhaps they will call the UK variant,: Privates Hidden Spice

From AVN

Private Media Group Inc. and Playboy TV International announced today the signing of a five-year agreement to merge their two adult pay-TV channels, Private Gold and Spice Platinum, consolidating their market leadership in Europe. The new channel will be called Private Spice.

Under the terms of the agreement, Playboy TV International will operate, distribute and market the new channel and Private will provide content, brand and marketing support. Currently, there is little overlap between the two channels and subsequently the new channel will significantly increase the distribution in the region.

The new channel will make available for the first time unique and proprietary quality content, offering flexible language tailoring and market localization. Platforms will now be able to offer their viewers a unique channel developed and serviced by the world's leading adult television brands, while ensuring professional reliability and continuity.

Mark L. Rudolph, executive vice president and managing director for Playboy TV International, said: With this strategic initiative we will provide our customers and viewers the combined strength of Private and Spice in a single channel. The deal reflects Playboy TV International's successful development of its distribution and channel management in Europe and places the new channel in a market position second to none.

Berth Milton, CEO of Private Media Group, remarked, Our collaboration with Playboy TV International enables us to increase our broadcasting presence in Europe and we are delighted with this opportunity which will certainly have a significant positive impact on our business. This agreement clearly demonstrates that demand for high quality content is key and confirms Private's unique position in the adult broadcast market.

    Why is PlayboyOne Edited?

From Richard of Playboy TV on the bgafd forum

Yesterday we launched PlayboyOne on SKY channel 287. It is in the entertainment section of the EPG and is free to air. There is no charge for watching and we will be funding the channel through advertising.

During the early evening we are running PlayboyStore and CyberGirls, and then at 11pm we start running some of the most popular PlayboyTV shows in an edited format.

The shows are edited to ensure they are OFCOM compliant - but the shows are free for anyone to watch.

From the Melon Farmers on the bgafd forum

So what exactly needs editing before showing free to air. Ofcom requires that all videos shown encrypted are rated 18. 18 rated videos can be shown free to air. So everything on Adult Channel encrypted can be shown free to air after 9pm or perhaps more sensitively, 10pm.

It seems a good move to me though as I may at least actually channel hop through the new channel whereas I would never waste my money on subscribing to softcore content.

So good luck with the idea. It may become a niche. UK is softcore is not worth paying for but may be good value if free.

If it becomes popular it could wind up the nutters as by refusing to allow hardcore that gets locked away behind encryption they get free to air softcore that is then viewable by all and sundry...a nightmare for the nutters.

    More on Playboy

From Ofwatch From Digital Spy

Playboy TV has launched a new free-to-air offering on digital satellite this morning. Playboy One can be found in the entertainment section on Sky EPG number 287.

The channel, known as Playboy One, will broadcast a promo for much of the morning and afternoon. Playboy Store will begin at 7:30pm featuring a range of games and gadgets followed by adult related entertainment content from 11pm until 5:30am.

With shows like Sexcetra, Double Entry and Tour girls lined up, it seems Playboy have decided that there is a market for free to air porn wrapped up in documentary packaging. The documentary packaging will undoubtedly circumvent regulatory restrictions over "sex works" whilst the adult content and free to air format will assure a vastly greater audience than the subscription only services do. Whether this will mean children are more protected from sex on television or not we will leave to your imagination, but it should at least cause Ofcom pause for thought over the current nonsensical censorial policy.

    Playboy Daytime

From What Satellite

Playboy TV is to start a new entertainment channel broadcasting during daytime hours. Playboy One will be on air from mid-day each day, with a preview showing during the morning. Much of the content appears to consist of urban pop videos from Trace TV, though this may change on launch. The channel has been testing at 11.390GHz/V under the identity 53597

    Ofcom Repression or Equivalent

The 18 rated 9 Songs includes several explicit hardcore scenes showing real sex These include a woman performing fellatio and masturbating an erect penis, ejaculation and close up of vagina being penetrated by penis and finger.

9 Songs is being shown all day on Sky Box Office. And just to add that the BBFC did in fact pass a DVD extra for 9 Songs at R18 featuring longer sex scenes out of context.

From blackjaques on The Melon Farmers' Forum

Well, I watched 9 Songs the night before last and was very surprised just how explicit it was, particularly the fellatio scene. Having watched so much " Y-Front Fellatio" and "pot-plant penetration" on the Adult channels it came as quite a shock! Just reinforces Ofcon`s absurdity. You can watch this film over your corn flakes at 7 o`clock in the morning but if anything similar is shown on an adult subscription channel late at night, some clown from Mediawatch gets to hear about it, complains to Ofcon and the channel is fined £ 20,000. What a sexually repressive, immature country we live in.

From IanG on The Melon Farmers' Forum

That`s the total hypocrisy and lunacy coming out of Ofcon for ya.

From `The Code`:

1.23 Pay per view services may broadcast up to BBFC 18-rated films or their equivalent, at any time of day provided:

there is a protection system pre 2100 and post 0530 (a mandatory PIN or other equivalent protection), that seeks satisfactorily to restrict access solely to those authorised to view when material other than BBFC U-rated or PG-rated or their equivalents is shown;

So, the supposedly ineffective PIN protection and NO watershed is going to stop kids seeing fellatio, ejaculation, masturbation and vaginal penetration simply because this is an 18 rated film? No! It`s going to stop kids seeing this material because it is presented with some `artistic merit`? No!

'The Code' continues:

1.24 Premium subscription services and pay per view/night services may broadcast 'adult–sex' material between 2200 and 0530 provided that in addition to other protections mentioned above:

there is a mandatory PIN protected encryption system, or other equivalent protection, that seeks satisfactorily to restrict access solely to those authorised to view; and

there are measures in place that ensure that the subscriber is an adult.

1.25 BBFC R18-rated films or their equivalent must not be broadcast.

If the sex scenes in 9 Songs are taken out of the context of that film they would not pass at anything less than R18, therefore Sky Box Office is showing "R18 or equivalent material", which of course is not allowed at any time. As has been stated many times, children simply do not have the ability to appreciate the context in which such scenes are presented and justified outside R18, thus to any child (or adult for that matter) this is R18 equivalent hardcore material.

