Hbo channel biography

History of HBO

History of the Dweller pay television network

Main article: HBO

HBO is an American premium televisionnetwork that is the flagship affluence of Home Box Office, Inc., a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. The network primarily broadcasts theatrically releasedmotion pictures and originaltelevision programs as well as made-for-cable movies, documentaries, occasional stand-up ludicrousness and concertspecials, and periodic interstitial programs (consisting of short movies and making-of documentaries).

HBO does not accept traditional advertising, granted programming promotions are typically in a minute between shows; it also aid content without editing for profanation, violence, sexual depictions, nudity, cure use or other subjectively repellent material, which—besides being able do depict mature subject matter as is the custom not allowed to air maximum advertiser-supported television networks—has allowed blue blood the gentry network to give program creators full creative autonomy over their projects.

The oldest and top continuously operating subscription television audacity in the United States, Dwelling Box Office pioneered modern compromise television when it launched translation a microwave-transmitted regional service (initially debuting in northeastern Pennsylvania, beforehand gradually broadening its coverage compass to encompass much of nobility northern Mid-Atlantic and southern Additional England regions) on November 8, 1972, and was a commander in the development and increase of the cable television work as the first television overhaul to be directly transmitted arm distributed to individual cable systems; the first television channel riposte the world to begin broadcasting its signal via communications satellite; the first pay television spider`s web interlacin to operate a standalone squire service (Take 2, now defunct; followed later by Cinemax flourishing the now-defunct Festival); the supreme cable-originated network to win Award, Golden Globe and Peabody Awards; and one of the cardinal two American pay television ceremony (alongside Cinemax) to offer multiplexed channels complementary to the father service.

HBO has since expansive to include seven multiplex convolution in the United States; post, through its namesake parent assistant, twelve active and three abandoned international services (either owned past as a consequence o Warner Bros. Discovery directly add up to through programming and brand licensing agreements with domestic media companies) across four continents, and many television, film and home good time ventures.

This article details influence history of HBO tracing tell somebody to its founding by Sterling Bond (founded in 1950 as Authentic Movies U.S.A; then controlled harsh Time Inc.) in July 1971, and its operational history alien the channel's November 1972 climb on to its current ownership do without Warner Bros.

Discovery, Inc.

Background, development and preparation to climate (pre-1972)

HBO's origins trace to Dec 1, 1965, when Charles Dolan—a former marketer and distributor tablets sports and industrial films stick up for television syndication, who had even now done pioneering work in rendering commercial use of cables—was allowing a franchise permit by righteousness New York City Council give an inkling of build a cable television shade encompassing the Lower Manhattan shorten of New York City (traversing southward from 79th Street complex the Upper East Side show consideration for 86th Street on the Hallucinogen West Side).

Dolan was sharpen of three applicants to flaw awarded cable franchise permits descendant the City of New Dynasty on that date, joined prep between TelePrompTer Corporation (which was allotted most of Upper Manhattan) direct CATV Enterprises Inc. (which was assigned to a portion exclude the city's Upper West Not wasteful, extending north of the Harlem River, and The Bronx's Riverdale neighborhood).

Dolan had been immediately involved in telecasting since proscribed launched his maiden television project, Teleguide, in June 1962; transmissible via closed-circuit television, the Teleguide service distributed a schedule describe tourist information, news, interview segments and feature interstitials to hotels, and by 1964, apartment lavatory and office buildings in authority New York metropolitan area.[1][2][3]

Through Dolan's company, Sterling Information Services (operated by Teleguide parent Sterling Cinema U.S.A., it renamed Sterling Affinity in 1967), Manhattan Cable Television Services began limited cable arbitrate in September 1966.

Manhattan Teleprinter (renamed Sterling Manhattan Cable Smooth in January 1971) was integrity first urban underground cable upon system to operate in leadership United States.[4][5] Rather than rope up cable on telephone poles or use microwave antennas contact receive the signals, Sterling esoteric laid new cable lines the streets of and sting buildings throughout Manhattan, and repurposed Teleguide's existing cable infrastructure fit in use by the new value.

Sterling's use of underground cables complied with a longstanding Latest York City Council ordinance—originally enforced to prevent broad-scale telephone prep added to telegraph outages, after a oneparty blizzard affecting the Northeastern Banded together States in March 1888 abstruse caused widespread damage to above-ground utility lines in the area—requiring all electrical and telecommunication wiring to be laid underground get into limit weather-related service disruptions, snowball was also necessitated because primacy multitude of tall buildings stain Manhattan Island subjected television signals to reception impairments.[6]

Dolan curried illustriousness financial backing of Time-Life, Opposition.

(then the book publishing detachment of Time Inc.), resulting acquire Manhattan Cable becoming one beat somebody to it the company's first cable organized whole properties. Despite the investments carry too far Time-Life's share of Sterling (initially 20% at the beginning in shape operations), Sterling Manhattan consistently gone money throughout its first scandalize years of operation; the unit incurred much of its responsibility from underground wiring expenses (costing as much as $300,000 vogue mile), and its difficulties winning new subscribers to generate return (Manhattan Cable managed to come by only around 400 customers infant 1967).[6][7][8] On August 27, 1969, in an ownership consolidation authentication the cable assets, Sterling Bailiwick acquired the 49% share send down Sterling Manhattan held by Time-Life, in exchange for stock weather other assets worth $1.84 king`s ransom.

(Time-Life's interest in Sterling Bailiwick concurrently increased from 25% prompt 44.5%.)[9][10]

Desperate to keep the troop afloat, Dolan began conceiving essence to help make Sterling Borough profitable. In the summer rivalry 1971, while on a next of kin vacation en route to Author aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2, he began developing a program for a cable-originated television interim.

The concept, codenamed "The Verdant Channel", was for a fee service that would offer unedited theatrical movies licensed from picture major Hollywood film studios final live sporting events, all blaze without interruptions by advertising tube sold for a flat publication fee to prospective subscribers. Dolan wanted to offset the service's start-up costs by having Fine enter into carriage agreements keep an eye on other cable television providers view transmit and sell the assistance to their customers, and drag revenue from fees charged currency subscribers who added the temporary onto their existing cable fit (which then consisted exclusively appeal to local and imported broadcast stations).

In the early 1970s, say publicly cable television industry was keen very profitable, and was way in constant scrutiny from FCC regulators and the major broadcast take in one\'s arms networks (CBS, NBC and ABC), who saw cable as shipshape and bristol fashion threat to their viability, uniform though it was originally planned to provide improved reception long-awaited commercial and non-commercial television posting in communities and rural areas that tended to experience speckled to poor signal reception before away from their city-grade cut.

Attempts to launch pay around services had been done endorsement an experimental basis in grandeur United States dating to 1951 (among them, Phonevision in Contemporary York City, Chicago and Hartford; SubscriberVision in New York City; Telemeter in Palm Springs, California; and Telemovies in Bartlesville, Oklahoma) with little to no work, muzzled by campaigns backed insensitive to movie theater chains and fruitful broadcasters to assuage television spectators to the supposed threat remaining pay television to the coating industry and free-to-air television come close, limited user interest, and FCC restrictions on the types admit programming that could be offered to subscription services.

As Dolan presented his idea of interrupt management at Time-Life, they were initially hesitant to consider loftiness "Green Channel" proposal, but sooner or later agreed to assist him production backing the project.[11]

After the Yank Communications Commission ruled that regional governments could not restrict character operation of subscription television assistance in cable franchise terms, imprison July 1971, Sterling Communications—now consisting of Sterling Manhattan; its Spread out Island-based sister system, Sterling Nassau Cable Television; production firm Allegro Films; and direct-to-cable programming authenticate Television Presentations Inc.—informed the FCC that it planned to bracket together a cable-originated pay television inhabit.

Because Sterling's New York Borough Council franchise grant specifically obligatory FCC approval for that fixed, Time/Sterling filed an FCC call for to authorize pay television midpoint. Sterling indicated that a dues television operation would also accepting Sterling Manhattan fund its learner local origination channel, which confidential incurred $1 million in occasion debt on top of yearbook company operating losses of $250,000.[12] On September 10, 1971, glory FCC gave preemptive authorization penny Time-Life and Sterling Manhattan Rope to begin a pay video receiver operation.[13][14] On November 2, 1971, Time Inc.'s board of board approved the "Green Channel" intimation, agreeing to give Dolan dialect trig $150,000 development grant for position project.[6][8][15]

To gauge potential consumer club, Time-Life sent out a prehistoric mail research brochure to populace in six U.S.

cities. Brush overwhelming majority of those surveyed (approximately 99%) opposed the belief of paying for a payment television service, with only 1.2% favoring the concept and meaning interest in being a gaul subscriber. In a second eye up conducted by an independent expert, 4% of respondents polled articulate they were "almost certain" keep subscribe to such a find ways to help.

A subsequent test conducted strong Time-Life to respondents in Metropolis, Pennsylvania had salesmen present magnanimity pay channel concept to denizens by offering them free usefulness for the first month coupled with a refundable installation fee; fraction of all interviewed residents difficult to understand expressed interest in purchasing loftiness conceptual service with the offered incentives.[6][8]

During the planning stages, lp distributors initially expressed reluctance equivalent to license their movies to dignity Sterling project unless they were provided a count of take the edge off potential audience reach and commitment pricing estimates to establish graceful licensing payment structure similar make somebody's acquaintance their compensation from films shown in theaters.

Since the duct would air films without edits for objectionable content, cable operators also wanted to know what movies would be shown be a consequence the service to avoid budding advertiser objections and FCC fines for indecency. Sterling executives at long last agreed to pay a unbroken licensing fee to the shoot studios to acquire film open.

Sterling also allowed cable operators the ability to market high-mindedness service directly to their customers.[8][16]

Time-Life and Sterling Communications soon planned for the "Sterling Cable Network" to be the name snare the new service. Discussions come together change the service's name took place during a later put the finishing touch to of Dolan and the mind staff he hired for primacy project, who ultimately settled stoppage calling it "HomeBox Office", which was meant to convey toady to potential customers that the advantage would be their "ticket" get on to movies and events that they could see without having be required to leave their own home.

Class moniker was intended as splendid placeholder name in order merriment meet deadlines to publish straight memorandum and research brochures take notice of the new service; management gateway to come up with clean up permanent name as development continued; however, the "Home Box Office" name stuck.[17][6]

Multiple obstacles had engender a feeling of be overcome to get rank service on the air.

Uncluttered New York City Council purveyance applying to the company's dealership agreement prohibited the telecast blond theatrical feature films over allotment television franchises. To circumvent that, rather than launch Home Stalk Office over Sterling Manhattan, Dolan chose to scout another entitlement with two competing cable franchises to serve as its elementary distribution system.

Originally, he gang on the Teleservice Cable (now Service Electric) system in City. However, management found out ditch Allentown and surrounding areas crust within the Philadelphia 76ers's 75-mile (121 km) television blackout radius, which the team enforced to shelter revenues generated from ticket trading in demand for their home games (then held at the Spectrum).

Owing to HBO was planning to soubriquet regular-season and playoff games bring forth the National Basketball Association (NBA), any 76ers games that primacy service aired would have back number prohibited from being shown surrounded by Allentown. Time-Life subsequently agreed problem an offer by Teleservice top dog John Walson to launch HBO on the company's Wilkes-Barre tone (located outside of the 76ers' blackout radius), fed from plug AT&T microwave link at nobility Pan Am Building in Creative York.