If such hardcore scenes can `deprave and corrupt` our youth then this film, along with several others, has everything Ofcon are so reluctant to allow on PIN protected, post-watershed, late night, adult-only channels. Obviously Ofcon were a) wrong in their decision or, b) just wanted to maintain rights abuse of adult TV viewers (aka the status quo) or, c) wanted to cripple adult TV services in the UK. Either way their decision can now be seen as the total and utter foundless nonsense we all know it to be. I might add that as far as I was aware the Ofcon Code does not allow PPV services to broadcast 18 rated adult `sex works` between 5:30am and 10pm so if Sky are broadcasting this film 24/7 they most definitely are in serious breach of the Code and should be fined very heavily because according to Ofcon PIN protection is insufficient to safeguard kids from `R18 or equivalent` scenes.

However, this should convince UK adult services to force a Judicial Review of the Ofcon Code because the law it is based upon says nothing different from that applied to R18 videos and as such the decision by the High Court in 2000 stands - there are NO GROUNDS to suppress hardcore material, because the dangers to children do not warrant such disproportionate rights abuse by a public body. The fact people in the UK can and do receive hardcore TV from Europe is proof that the R18 ban is not fulfilling Ofcon`s requirement to provide an environment for new services to meet customer expectations and tastes. As no action has been taken to suppress any of the Euro providers (save one failed attempt), the dangers to children from this material obviously DO NOT EXIST. The ban is therefore without any precedent in UK or European law and in fact the ban was outlawed by the ECHR in 1990 when they stated that "a licensing system cannot be used to suppress any legally available material". No ifs, no buts, it is illegal to ban R18 from our screens, full stop. All Ofcon can do is to stipulate that R18 can only be broadcast at a time when it is `unlikely children will be viewing`. Ofcon have ignored the requirement in UK law to consult the Case Law of the ECHR, they have ignored the wording of the TVWF Directive and, they have chosen to interpret the Comms Act 2003 in a way that is not compatible with the HRA. They have not provided any evidence contrary to that the BBFC presented when they lost the R18 appeal and thus they have no right whatsoever to ignore the High Court ruling of 2000. Ofcon are committing an act of unmitigated human rights abuse. There are no time restrictions or PIN codes applied to viewing R18 videos in the home and yet such `lax` security measures are not sufficent to warrant an outright ban on the sale of R18 for home consumption. There can be no justification for applying a ban on receiving the same material via TV, which does offer time restrictions and PIN protection. In either case, the law recognises the vigilance and the rights of the carer outweigh the unfounded concerns of the censor or regulator.

    Dishing Out New Planning Regulations

From Silicon

New planning regulations will allow householders to use a wider range of antennas and satellite dishes to access digital and broadband services.

The changes will help to meet the government's aim of expanding access to digital television and broadband internet - and will help householders to install digital TV and broadband technologies.

The revised regulations will continue to protect the environment from inappropriate development, particularly in designated areas where there are greater restrictions on the position of antennas.

Current planning regulations are inadequate because there are different and inconsistent regulations for each type of technology.

The amended permitted development regulations will take account of the wide variety of antenna technology now available, and will subject all types of microwave antenna - whether they are satellite dishes, mesh antennas and wireless antennas - to the same permitted development regulations.

Housing and planning minister Yvette Cooper said in a statement: "The planning system needs to adapt to take account of changing technology. People want to get access to wireless broadband services and digital and satellite TV. These changes remove some of the red tape around new technology by updating the planning rules, whilst keeping protections for the local environment."

There will still be restrictions on the number, size and location of antennas - under the revised planning regulations, houses under 15 metres in height will be allowed two antennas.

    Private Go Soft

Oh goody we will soon be able to see the bobbing foreheads of beautiful girls and high production value plant pots blocking the view.

From AVN

Private Media Group announced today the signing of a binding letter of intent with RHF Productions Ltd. that calls for the distribution of a new Private adult television channel in the United Kingdom.

The channel will be launched in January 2006 and replace the Private Blue channel which was established in the UK in 2000. The new channel will primarily be available as a pay-per-view channel via the BSkyB Digital Satellite platform. The BskyB platform currently carries more than 7.4 million subscribers.

Private CEO Berth Milton said, Our Private Blue channel, a reference in adult entertainment in the UK since its launch in 2000, now enters a new phase offering viewers – new and old- the latest trends as well as our renowned theme blockbusters. The Private Blue channel will benefit from RHF Productions' extensive editing and packaging skills together with the marketing opportunities available to the company.

Peter Farrell, editorial director of RHF Productions, added, This is the coming together of two industry experts that share the vision of quality and service; and we look forward to working together with the Private team, confident that customers throughout the UK will be delighted with the results. [Think again! How about treating your long suffering customers with a little more respect. We want to see hardcore fucking not fucking plant pots]

    Hustler TV Hustling in Europe

From Digital Spy

Hustler TV has signed a distribution agreement to launch into Europe.

Adult channel distributor Total Media will be responsible for securing carriage deals with various cable and satellite across the continent. The UK is expected to be a key target market.

Michael H. Klein, President of Hustler TV, said: Hustler TV is already one of the top adult television networks in North America and we believe that Total Media will bring us even greater success in Europe.

    Mandatory Incompetence at Sky

As observed by Shaun

Sky have just introduced new parental controls for their Sky+ box. This might be considered a "good thing", in some ways. BUT:

On Sky+, if you want to play back any 15, or 18 rated recording before the watershed, you now HAVE to enter your PIN number. There is NO option to prevent that, in the settings. It is IMPOSED on you, EVEN if there are no children in the house. One person at Sky arrogantly said it is here to stay, and there is nothing you can do about it.!

HOWEVER in their wisdom, they have in fact made parental control HARDER than it was before.

How on earth do I ALLOW my 15 year old son, to watch 15 rated movies, in the day, which he is old enough to do, in our absence, WITHOUT having to give him my one and only PIN number which would ALSO allow him to watch 18 rated movies, including adult programmes if I had subscribed to any of them, and recorded them ?

Currently I don't have this flexibility. I have to give him ALL or NOTHING.