(HBO, which elected accord forego pursuing telecast rights trial 76ers basketball games, would indicate on to Teleservice's Allentown pathway as its second cable couple in February 1973.)[6][8][18]

In August 1972, the National Association of Dramaturgy Owners (NATO) attempted unsuccessfully resign yourself to block Sterling's application to formulate three community antenna relay (CARS) facilities it planned to impartial to transmit HBO, over exploits that pay cable service would compete unfairly with movie theaters by using revenue from repulsive systems to "siphon" content esoteric, by association, audiences from theatres.[19]

Launch and expansion as a limited service (1972–1975)

HBO's launch came run into very little fanfare in decency press; other than print advertisements promoting the launch in influence Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, the service's debut lacked coverage from neighbouring or national media outlets.

Justness city administrator of Wilkes-Barre declined an offer to attend character launch ceremony, while Time Opposition. vice president J. Richard Author became stranded in traffic covering the George Washington Bridge edginess route from Manhattan, and was not able to arrive bear Wilkes-Barre for the ceremony. Spanking complicating preparations for the address telecast, in Midtown Manhattan, strapping winds—produced by a storm tone that brought areas of hyperboreal rain over portions of illustriousness New York City area go evening—toppled the Pan Am Goods reception dish being used peak relay the Home Box Posting signal to microwave towers connected to Teleservice's Wilkes-Barre headend.

Time-Life representatives sent a technician infer repair the antenna in central theme for the service's launch, realization maintenance about 25 minutes hitherto the inaugural telecast.[20][21][22][23][24]

Home Box Authorize launched at 7:30 p.m.

Eastern Put off on November 8, 1972.[25][26][27] Description service's inaugural program and block telecast, a National Hockey Confederacy (NHL) game between the Virgin York Rangers and the Town Canucks from Madison Square Garden,[28] was transmitted that evening be contaminated by channel 21—its original assigned fjord on the Teleservice system—to lecturer initial base of 365 subscribers in Wilkes-Barre.

(A plaque ceremonial the launch event is situated at Public Square in downtown Wilkes-Barre, established in honor catch the fancy of Service Electric's April 1984 along with of HBO sister channel Cinemax to its lineup. Wilkes-Barre regional Marion Sabestinas, who was probity first Teleservice customer to gesture up to pay the $6 fee to receive Home Maintain Office's programming at launch, was honored with a lifetime fee to Cinemax as part a mixture of the plaque ceremony.)[29] The eminent movie presentation shown on illustriousness service aired immediately after description sports event: the 1971 coat Sometimes a Great Notion, chairwoman Paul Newman and Henry Fonda.[26][22][8][30]

Initially airing nightly on an indifferent schedule dependent on the span of the evening's programs (usually from 7:00 p.m.

to 12:00 a.m. ET), Home Box Office's programming originally consisted solely of theatrical films—including four or five recent adornments per month—and event programming. Reprimand evening's schedule was arranged cope with present either a double promontory (which, under FCC anti-siphoning then maintained to protect scheduling supply for broadcast stations unfinished they were struck down infant the U.S.

Court of Appeals for the District of River Circuit in March 1977,[31] tended to be of releases dating no more than two period from their initial theatrical exhibition), or a combination of either a sports or special cause and a theatrical movie, again and again bridged by a short fell or other interstitial content.[32] Habitat Box Office licensed theatrical hullabaloo pictures from various film studios (such as Warner Bros.

Motion pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios, Columbia Pictures and Paramount Pictures) on a per-title basis; scolding film received as many slightly five showings during their tied calendar month, depending on class quantity of titles available getting month. HBO typically prohibited showings of X-rated, pornographic and imported art films.

(The network's prohibitions on X-rated films would at last be carried over to big screen assigned an NC-17 rating, allowing with rare exceptions, after righteousness MPAA created it as fine replacement for the X degree in 1990.)

Home Box Office's extensive and exclusive sports news differentiated it from many different subscription television services that launched in the succeeding decades, place the groundwork—to an extent—for birth development of ESPN and annoy national and regional cable-originated diversions networks (including MSG Network, Warm up Sports Networks, SportsChannel, and rank various descendantsof the lattertwo regionalnetwork groups), and was replicated by means of the 1970s and early Decennary by several local broadcast- very last microwave-transmitted subscription services.

Through natty contractual amendment signed on Nov 1, 1972, eight days in the past the service launched,[33][34] HBO innate broadcast rights to Madison Rightangled Garden-originated events that had antediluvian contracted to Sterling Manhattan purchase one of its local creation channels (which served as rank progenitor of the MSG Network) since May 1969.[35][36][37] Throughout well-fitting first eight years, HBO's athleticss lineup included New York YankeesMajor League Baseball games;[38]NCAA Division Uncontrolled college basketball games originating cause the collapse of Madison Square Garden; World Department League (WFL) games;[39][40]American Basketball Gathering (ABA) games;[41]North American Soccer Compact games; select LPGA golf tournaments; Canadian Football League games; Universe Hockey Association regular season survive playoff games; Eastern College Acrobatic Conference (ECAC) tournaments (including representation Men's Ice Hockey Tournament additional the ECAC Holiday Festival sport tournament); World TeamTennis; the Planet Wide Wrestling Federation from President Square Garden, the National Plug Show; the Westminster Kennel Billy Dog Show; and Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) tournament events.[42][43] Divert of its sports broadcasts, fisticuffs would be the most elastic part of HBO's programming arrangement, beginning with its January 22, 1973, telecast of "The Temperateness Showdown", a world heavyweight patronage bout from Kingston, Jamaica—in which George Foreman defeated Joe Frazier in two rounds—that effectively began what became the network's flagship sports program, HBO World Help Boxing.

As part of their subscription, subscribers received Home Stock body Office: Your Monthly Entertainment Guide (later retitled HBO On Air in September 1975, and exploitation [The] HBO Guide in Feb 1977). The digest sizeprogram guide—which would also be distributed quick guest rooms of HBO's breakfast clients starting in 1978—provided scheduling highlights and complete daily agendaings for the month; until primacy May 1980 issue, it besides featured "HBO Soundtrack" (originally "Up Front"), an occasional column explication HBO's upcoming programming and complementary common programming questions.[27][44] The HBO Guide ceased print publication put it to somebody December 2008; a PDF-formatted online program guide, borrowing from honesty print version's format, began pronunciamento in January 2002, and was made available for download brush-off the websites of HBO promote Cinemax (for which the PDF guide was marketed jointly till it ceased publication after greatness February 2020 issue), and probity Home Box Office Inc.

domicile website (until full-time site assertion ceased in August 2014 confront focus on a new, come up to scratch microsite for HBO Bulk Chains store, a broader-encompassing bulk distribution kit out for hospitality properties).

By justness end of 1972, the servicing was received by 1,395 subscribers, all from Teleservice customers spitting image Wilkes-Barre;[45] this number increased involve around 4,000 subscribers by Feb 1973, across Teleservice's Wilkes-Barre, City and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, systems.

Simple third Time-commissioned pay television scan by Lieberman Research Inc. at large that month, surveying 450 Telecable Wilkes-Barre subscribers (split evenly halfway 150 current, former or non-subscribers of HBO), found 79% chuck out all respondents (including 76% state under oath former subscribers and 59% salary non-subscribers) preferred at-home viewing model movies; male respondents expressed difficult interest in viewing sports concerns on pay television, while cool mostly female share of pursue had a strong interest be sold for seeing pay television broadcasts as a result of live Broadway musicals and plays.[18] Time Inc.

president James Notice. Shepley, who was a drive force behind the development foothold HBO at the corporate level,[46] said: "Time Inc. has far ahead been has long been intrigued with this method of speaking. Initial marketing results indicate unadorned bright role for subscription swarm. It seems clear that multitude are willing to pay disparate prices to see television programs of their choice which fill in free of commercials."[47]

On February 28, 1973, Sterling Communications announced discharge would spin-out HBO and contingent assets into a new helper, Home Box Office, Inc.

Hour Inc. received 9% of Sterling's HBO equity (expanding the former's controlling HBO shares to continue 75% of its equity) forward committed a $3-million direct investing in the subsidiary. Sterling besides raised Time's equity in character company to 66.4% in in trade for the added HBO gamble, through the purchase of appended stock and a converted $6.4-million note obligation.

Charles Dolan—who reportedly had major disagreements with Time-Life management on policy issues, claims which the company denied—subsequently unhopeful as chief executive officer work at Sterling Communications and HBO, acquiring a $675,000 buyout of spick portion of his stock reach remaining on the board commuter boat directors at both companies call a halt the interim; Dolan used portions of the sale's proceeds able repurchase Time's share of illustriousness Sterling Nassau systems and enhance start the Long Island Bad Community Development Co.

(the antecedent to Cablevision Systems Corporation, which would be combined with dignity Sterling/Cablevision systems on Long Island) as the system's parent classify. Gerald M. Levin—an entertainment production attorney previously with New Dynasty City-based law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, who had anachronistic with Home Box Office by reason of it began operations as neat director of finance, and adjacent as its vice president illustrious director of programming—replaced Dolan kind the company's president and CEO.[48][49][50][51][52] Expanding beyond movies and exercises, 1973 saw HBO innovate character concept of original programming connote cable television, developing entertainment indoctrination produced by and, at slightest initially, intended for exclusive put out on the channel.

On Stride 23, 1973, HBO broadcast spoil first non-sports entertainment special, probity Pennsylvania Polka Festival, a three-hour-long music event broadcast from representation Allentown Fairgrounds in Allentown.[53][54][55]

On May well 9, 1973, Time began stage sell its controlling share addendum Sterling to Warner Communications (predecessor entity to Warner Bros.

Discovery) for $20 million; high send-off and operating costs for HBO and other Sterling cable funds were reported to be nobility cause of the sale. Repel intended to convert the 260,000 convertible notes it held nucleus Warner's cable television unit, Cable Communications, into common stale shares totaling up to 20% in interest.

Sterling would bolster maintain oversight of Home Busybody Office under Warner's purview.[56][57][58] Goodness Time-Warner cable deal was halted on June 27, after both companies failed to reach orderly definitive sale agreement for HBO and the other Sterling subsidiaries; financial arrangements made between Excellent and the New York Metropolis Council as part of their 20-year noncompete franchise agreement were alleged to have curtailed say publicly sale.[3][59][60]

On July 19, 1973, Past Inc.

reached an agreement take delivery of purchase and assume financial li of Sterling Communications for $6.2 million (including $3.1‐million in trade in public debentures). Time completed sheltered acquisition of Sterling on Sept 18, 1973, formally dissolving magnanimity Sterling holding company and despatch Home Box Office and Pure Manhattan Cable to its Time-Life Broadcast division.

(The "Sterling" designation was subsequently removed from class Manhattan system, which was renamed "Manhattan Cable Television".)[61][62][63][57][58] As goodness acquisition was being completed, HBO was struggling to grow: alongside October, the service had family 8,000 subscribers across 13 extreme systems in Pennsylvania and rebel New York State that cumulatively served 110,095 subscribers,[20][64] and excitement was suffering from a sizable churn rate as subscribers who found the channel's program company repetitive, because of the restricted allotment of movies outside outline special events, decided to shelve crash their service.[20]

In January 1974, HBO expanded its programming to distinction average of eight hours go rotten day (from 5:30 p.m.

to 1:30 a.m. ET/PT) on weekdays and dozen hours (from 1:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. ET) on weekends, depending partition that day's programming lineup. Cutting edge with movies and sports, encoding at this time had enlarged to include concert specials extract other music programs, daytime lowranking programs and various instructional series.[65] With its programming expansion enter upon late afternoons, the service began maintaining a longstanding watershed practice prohibiting R-rated feature films foreign airing before 8:00 p.m.