In the past, I could simply apply restriction to 18 rated content in the parental control menu, and this would prevent playback and viewing of 18 rated content at any time, but allow 15 rated content.

Clearly the idiots at Sky and elsewhere, have not thought this one through. It makes me wonder if they are really fit to be in charge of a service such as this ?

    Faze Phased

From Digital Spy

New gay channel Faze TV has decided not to launch after being unable to agree carriage terms with Sky. The channel have issued the following statement: Despite an exhausting last 8 months working to secure funding and an agreement with Sky for the channel, we have been forced this week to admit defeat. We heard last Wednesday that Sky would not offer a licence fee for the channel which would have enabled us to launch. We needed at least some payment from Sky, as advertising revenue alone will not generate enough income to pay for a programming budget of sufficient quality and we could not secure funding for a subscription channel.

We really wanted to deliver the quality channel which you deserve reflecting the lives and interests of gay men today in the UK. Anything less would be a mistake, and this is why with considerable sadness we have decided not to go ahead."

In August, the channel asked potential viewers to lobby Sky in favour of a bid to join the provider's basic package.

    Secret Guidelines from the Tellyban at Ofcon?

I was impressed at the apt, Tellyban, description of Ofcon.  There are very few good things that you can say Ofcon on the subject of adult TV. Today's theme must surely be hypocrisy. All the good words they promised about being accountable and then on the first day of their new code they must surely have issued secret guidelines allowing adult broadcasters to go beyond the boundaries written in their code.

The recently published guidelines clearly say: 1.25 BBFC R18-rated films or their equivalent must not be broadcast. Yet all of the snippets below would qualify for an R18 from the BBFC.

What is going on Ofcon? Are your guidelines a sham? Or are you the worst regulator since censors began?

From Grawth on The Melon Farmers' Forum

Decided to try and catch as many of them as possible last night. Watched various channels from 10ish to just after midnight. Caught in illicit activity were the following:

• PBTV - Sandy: Agent Provocateur, and Sophie`s Wet Dreams (both cunnilingus and digital penetration)
• TAC - The Real and Hot Chef (cunnilingus and digital penetration)
• Spice Extreme - Lolly Badcock and White Knights & Pink Maidens (cunnilingus and digital penetration)
• TVX - sure I got something on them but can`t remember what - will have to check the video
• Climax - Channel 3 just before midnight - outdoor sex and cunnilingus
• Xplicit - Tight and White (around midnight ish) prolonged and vigorous close up masturbation, cunnilingus, semen on genitals
• SportXXX Babes - brief anal penetration, cunnilingus

Seems like I have some complaints to write!

By the way, did a bit of checking on the BBFC website to see what they have made people cut to get an 18 certificate, and that`s why the outdoor sex bit is in there, along with the semen on genitals

    Free-XTV Light Goes Hard

From Dreamlife on The Melon Farmers' Forum

The channel Free-XTV Light on Hotbird have been showing un-encrypted softcore movies for the best part of 2 months. Then earlier this week out of the blue, it has become a hardcore channel, but not all of the hardcore content has been encrypted. The channels on screen logo remains unchanged, Free-XTV Light. Definitely a change to this channel. As from yesterday the Inxworld or Redlight card is needed to view

    More.Sex.tv

From Dreamlife on the  The Melon Farmers' Forum

Just seen an advert confirming 2 new channels in the MCT porn package on Hotbird soon. The channels are, SuperSex.tv and SexAsian.tv. Both channels will launch in a few months and will be free addons.

• SuperSex.tv - Will show the most popular hetrosexual movies.
• SexAsian.tv - Will show asian movies only.

So 10 channels will become 12.

Source: SexBest.tv

    Surely Not 18 Rated

When all the logical consistent explanations are discounted then perhaps conspiracy theories are the only ones left. It is such ludicrous bollox for Ofcon to suggest that PINs are OK to protect an 8 year olds from watching a traumatising vampire film yet not adequate to protect from a sex film that maybe I may start to believe the conspiracy.

Mark explains the conspiracy on the letters page

It also may be worth pointing out the customers should take care that the last few weeks of the old Ofcom code aren't being used as a last effort to get subscribers before the new code is introduced in July. The new code dictates softer than soft softcore

From Cappy on the  The Melon Farmers' Forum

There has been quite a consistency in what is offer at all the adult channels Last night for instance on Spice Extreme the content was at just below R18 ie shots of cunnilingus , Labias being pulled apart finger being inserted erect penises alas no fellatio or penetration , still good though

I can safely say that the content is better and getting better

My feelings are that the decision to R18 has been taken but in order to keep a lid on the media hype Adult Channel providers and Ofcom I believe are working hand in hand so as to not create a great big ho-ha in the media .

    Less XXX on Indian Satellite

From The Hindu

Continuing its campaign against pornography on television, the government today said it has banned transmission of four channels. The channels that were found to be violating provisions on content are - BlueKiss, BlueKiss Express, BlueKiss Promo and TBL-XXX.

... some cable operators and DTH network were reportedly transmitting satellite channels which are telecasting programmes that are against good taste and decency and likely to adversely affect public morality. The central government has prohibited their transmission, a press release said.

An order prohibiting transmission and retransmission of the television channels has been forwarded to India Broadcasting Foundation and all cable operators and MSOs, the release added.

This order has been sent to all Chief Secretaries, Director General of Police of all states and Union Territories and also district magistrates of all districts who are authorised officers to implement this decision under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995.

    No Legal Reasons to Delay Hardcore on Satellite

It is good to know that a contributor from the law industry reckons that Ofcom have no legal justification for maintaining a ban on hardcore.

Based on an article f rom Legal Week by Jason Chess, a partner at media and technology specialists Wiggin & Co.

The speed of technological change coupled with an uncertain regulatory regime have created opportunities and obstacles for providers of electronic content. The changes currently playing themselves out in the electronic content retail industry — companies that offer consumers films, TV, radio and web content — are truly seismic.

Not only is the entire business landscape transfiguring itself into something completely new as the result of technological change but, at the same time, a radical revision of the main regulatory code of the regulator is underway.