ET/PT.[66][67][68] Honourableness policy may be traced less HBO's availability at the securely on analog cable tiers, gleam was maintained long after competing premium services began offering diurnal showings of R-rated films chimpanzee early as 1980 because work subscriber objections to the practice.[69] The policy also would tweak applied to original series, flicks and documentaries containing mature information consistent with the present-day TV-MA rating (later applying to creative and acquired programs that were actually assigned that rating rearguard the TV Parental Guidelines arrangement was implemented across the confirm industry on January 1, 1997).

(As of 2020[update], enforcement elaborate the watershed policy on picture main HBO feed has archaic greatly diminished: it currently permits afternoon airings of R-rated movies and TV-MA-rated programs on elegant modest basis; however, it does not allow such programming on top of be scheduled earlier than 2:00 p.m.

ET/PT, with the timeslots near initial airings of R-rated big screen varying each day. The significant policy was never extended preserve most of HBO's multiplex grid, although HBO Family, since neat December 1996 launch, has unauthorized R-/TV-MA-rated programs from airing sign on its schedule.)

Over the unite years following its launch, Sunny Box Office steadily expanded university teacher regional reach: it became rest in New York State supplement the first time in Oct 1973, when TelePrompTer's Mount Vernon and Ceracche TV Corp.'s Town systems began offering the service.[70][71] by January 1974, HBO was available on 14 cable systems in New York State queue Pennsylvania;[72] The service's addition enter upon UA-Columbia's Wayne system expanded neat regional coverage expanded into Latest Jersey in June 1974.[73] Exclaim order to stem its monetarist losses, on November 13, 1973, Manhattan Cable—which had announced dismay intent to offer HBO chimpanzee an extra-fee subscription offering assume July of that year, chimpanzee a move to stem hoist losses exceeding $10 million—filed excellent request to the City frequent New York to allow transaction of a pay channel.[74]

On June 21, 1974, the New Royalty City Board of Estimate passed a resolution that opened touch for programmers to lease severe space for subscription television rite on Manhattan Cable and Autocue Cable, and cleared Manhattan Wire to offer HBO on wonderful two-year experimental leased basis, interleave exchange for a 5% payment paid to the city shun the system's subscription revenue tone of voice.

Although the resolution permitted break free to offer HBO to spoil subscribers in Midtown and Reduce the volume of Manhattan immediately, in order change market the service to credible subscribers, Manhattan Cable Television waited until October 18, 1974, face up to begin offering HBO on tutor lineup.[65][75][76][77][78] (Manhattan Cable turned sheltered first quarterly profits in blue blood the gentry first half of 1976, generated in part from, among all over the place factors, revenue from HBO subscriptions.)[79] Terrestrial transmission of HBO aside multipoint distribution service (MDS) began by the Fall of 1974, available to residents in City and Wilmington, Delaware (via Micro-TV Inc.) and to select flat buildings in Queens.

(MDS remission would supplement HBO's coverage industrial action the late 1980s, to both distribute its programming in areas with limited to no rope penetration and as an additional means to receive the path in areas with cable service.)[80][81]

As Home Box Office's distribution encyclopedic throughout the northern Mid-Atlantic put forward southern New England, Time/Sterling strong a network of microwave receivers and connecting cables on function landlines to feed HBO's programing from the New York transmit antenna to the service's contribute cable systems.

Although its attach had grown from what put off had when HBO was build on conceived, Sterling Manhattan Cable spread to lose money because significance company had only a minor subscriber base of 20,000 marketing within Manhattan; HBO also unfortunate financial issues, losing nearly $9,000 per month in part theory test to fees it paid kindhearted AT&T (averaging $11,000) to persist its New York-based microwave manager that was not made corporation for through the monthly fees it collected from subscribers.

At or in the beginning, HBO received only a $3.50 cut from the $6.50 periodical fee paid by subscribers (equivalent to $47.35 in 2023 adjusted funds inflation[82]), the remainder of which went to cable systems turn this way offered the service.[32][21] In Nov 1974, as it was form its second anniversary, HBO—then dole out to cable television and MDS systems in Pennsylvania, New Dynasty State, New Jersey and Delaware—had passed the 40,000-subscriber mark.[83] By means of April 1975, the service esoteric around 100,000 subscribers within spoil four-state service area.[20]

HBO's sports provision expanded in July 1975, monkey it inaugurated regional coverage disregard the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

(That year saw Arthur Ashe conquer defending champion Jimmy Connors, 6–1, 6–1, 5–7, 6–4, in nobleness Gentlemen's Singles final, becoming integrity first Black male to warrant a Wimbledon singles title.[84]) At first, the HBO telecasts of greatness tournament mainly consisted of replays culled from other video cornucopia (including the BBC); HBO Diversions began to employ an intimate team of commentators starting keep the 1978 tournament.[85] Throughout closefitting tenure on the channel, Suburbia coverage on HBO—which was goodness first television network to volunteer weekday tennis coverage on meshing television—consisted of singles and doubles events from the early guard of the tournament.

(NBC—which difficult to understand the over-the-air broadcast rights pause Wimbledon since 1969—maintained rights ploy the quarterfinal, semifinal and ending rounds as well as weekend early-round matches.)

National expansion, originality and rise to prominence (1975–1989)

In the Fall of 1974, administration from Time Inc.

and interpretation Home Box Office unit began conceptualizing ideas to expand HBO into a national pay bear on service. Developing a vast derive of microwave and coaxial ring up relay towers in all 50 states and U.S. territories would have been cost-prohibitive for Time/HBO due to the time contemporary expense involved.

HBO's existing microcook network was also expensive innermost difficult to maintain—especially in season, when snow and ice storms periodically disrupted service—along with kick off geographically limiting, as the danger signal could only be fed jab an affiliated cable system venture it was along the micro-cook signal's path.

Seeing it sort the only efficient and lucrative option to expand distribution strip off Home Box Office to dignity entire nation, Time settled executing using a geostationary communications retainer to transmit HBO directly persist at cable providers throughout the Pooled States within and outside interrupt its existing microwave relay means.

Other television broadcasters at significance time were hesitant about uplinking their feeds to satellite in that they feared that the satellites may inadvertently shut down confuse jettison out of their circuit, as well as holding vacillate about the cost of foothold downlink receiver dishes, which flowerbed 1974, were sold for on account of much as $75,000 (equivalent pick out $463,360.32 in 2023 adjusted for inflation[82]).[20] Sid Topol, president of telex television equipment manufacturer Scientific Beleaguering, met with RCA Americom Study (which was granted FCC assent to operate and launch pure telecommunications satellite), Home Box Posting and a group of twofold system cable operators (MSOs) in propose having the RCA moon transmit the HBO signal; Well-ordered Atlanta (through a client locate with Transcommunications Corp.) would go together to build earth-based satellite transmission stations to be set demand outside of HBO's Manhattan post and to the service's consumer cable systems.

RCA and HBO agreed to Topol's proposal, pole the Time-Life board subsequently popular the satellite transmission plan.[52][86]

On Apr 11, 1975, Levin and Time-Life unveiled plans to distribute picture HBO signal via satellite scolding cable systems elsewhere throughout picture United States, announcing a $7.5-million agreement (including $6.5 million allocated prep between Levin) with RCA Americom elect lease a transponder on character then-under construction Satcom I—which was expected to be launched varnish the end of 1975—for unembellished five-year term.

HBO also gestural an agreement to distribute honourableness satellite feed on eight UA-Columbia Cablevision systems in California, Texas, Florida, Arizona, Arkansas and Pedagogue State, and have earth depot receivers built at their headends to intercept and relay rank signal.[87][88][89] Now that a explain superior transmission method than Rural area Box Office's existing land-based parceling out network was being developed, Time/HBO lined up agreements with indefinite cable system operators—including MSOs plan American Television and Communications Corporation,[89][90]Comcast,[91]Cox Cable,[92]Jones Intercable,[90] Heritage Communications[93] attend to TelePrompTer Cable[94]—to redistribute the hanger-on feed for system-determined fees dying between $6 and $9 outlandish month.[95] HBO also entered collide with preliminary discussions with Kansas City-based regional cable service Target Direction Television, from which a bargain did not materialize, to hand a transponder, either by disjunctive their respective airtime to accept HBO broad coverage in representation Midwestern United States or division transmission by geographic region.[96] Spend the Scientific Atlanta contract, UA-Columbia and other cable providers besides commissioned earth station dishes plunder Scientific Atlanta to receive birth HBO satellite feed at their headend sites.[86][97]

On September 30, 1975 at 9:00 p.m.

Eastern Time, Voters Box Office became the foremost television network to continuously newsletter its signal via satellite during the time that it transmitted the "Thrilla access Manila", televised from the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Philippines. Subscribers of UA-Columbia's Fort Pierce take precedence Vero Beach, Florida systems scold American Television and Communications's President, Mississippi system joined HBO's dowry cable and MDS affiliates set a date for the Mid-Atlantic U.S.—some of which were beginning to transition free yourself of microwave to satellite delivery end the network—in receiving the colossus championshipboxing match that saw Muhammad Ali defeat Joe Frazier impervious to technical knockout.[98][99][100] HBO temporarily indignant its domestic Eastern and At peace feeds to Westar 1 give reasons for the first four months rule satellite transmissions; the network's transmissions shifted to Satcom 1 during the time that full-time commercial service began mind February 28, 1976.[20][23][101][102][103] The network's programming expanded with the replace by to satellite transmission, operating ordinary from 1:30 p.m.

to 1:30 a.m. ET/PT in an extension of disloyalty weekend schedule to weekdays. (A lack of G- and PG-rated films in its inventory station low afternoon viewership were unimportant for a 20-hour rollback break into HBO's weekly schedule on Oct 11, 1976—reverting to the 5:30 p.m. ET/PT weekday start time attempt had prior to the depart of its satellite feeds become peaceful, with adjustments for sports legend, reducing its weekend schedule nod begin at 3:00 p.m.

ET/PT.)[104]

Through rectitude use of satellite, the course began transmitting separate programming banquets for the Eastern and At peace Time Zones, allowing the exact programs that are first transmit in the eastern half short vacation the United States to acceptable at accordant times in justness western part of the country.[105] One month after the minion launch, preliminary estimates—taken toward description end of an extended unconfined preview of HBO on riot three systems—showed that around 8,250 of approximately 25,630 subscribers mid the three charter systems esoteric signed up for the leasing, and within three months be more or less the satellite uplink, 58,000 deal (or approximately 32% of their combined penetration) among six fence the eleven cable systems stroll added HBO—in Jackson, Mississippi; Action Pierce and Vero Beach, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Fort Smith, Arkansas; and Laredo, Texas—had signed summarize for the service, joining 230,000 subscribers in the Northeastern U.S.[106][107] HBO estimated that eleven tape machine systems received its signal during satellite by the end round 1975.[108] HBO achieved coast-to-coast attribution in December 1975, when Autocue added the network to tog up Seattle–Tacoma, Washington, systems, extending tight reach to the West Coast.[103]

The growth of HBO would prompt the development of the repay television industry during the affect 1970s and into the Decennary.

Although Warner Communications was excellence first to launch an HBO competitor with the April 1, 1973, launch of videotape-transmitted reward movie service Star Channel (renamed The Movie Channel in Nov 1979), the expansion of HBO via satellite prompted other companies to launch rival pay journos services; cable-originated pay services become absent-minded sprouted over the next dec included Showtime, a similar common entertainment service initially focusing muddle movies and non-sports event programing that was launched by Viacom on July 1, 1976;[109]Home Ephemeral Network, a family-oriented movie seizure launched by Group W Spacecraft Communications on September 1, 1978; Bravo, a film and study service (now a commercial distraction service primarily focusing on deed series) launched by Rainbow Travel ormation technol and Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment component December 8, 1980, as unembellished two-night-per-week timeshare service shared merge with now-defunct R-rated film service Escapade;[110] and Spotlight, a movie funnel co-founded in consortium by Former Mirror Satellite Programming Company, Storer Communications, Cox Cable and Tele-Communications Inc.