The availability of broadband opens the way for a viable content retail business in addition to the existing feeds from satellite, cable and a resurgent digital terrestrial offering.

The technical possibilities are one thing. Getting consumers to kit themselves out, log on and hand over credit card details to enjoy high speed connectivity is, of course, another. That is where content matters. As the pioneers of cable TV discovered, it is no good spending billions on installing advanced distribution technology between you and the viewers if you have nothing that they really want to watch. Although there are ABC1 households for whom The Blue Planet is a good enough reason, no-one is under any illusion that the really big money-spinners are pornography, gambling and sport.

In the area of pornography, the crucial business determinant of statutory regulation is currently unclear. My clients know what their customers want — and know they can provide it at a profitable rate — but the business security of an objective regulatory regime is not there yet. This represents risk — and they are already feeling the pain. The frustrating thing is that OFCOM is actually very understanding of the issues; it is just that they are taking a frightfully long time to get the new Broadcast Code agreed and issued. In the meantime, the industry labours under the rules of the old 'legacy' regulator, the ITC.

Taking 'adult content', there is a highly lucrative television market for this, currently supplied by a number of channels distributed via satellite, cable and DTT. These channels currently operate under the old ITC Programme Code, which provides that only 'soft' adult content may be broadcast, broadly equivalent to '18'-rated film content. There is guidance as to which acts and parts of the human anatomy may or may not be shown, how closely and in what circumstances.

So the OFCOM-licensed television broadcaster is placed at a massive disadvantage by this regulatory stance because 'R18' content (i.e. 'hard' adult content) may be hired from licensed sex shops and of course, is on tap on the internet. The viewer, therefore, has a choice of 'hard' adult content at about £2-£3 per night from the local adult shop or the web, or else a bit of (comparatively) demure slap-and-tickle from the pay-per-view menu of a television platform provider for £7 or so. It will come as no surprise that broadcasters are missing out on a major revenue stream due to a regulatory inconsistency and view this as unfair.

Consider the incongruity. The BBFC is quite happy, apparently, to trust adults to hire R18 VHS tapes or DVDs and to take responsibility for keeping their contents away from the eyes of children. This is despite the fact that these are unencrypted and can be inserted into playback machines at any time of the day or night. On the other hand, broadcasters, who only accept orders from adults possessing those credit cards only issued to the over-18s, who confine their broadcasts to the hours after 22.00, and who encrypt their services only to be unlocked by inserting a special PIN number, are limited to only showing the tamer class of content.

Neither does this irregular regulatory playing field have any convincing legal basis. The relevant European law is that nothing should be broadcast that adversely affects the moral development of minors. The protection of minors having been accomplished (by the sort of steps described above) there is (other than the obscenity laws) no restriction upon what consenting and informed adults elect to watch, as anyone who may have stumbled upon some of the late night European services will know.

OFCOM asked for input on this issue and received a variety of responses. There was opposition to the broadcast of R18 material in principle from some contributors, but the average viewer seems less concerned with clearly identified, labelled and segregated adult content confined to its own place on the navigation tools than with some of the 'challenging' material broadcast on some mainstream terrestrial channels. OFCOM understands this and, could it but get the new regulations issued, it is expected that this would be reflected.

OFCOM for its part struck the right note in the preamble to its draft code, "broadcasting and freedom of expression are intrinsically linked", it said. From this comes their 'light touch' guiding regulatory principle. This is all eminently good sense but the media industry needs OFCOM to stick to it and to get the regulations into effect promptly.

    Satisfaction in bed with Sex.TV

Thanks to Paul

sex.tv have indeed sold their channels to Satisfaction Channel TV.

Here is a part of a letter from the new owners.

We would like to inform You that starting from the next 1st of May 2005, our Company will own the following channels: Sex.tv, Sexgay.tv and Sexplus.tv taking over the former estate "Sunset Trading and Licensing B.V."

Starting from the date above mentioned, the services and the card You bought is under responsibility of our Company as well as the schedules of each channels, the number of movies broadcast and the quality of the same movies.

If You have any problems or require further information, please contact the following phone number +39.081.19560159

    Satisfaction with Sex.TV

I am a great fan of the idea of multiple channels for watching porn. If you subscribe to a single channel and there happens to be an unappealing scene on when you want to watch then it can be very boring. Much better to have a few channels to hop through. I am wondering if this may also be a massive competitive advantage to channels on Sky that may have to be PIN protected per channel making channel hopping impossibly slow

From Caledonianguy on The Melon Farmers' Forum

Is their some 'consolidation' in the HC Mainland European channel market at the moment?

I notice that both Satisfaction Channel TV & Sex.tv are advertising 10 channel packages, featuring some (all?) of the same channels – also, the email address given for Sex.tv is now info@sct. – have SCT taken over Sex.tv?

Also, according to lyngsat, the web address for Don't Panic TV is www.dontpanic.tv - if you follow this link, you end up at the Spice Platinum site???

Anyone know what's going on?

    Secret Proscription

I tried to search for the proscription order on the Parliament website and can find nothing. It is a poor state of UK democracy when orders are passed that can incur severe punishment yet they are not published where the British people can find them

From Ofwatch

After further investigation with the DCMS it has now been confirmed that the service known as Extasi is officially proscribed:

Thank you for your email of 29 April. The Proscription Order for the
satellite channel known as Extasi TV was laid in both houses of parliament
on 7 February and it came into force on 21 February.

Natasha McGill (on behalf of the DCMS)

It would seem that Ofcom are a little out of touch. Perhaps they want to distance themselves from the activities of the DCMS and do not want to be seen as working too closely with them.

    Culturally Challenged

One is a bit stuck when a country with repressive cultural values demands that censorship comply with said cultural values. Hopefully the Turks can tune in to the more civilised Greek broadcasts.

Turkey's broadcasting watchdog banned four adult television channels Friday, saying their erotic programming flouted Turkish cultural values. The channels, Adult Channel, Exotica TV, Playboy TV and Rouge TV, are available at night via Turkey's only satellite broadcaster, Digiturk.

In a statement, the Radio and Television High Council, cited a license requirement that programming be in the public service and ... in line with the national, moral, humane, spiritual and cultural values of the Turkish people.