(TCI) that launched business May 28, 1981.[111] Broadcast- dispatch microwave-transmitted pay (or “subscription television”) services modeled upon HBO's flat-fee, general entertainment concept—including PRISM (a Philadelphia-based microwave service launched be glad about September 1, 1976, and ignore via various transmission methods inconclusive October 1997), ONTV (launched monitor Los Angeles on April 1, 1977, and later operating renovation a national over-the-air pay dealership until June 1985), SelecTV (launched in Los Angeles on July 23, 1978; later operating primate a national over-the-air pay poll until 1985, then solely present via C-band satellite until Jan 1991) and Wometco Home Dramatics (a New York City-based relay service operating from March 1, 1977 to March 1, 1986)—were launched in several major stomach mid-sized U.S.

cities to above all act as cable alternatives derive unwired areas.

The network's advance to transmit its signal about satellite uplink also culminated domestic the conception of modern dour cable service, as distributors began developing entertainment channels marketed justify cable system operators to remark packaged with local and adjacent-market imported broadcast stations.

By 1977, two fledgling cable networks challenging joined HBO in pioneering disciple delivery for the cable converge industry, becoming the first a mixture of many to adopt satellite moving over the coming years: Atlanta-based independent stationWTCG-TV (soon to change WTBS; now sister network TBS and operating wholly cable-originated), which, through then-owner Ted Turner, became the first independent station habitation become a national superstation namecalling December 17, 1976;[112] following well-mannered was the upstart CBN Sputnik Service (later to become excellence present-day Freeform), started by Tap 1 Robertson as the first satellite-delivered religious network on April 1, 1977.[23][113]

On December 31, 1975, HBO premiered its first comedy unproductive, An Evening with Robert Klein, the first of nine HBO stand-up specials that the mirthful headlined over 35 years.

Self-possessed viewer response to the public led to the creation stare On Location, a monthly medley series that presented a good comedian's nightclub performance in academic entirety and uncut; it premiered on March 20, 1976, consider a performance by David Steinberg.[114][115] The network would gradually keep an eye on a reputation in the drollery world for its stand-up specials, which have helped raise position profile of established comedians (including George Carlin, Alan King, Rodney Dangerfield, Billy Crystal and Thrush Williams) and served as say publicly launchpad for emerging comic stars (such as Dennis Miller, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, Roseanne Barr, Patton Oswalt, Margaret Cho beginning Dave Chappelle), many of whom have gone on to idiot box and film careers.

By Apr 1976, Home Box Office reached 386,000 subscribers (306,000 through dismay terrestrial microwave-landline network, 75,000 trace satellite distribution, and 5,000 burn down MDS-served apartment complexes.)[116] It passed 500,000 subscribers by August 1976, including 180,000 brought into HBO's base through the July 27 closure of its purchase carry out pay-television programming services company Telemation Program Services, which Time/HBO obtained to provide content mediation recognize program distributors and, with original intent, to use Telemation within spitting distance develop "customized" programing schedules extend HBO's cable affiliates.

(Through top-notch contest searching for its 500,000th subscriber, HBO rewarded married clear school teachers Lester and Carole Diehl, who subscribed through Combined Cable Television's San Leandro, Calif. system, with an expense-paid proceed d progress to Hawaii and a $200 cash prize presented at dexterous San Francisco press conference featuring comedian John Byner that was shown during the October first showing of his first On Location special.)[117][118][119]

Concert-based music specials became smashing part of the network's satisfy with the June 19, 1976, premiere of The Fabulous Bette Midler Show,[note 1] a usage special featuring Midler performing penalization and comedy routines.

It served as the linchpin for picture creation of Standing Room Only, a monthly series featuring concerts and various stage "spectaculars" (including among others, burlesque shows, Cabaret routines, ventriloquism and magic performances) taped live in front oppress an audience, which premiered discount April 17, 1977 with Ann Corio's 'This Was Burlesque' on account of inaugural broadcast.[120] By the contribution of 1977, the network challenging around one million subscribers check 435 cable and MDS systems serving 45 states.[121][122] Time's third-quarter fiscal report that year revealed that HBO had turned dismay first profit in nearly pentad years of operation.[45]

The network concluded full nationwide distribution in Dec 1978, having garnered 750 line affiliates in all 50 U.S.

states with around two packet subscribers.[20][122][123] Programming gradually expanded be at loggerheads time; by January 1979, HBO's programming day lasted between figure and eleven hours per passable (usually from 5:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. ET/PT) on weekdays and alternate 12½ hours (usually from 2:30 p.m.

to 3:00 a.m. ET/PT) on weekends.[124] By April 1980, when rank current version of its 1975 logo was first introduced, magnanimity full "Home Box Office" designation had been de-emphasized in maximum on-air and other promotional way, in favor of identifying out of the sun the "HBO" initialism. (The packed name is still used bit the legal corporate name admire its parent subsidiary under Reputable Bros.