    Due in June

Full rundown of latest information about hardcore on UK satellite on Ofwatch R18 ping pong between the Ofcom boards

The Ofcom content board and the Ofcom executive board have recently held detailed discussions over R18 broadcasting, Adult services and the Premium subscription watershed. No final decision has yet been made but a provisional decision must have been made by now. The draft code is scheduled for further discussion between the boards before it is finalised and published.

The notes and agenda from these board meetings don't usually reveal much however it is interesting to see the tense that has been used when referring to R18 content: "Under the current Broadcasting Code the transmission of such material on television was prohibited." Shouldn't that have been "is" prohibited? Code publication update

Our latest information concerning the date of the publication for the new broadcast code is that Ofcom plans to publish it in "June". This was the view of Graham Howell (secretary to corporation) in a recent response to a Freedom of Information Act request. Unfortunately Ofcom do not consider that it is in the public interest to release the discussion papers that were the subject of debate at the recent board meetings. These papers will be published later, presumably when the code is published.

    Extasi Not Proscribed?

Paul Taverner mentioned in his interview with Tim Suter and Matt Peacock of  Ofcom

When discussing proscription orders Tim said Of course Xtasi hasn't been proscribed, we have put the paperwork into the secretary of state, but it hasn't yet been proscribed . I was surprised to say the least. More surprising still this was later confirmed by Matt – we have passed this to DCMS, I understand that they have begun the process from their side but that this is not complete. .

I tried searching through the Hansard website and could find no mention of recent proscription orders.

A phone call to the DCMS suggested that Extasi had been proscribed but in fact this was subject to confirmation...and the confirmation hasn't been received yet.

    Sky Fazed

No suggestions yet that there will be any porn though

From What Satellite

A new TV channel aimed at gay men will launch on Sky Digital this September. Called Faze TV, it will have a £5 million programming budget and its schedule will include fashion, news, music, sport, drama serials and films. Gay channels have launched successfully in the US and France in the past 12 months, said boss David Bouchiertold. The proposition is perfect for extending the appeal of multichannel television to an important niche audience.

    Sex Sells On UK Satellite

Based on an article from Media Week

For most UK adult TV channels, subscriptions account for more than 90% of total revenue, but media owners want to change the mindset of advertisers. Richard Desmond's Northern & Shell may have sold its magazines but it is still very much in the sex TV market with Television X – The Fantasy Channel, Red Hot and Gay TV.

The company's managing director of TV operations, Paul Dunthorne, claims Television X has 350,000 subscribers for its three channels, but admits his team has not really bothered chasing high-profile advertising in the past. The rewards have not been great enough to make it worthwhile spending time trying to persuade agencies and clients which have made up their mind about this sector. But consumer attitudes to adult channels are changing, somaybe advertisers will respond

The Financial Times estimates that adult broadcasting in the UK is worth more than £200m, with satellite broadcasters now hosting more than 20 adult channels. Amanda Kiss, founder of the misleadingly named Xplicit XXX, says advertisers can appear on the channel for as little as £25 per 10-second spot. Like most adult broadcasters, she is reluctant to talk numbers when asked for viewing and subscription figures, but she says Xplicit's audience is split 70% men and 30% women and couples aged between 25 and 40.

Playboy TV claims it has around 100,000 people subscribing to its package of channels, including Spice and The Adult Channel. Playboy TV itself has managed to attract advertisers such as Bacardi because of the global strength of the Playboy brand. Cost per 10-second spot is around £100 while, for The Adult Channel, it is £60 between 11pm and 1.30am, falling to £27 at 3am.

Gerry Zierler, managing director of media sales house Zierler Media, which sells time on Playboy TV's channels, says the media owner is investing in a marketing campaign to promote its product to the UK advertising industry. We're trying to make this whole market respectable. These channels are licensed by Ofcom and this is a well-policed area.

Adult media owners are hoping the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, due to be published around May, will allow more hardcore (R18) sex action to be shown to boost subscriber numbers. The result of this, however, could be that mainstream advertisers distance themselves further.

    Aussies Don't Give a XXXX for Freedom

From AVN

The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) has shut down porn services that were being beamed into Australia via satellite from Luxembourg and Vanuatu, Daily Variety reported today.

According to the report, the FreeXTV and Backroom feeds provided by Luxembourg-based Canal Europe Audiovisual and Sexz.TV from Vanautu-registered Magnetic Enterprises breached the license for narrowcasting TV services by broadcasting X-rated material.

The Broadcasting Act enables the ABA to enforce its licensing provisions against foreign persons who broadcast from outside the country, the report said.

    Argentinean Porn

Thanks to Nick

Argentinean porn channel Venus is to replace Sexy Hot, part of the TV Cabo Portuguese pay-TV package on April 1st. The package which broadcasts from Hispasat 1C/1D at 30.0°W is widely available unofficially across Europe.

    Harder Snippets Repeated on Playboy

From The Melon Farmers' Forum

jerky :
Has anyone else noticed the change in some of the output by Playboy. The Mating Game last night for example obvious felatio and penetration maybe the adult service providers are as fed up as us at the lack of proper guidance from ofcom we shall have to see

malcolm:
The Playboy material shown is a repeat of the first series and as far as I can tell has not been re-edited...They have at long last started repeating the stronger Sandy Provocateur series. I wonder why they have waited so long.....fear of losing another £25000 might be a reason!

Cappy:
Hey I watched some last night and I found some very very good stuff:

• TAC was iffy
• TVX was angular shots covering the insertion etc
• PBTV Mating game offered some H/C which was quite pleasent
• Private Girls drifted into H/C now and again

The material seems to have improved, only slightly mind I will watch the sandy sunday to see if it is of the same strength as when it was first transmitted

    Extasi is Dead, Long Live Ultra Plus

In response to the UK Government's proscription of Extasi, the channel has been shut down by SCT. It has been replaced by a channel called Ultra Plus. More details on the content of the new channel when they become available. The new channel is packaged together with SCT and Luxuria for a single subscription and viewing card.

    OfSchedule, Hardcore Springs into Summer

From Ofwatch

Another tick of the Ofcom 4 season clock?

The notes of the Ofcom board's 50th meeting suggest that as we previously guessed the publication date for the new programme code has slipped from 'Spring' into 'Summer'.

The Broadcasting Code consultation raised a number of issues which will be considered in detail by the Policy Executive, Content Board and Main Board respectively, in accordance with the previously agreed work plan. The Board commented on a batch of papers covering particular sections of the Code. The full Code will be brought to the Board for approval in due course and is due to be published in early summer .

    Hardcore Channels on the Sky Digital Satellite

Two 24 hour hardcore satellite channels are now transmitting from EuroBird at 28.5 degrees. This is the same satellite as used by Sky Digital so Sky viewers can receive it without a change to their dish. Unfortunately it uses a different encryption system so needs a new European receiver that has a slot for a Cam (PC card reader). One would then need to purchase a Transglobal Cam (Usually about £70 and a viewing card as priced below). I think most receivers can be daisy chained together but I am not sure on the details of doing that. Perhaps a reader can help out with the details of a dual receiver setup.

Both channels are available Eurobird 12.511 GHz vertical and are encrypted in DreamCrypt (Which may be decoded by a Transglobal Cam. The annual subscription cost is 89 Euro and that will decode both channels.

In addition there is a softcore live sex channel, eUrotic TV, on the same transponder. It will be interesting to see if it is any more adventurous than UK channels as it does not have to comply with the heavy handed regulation from Ofcom

    Extreme Xtasi for the DCMS

It is currently being reported on various satellite websites eg www.satcodx1.com that the recently proscribed Extasi has now changed name to Xtasi. It is a little early to say but the name change technique has been used in the past to effectively unban the channel and make the Government restart the proscription process again.

    More PIN Protection for More Adult Content?

There is speculation that the increased PIN facilities and the optional removal of adult channels from the EPG may be supporting changes required by Ofcom to allow hardcore programming.

From Digital Spy

New Sky digibox software is to be released later this month according to information posted by a member of the Digital Spy forums.

The download will be rolled out to digiboxes from March 14th onwards and is thought to include the following features:

• Blocking of specific channels at all times or only after 8pm (e.g. due to adult content) by using a PIN.
• An option to highlight channels which offer audio description or subtitles.
• Subtitles able to be turned on or off from the Search And Scan Banner.
• Now and Next listings for the radio stations.
• The ability to set the interactive symbol (red dot) to automatically disappear after 30 seconds. However when viewers change channels it will reappear but only for another 30 seconds.

Another download is also scheduled for a later date but no timescale has been given. This will include slight modifications to the EPG background, a facility to remove the adult channels from the pay-per-view listings via a menu and changes to the radio area of the EPG.

    Live No More

It seems that an en-masse all the UK softcore channels are cancelling their live shows. This seems to be at short notice as some channels are still using live shows in their promotions. The live shows were notable for 'accidently' showing more detailed shots than are usually allowed through on the pre-editted films.

The best guess must surely be some tightening of tolerances to near zero by the rights abusers at Ofcom. As usual no transparency is afforded to the long suffering viewers and they will again be ripped off by the system that fails to provide what is promised.

The Melon Farmers recommend that no viewers should subscribe to any UK adult channel at the moment. This situation is unlikely to change until at least the summer when new content guidelines will be published

From band3  on the Melon Farmers Discussions 27-Feb-2005

Regarding cancellation of Live Shows... I see TelevisionX are cancelling theirs as well next week... Odd? I saw one episode (friend lent me a tape) it it really seemed big budget and quite professional (although not very erotic). Live studio audience, guests, interviews, competitions, film clips, adult toy demonstrations/reviews etc.
 
Some other TelevisionX programming I have been shown is VERY soft. The worst I have seen so far. I keep hearing that RedHot is televisionX "cast offs"... not from what I've seen now. More like the "harder" content is put on RedHot because they need to keep getting customers to come back with PPV whereas the poor bastards on TVX are tied in for 12mths so have to put up with the softest shite available.

From malcom   26-Feb-2005

Actually both The Adult Channel's SXTV and Spice extreme were better than Wednesday's very poor shows. If you watched enough of the show last night you will have learned that both live shows are now dead shows. Last nights effort was the last for a while.
 
Let's face it the shows may not be "erotic" or H/C as we want it to be. But they are or were the only games in town when it came to showing female anatomy. Nothing else I have seen between all three channels comes even close to being as daring.
 
How long the shows will remain off air seems unclear. The following statements were made during the shows……..
 
Angel: I need a break. some film shoots to do. we will be back with a new look in a month or two.
   
Lolly: It will be a few weeks . I don't know how long for but we will be back better than ever.
 
What goes on behind the scenes? Maybe it's a deal with Ofcom to avoid more £25000 fines. perhaps they have been told by Ofcom to take it of the air until the new code is finalized or else pay up for going beyond what the Ofcom bully boys and girls will allow.
 
What ever the situation is some poor buggers have probably signed up for a 12 months contract on the basis of being able to see live shows and now there is none for an undefined amount of time.....Nice one PB group. Nice one...Looking after the subscribers in the usual way by implying a channel is harder than it really and enticing new subscribers to a show that will not be there after they have committed to the 12 months terms and conditions.

    Cooling Off

Thanks to all on the Melon Farmers Discussions

Ofcom and the ITC before them have continually tolerated the dishonest advertising of the UK softcore satellite channels. Considering that Ofcom are supposed to represent the consumer as well as the broadcaster they are doing a piss poor job. Channels are allowed to name themselves XXX when they are nothing of the sort. Printed adverts and on screen previews are both allowed to suggest that hardcore material is hidden behind encryption when it is not.

It has been suggested on the forum that this could easily be rectified by a cooling off period. All subscribers should be allowed to change their minds once they see what material is actually on offer. A cooling off time of say a week or even a night may be sufficient to curb the dishonest advertising. No doubt it would be acceptable to specify a small charge to avoid any misuse of the cooling off period.

Other sectors such as insurance have implemented this protection due to the high pressure selling techniques. Surely where dishonest selling techniques have become common the consumer could be afforded the same protection.

    More Choice

Thanks to Kit on the Melon Farmers Discussions

I've spotted that the InXWorld package (X-Dream TV & the two Free-XTV channels) have started to advertise 'Your Choice'. They are currently running an advert on the channel to encourage viewers to send videos to them (the usual 'Your Choice' advert but with 'InXWorld' in the address). I'm guessing that there must be a good chance that they will show a lot more UK-based stuff if they have tied up a deal with 'Your Choice'. This package has also recently started to show 'Relish' titles. It is certainly a welcome change from the US Anabolic-type programmes that it usually shows.

    Hard Definitions

Thanks to Rainman on the Melon Farmers Discussions

The current published Ofcom guidelines only define the prohibition on hardcore material in terms of '18' material is acceptable, 'R18' material is not. It is therefore useful to receive specific BBFC definitions of what is 18 and what is R18.

Given that Ofcom recently fined Playboy TV such a disproportionate for breaching the guidelines then it is interesting to wonder why other transgressions are not punished for tellycore. Presumably there is an unpublished document that allows material slightly beyond the 18 guidelines provided below.

Further clarification has been received from Peter Johnson, Senior BBFC Examiner: The situation remains as follows: extreme close ups of genitalia; shots offering a view up a distended vagina or anus; clearly unassimilated shots of oral-genital or oral-anal contact (especially shots showing clear sight of contact of lips or tongue with anus, labia, clitoris, penis or scrotum); and clear sight of real, sustained masturbation are restricted to the 'R18' category and must be cut to obtain an '18'.

    Proscribed Content

The shameful Broadcasting Minister Andrew McIntosh at the Department of Censorship, Media and Shite banned/ proscribed   Extasi without any attempt to justify the harm that would otherwise be caused. He didn't even make any attempt to explain what material is considered for banning. Perhaps the following discussion on the Melon Farmers Discussions may shed some light

Caledoniaguy:

Perhaps this will help you decide how trustworthy Ofcom are:- Extasi is operated by the same company responsible for SCT, which, AFAIK, is the longest running of any of the current mainland European hardcore channels; this, to me at least, suggests that they are a reputable company. How likely is it that they would jeopardise their business by broadcasting illegal material? Also, given that Extasi has been broadcasting for a while now, why hasn't the licensing Government, or any other EU member state, or EU authority taken any action against them if the channel is so bad/dangerous/illegal/in contravention of the TWF etc. As I said, how many people can actually receive Extasi? How many people have even heard of the channel?

Malcolm:

Just read on the bgafd forum from a poster: The violence on the channel is face slapping / choking / s&m / scat - all perfectly legal in the licensed country. I've watched lots of it and never seen anything morally corrupting.

Well not sure what he means by that. .If it is strangulation type scenes then that would in my eyes be unacceptable and I would agree with it's proscription on those grounds only.

As for scat it beats me why anyone would want to watch it but each to his own. Ofcom could argue a case for !harm" regarding scat. After all it is hardly the most healthy thing to do shitting over each other. Any encouragement of that could be regarded as potentially harmful health wise.

If the proscribed channel shows anything of that nature then yes it needs to go……Even if someone were just to copy it someone could die…..Another problem with the showing of violence is you cannot be sure it is not for real. You cannot know that some poor drug dependent sod hungry for a fix will do anything to pay for that fix.

    Softer and Softer

I haven't given up on the acceptance of R18s on satellite in June but I guess there will now be some pretty poor, softer than soft, dross on UK adult TV until then. I can only suggest that we don't spend anything on any adult TV service that does not supply full strength hardcore. Surely the way forward is get the adult companies to go to court on behalf of our wallets and demand our right to legal hardcore. The human rights abusers at Ofcom are surely skating on thin ice and just need a shove to tip them under.

From a posting by Malcolm on the Melon Farmers Discussions

The Adult Channel  is running scared of Ofcom as they have made several cuts in the repeat of last Fridays SXTV live show. In view of what the repressive ITC mentality twats at Ofcom have done with Playboy and Playboy just rolling over and saying sorry sir I will do my 100 lines and lick your boots sir. I think we can expect the recent more liberal showings (Not that they could even be considered hardcore) to go into reverse.

We now know for sure Playboy won't be challenging Ofcom in the courts. We will have waited another 3 months at least for the Ofcom snail brigade to confirm their first conclusion that "The softcore status quo WILL remain"
 
I new something had gone wrong last Friday when on the one and a half hour Lolly show she was telling callers that they can look but she is not allowed to pull anything.

Only about two minutes of that show was worth watching. On the The Adult Channel side there were several camera angle mistakes (which have now been censored) The mistakes were very very brief. Nothing more really than has gone on in S/C shows even way back in 1999. To censor them (about a minute in total) is much ado about nothing . It just shows the influence the ITC mentality bully boys/girls have got over our supposedly free nation.

    Playboy Censors

What a state of affairs, hardcore is what thousands of customers want, it is perfectly legal and yet a few crap rules from the dark ages can be still used to inflict softcore shite on the few people willing to pay for it. If Ofcom want to continue to use old rules they should at least attempt to justify their censorship as demanded by the European Convention of Human Rights. It is simple human rights rights abuse to provide no more justification than 'rules is rules guv'

Edited from a more detailed statement from Ofcom

Playboy TV UK/Benelux Limited fined £25,000 for showing R18 version material (and taking into account breaches of the Programme Code in relation to encrypted and unencrypted promotional material transmitted before 21:00)

On 1 May 2004 at 00:08, Playboy TV UK broadcast under encryption, R18 version material which is prohibited under the Code. It showed extremely graphic images of real sexual activity including close-ups of genital penetration.

The Sanctions Committee regards the admitted breaches of the Code as serious given the breaches were in relation to material that carries an absolute prohibition. The material, though not extreme in nature, was not a borderline example of what could or could not be broadcast in the UK, but a very clear breach of the relevant provisions of the Code.

Playboy TV UK admitted it was of a standard that is prohibited under the Code for transmission at any time, whether encrypted or not. According to Playboy TV UK the compliance failure was the result of human error. However, the Committee believed it also indicated a failure in Playboy TV UK's management to institute adequate training and operational procedures necessary to avoid such breaches of the Code.

The Committee took into account as aggravating the seriousness of the Code breaches, the fact that these breaches occurred on just one of several separate occasions over a period of three days (from 30 April to 2 May 2004) when Playboy TV UK committed other breaches of the Code. On 30 April, it had broadcast images in prewatershed promotional and other material, which though encrypted, were of an 18 standard (equivalent to BBFC 18 certificate standard), in breach of the Code which provides that this material should only be broadcast after 10pm. On 2 May, Playboy TV UK also broadcast promotional material on a free to air (unencrypted) basis at 20:21 which was more explicit than would be acceptable under the Code.

The free to air material was, in particular, insufficiently protective of the interests of children. Any broadcaster licensed to transmit adult encrypted material which is restricted to subscribers but has free to air promotions, has an obligation to ensure that no sexually explicit material is shown even inadvertently in free to air promotions. For the avoidance of doubt, Ofcom wishes to make it clear that any such infringement is not to be tolerated.

Ofcom took into account as mitigating the breaches Playboy TV UK's frank admission that it had breached the Code and the contrition it expressed and the fact that all but one of the breaches occurred under encryption. The Committee also noted Playboy TV UK's acceptance that it was appropriate to consider a financial penalty in respect of these breaches.

    Department of Censorship, Media and Shite

So exactly what is the justification for this ban. Why is there no description of exactly what material is to be banned. Human rights demands that we know exactly what is illegal and why. It strikes me that until the Government fully justify their decision then it is Government that is breaking the law, not Extasi. Shame on Broadcasting Minister Andrew McIntosh.

The following is a Government press release

The Government is to take steps to restrict access to supposedly violent pornographic broadcasts by the satellite TV channel Extasi TV, Broadcasting Minister Andrew McIntosh announced today.

An Order has been laid to proscribe the service in the United Kingdom under section 177 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 . Activities that will be banned include the supply of dedicated equipment such as decoding cards or programme material; the publication of advertisements for or information about Extasi TV, such as listings; and advertising goods or services on Extasi TV. The restrictions will come into effect on the 21st February if no objections from Parliament are received.

Extasi is a television service broadcast from outside the United Kingdom but received in this country by means of a satellite. Its programming contains frequent episodes of violent pornography.

Andrew McIntosh said: I was notified by Ofcom that the content of satellite channel Extasi TV is unacceptable and should be the subject of a proscription order. Under the requirements of the Act, I have viewed material from the channel and consider that a proscription order would be in the public interest, in particular to ensure that children are not exposed such potentially harmful material.

The proscription will come into effect 14 days after the Order is made.

    By Public Demand

Playboy TV have issued the following press release to start up a video on demand service (with very limited availability). Now Video on Demand is not regulated by Ofcom so theoretically could now be a hardcore service. I have now confirmed with Playboy TV that the content will be at the same level as material broadcast on existing satellite and cable services.

Playboy TV is the exclusive supplier of adult Video on Demand content to ntl

Playboy TV UK, a leading provider of high-quality, adult entertainment programming, and ntl, the UK's largest cable company, have concluded a long-term distribution agreement for Playboy TV to be the exclusive adult Video On Demand (VOD) content provider carried on ntl's new VOD service, ntl On Demand. The new VOD service launched on 18 January in Glasgow and will be followed by regional roll out across the UK.

In this ground breaking partnership, Playboy TV UK will use ntl's VOD platform to offer its 1.4 million digital cable viewers access to high-quality adult films and programmes on an 'on-demand' basis. And, because the content is 'on-demand', viewers can pause, stop, fast-forward and rewind - just as they would with a normal video player.

Commenting on the deal, Jeremy Yates, Managing Director, Playboy TV UK said: "We are very excited to be part of this latest development in the UK digital TV market which keeps Playboy TV at the forefront of content delivery solutions."

"With one of the most diverse libraries, we are perfectly positioned for the VOD market and can finally offer the consumer the ability to take control of what they want to watch when they want to watch."

"With the ability to cater for every niche, the VOD service will grow the viewership outside of the customer base for the linear channels and attract those who wish just to watch their preferred programmes."

Over 50 hours of content from Playboy will be available on demand at launch. The number of programming hours will grow as the service evolves.

David Thatcher, Managing Director, Sales and Marketing, at ntl said: "ntl On Demand is an exclusive service for our digital TV customers and is another example of where we are adding choice and value. Playboy TV is a world famous brand and we welcome them to the new service."

Playboy TV UK will continue to offer on ntl three premium channels, Playboy TV, Adult Channel, and Spice Extreme in addition to the new VOD service.

About Playboy TV UK

Under the banner of Playboy TV International, Playboy TV UK, The Adult Channel, Spice Extreme and Climax3 are among the biggest and most popular adult entertainment television networks in the UK. Available on Sky Digital, ntl and Telewest platforms, the channels are available as encrypted premium services on a monthly subscription and Pay Per Night basis.

About Playboy TV International

Playboy TV International, wholly owned by Playboy Entertainment Group, Inc. (PEGI), a division of Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: PLA), develops and operates quality adult entertainment television networks worldwide under the Playboy TV and Spice brands. PTVI has full ownership of the Playboy network, The Adult Channel, and Spice in the United Kingdom and Europe as well as an equity interest in Playboy TV Japan, Channel Ruby and Playboy TV Latin America & Iberia. Playboy TV International is headquartered in Los Angeles with major presence in key European and Asian markets. Under strategic alliances with leading international partners, PTVI operates branded networks in Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, South Korea, New Zealand, Poland, Scandinavia, and Turkey.

    Gearing up for Hard Spice

I've just heard on the grapevine that The Adult Channel/Playboy/Spice are busy investing thousands setting up a system for a March/April hardcore switch.  The buzz is that they wouldn't spend the money on hope alone.

We have been focusing on the 'will they'/'wont they' issues but there are plenty of interesting issues to think about if it is really imminent. I am wondering if there will be any chance to subscribe via satellite without going through $ky? Will there be any chance of Top Up TV picking up a mega marketing opportunity? Will the multitude of channels be available on cable?