Discovery, and is old on-air in copyright legalese over the end credits of cast down original programs and network IDs shown twice per day—in character morning and late afternoon—at goodness close of promotional breaks; debut credits shown at the commence of its original specials; become more intense a proprietary vanity card—based accepted wisdom the "static noise" card lapse has preceded HBO's original additional room, specials and documentaries since 1993—shown at the close of integrity network's original programs.[125]) Subscribership more often than not doubled each year into interpretation early 1980s, increasing from worry four million subscribers (across 1,755 systems) in December 1979 submit around 10.4 million subscribers (across 3,600+ systems) by November 1982.[126][122]

On June 5, 1981, HBO declared it would transition to clever 24-hour, seven-day-a-week programming schedule tackle the start of 1982.[69] Then-HBO President James Heyworth said interpretation decision was effectively forced exceed rival Showtime's announcement of spoil pending switch to a 24-hour daily schedule effective July 4 (both announcements were made bogus that year's National Cable Entreat Association [NCTA] Convention),[127] as satisfactorily as the prior switches constantly The Movie Channel (on Dec 1, 1979)[128] and Cinemax (on January 1, 1981) to 24-hour programming.[129] (Along with the duo larger pay services, Spotlight offered 24-hour programming from September 1, 1981 until it ended toss one\'s hat in the ring on February 28, 1984.[130] Countryside Theater Network, in contrast, serviced a 12-hour-a-day schedule from Jan 1, 1982—when its programming mediocre expanded by approximately three hours—until it ended operations on Jan 31, 1987.[131]) The first juncture of the switchover commenced quarrel September 4, 1981, when HBO adopted a "24-hour" weekend programme (typically running about 58 in a row hours, from 5:00 p.m.

ET/PT Weekday until 3:00 a.m. ET/PT Sunday/early Monday). To facilitate the extra weekend programming, HBO and Modern Trustworthy Pictures, then-owner of the Up to date Satellite Network (MSN; now defunct), agreed to trade their special leased timeslots on Satcom Farcical transponder 22 (then assigned extinguish HBO's Pacific Time feed).

MSN—which had earlier subleased the amount of its afternoon hours determination Hearst/ABC Video Services for treason planned women's channel Daytime—subleased academic weekend transponder hours (from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET/PT) to HBO, in exchange for the latter's unused weekday 10:00 a.m.

to noontime ET/PT transponder time.[132] Three months later on December 28, 1981, it began offering a plentiful 168-hour weekly schedule (except friendship occasional interruptions for scheduled early-morning technical maintenance), adding programming full-time from 3:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET/PT Monday through Friday.[69]

After having single produced a limited amount a choice of unscripted programming since the opening of its first weekly tilt, Inside the NFL, in Sep 1977, 1983 saw HBO gamble into original scripted programming.

Tallness January 3, 1983, the material premiered Not Necessarily the News, a news satire lampooning nobility week in politics that in aired as a comedy abortive in September 1982. The keep fit was cited as having arranged the groundwork for satirical information programs that came in closest years (such as The Ordinary Show, The Colbert Report roost a later HBO series, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver), and featured Conan O’Brien near Greg Daniels, among other unusual comics and comedy writers, mid its writing staff over sheltered eight-season run.

On January 10, 1983, HBO premiered its leading regularly scheduled children's program, Fraggle Rock. Created by Jim Puppeteer (who produced the 1978 Settle your differences Award-winning special Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas for HBO) and co-produced with Television South, the Broadcasting Corporation and Henson Membership, the series (which ran grip five seasons, ending in Go on foot 1987) centered on a lesson of various interconnected Muppet species.[133]

Later that year, on May 22, 1983, HBO premiered The Towelling Fox Story, the first host movie ever produced for significance network and the first prefer be produced for a alimony television channel.

The biographical integument profiled the Canadian amputee errand boy (Eric Fryer) who embarked bank account a cross-country run across Canada to raise money and remove for cancer research before Fox's deteriorating health from advanced person (from which he succumbed) forgotten the trek after 143 days.[55][134][135] Besides its venture into contemporary programming that year, in trustworthy 1983, HBO jumped ahead hill its competitors to become representation first pay television service pan broadcast Star Wars.

As was common with film rights bequeath the time in the pay-TV industry, 20th Century Fox sell off the premium television uninterrupted to the science fiction prototype on a non-exclusive basis: HBO, Showtime, The Movie Channel, Dwellingplace Theater Network and Spotlight were contractually bound to premiere redden no earlier than 6:00 a.m.

Condition Time on February 1. Despite that, HBO had managed to climate the movie at midnight Waive that same day, from tidy planned debut at 7:30 p.m. Trepidation on February 1, after stipendiary Fox for permission to arrival the film six hours bright of the competition without exhorting their coup to attract toggle audience other than night owls.[136][137]

In August 1984, Home Box Sovereignty Inc.

announced plans to crawl the HBO and Cinemax hanger-on feeds using the Videocipher II encryption system, becoming the prime satellite-delivered television networks to practices their signals from unauthorized response by approximately 1.5 million C-band dish owners as well kind by various businesses (including hotels, motels and bars) that tatty rooftop satellite antennas to willingly receive HBO, rather than remunerative for the network through sheltered affiliated cable systems.[138] Periodic examination of Videocipher II signal scrambling began to be carried work out during promotional breaks between programs on HBO's Pacific Time District feed on April 15, 1985, and on its Eastern Every time Zone feed on April 29.

(Testing initially commenced on grandeur Pacific feed of Cinemax base March 15, and extended in the neighborhood of that service's Eastern feed associate April 22.)[139][140][141] By August 1985, encryption extended to the full amount of the daytime schedule (from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

ET/PT) passion HBO and Cinemax's respective Acclimate and Pacific feeds.[142]

HBO and Cinemax began scrambling their signals full-time on January 15, 1986, requiring customers to pay an balance fee to get one less important both networks as their subscribers through cable systems had spread out done. Widespread complaints were fielded to Home Box Office Opposition.

and satellite dish retailers foreigner television receive-only (TVRO) dish consumers who previously could view HBO and Cinemax's programming for favor no extra cost on their corresponding transponder signals, particularly for of the cost of Videocipher II set-top descramblers needed chance on unencrypt the signal (retailing mendacious to $395, plus $12.95 infraction for a monthly subscription [or $19.95 for a bundling engage in both HBO and Cinemax], on level pegging to or slightly higher leave speechless the networks' cable subscription burden, and rental fees for description Videocipher receivers).[143][144][145] The Satellite Newspapermen Industry Association (SPACE) and self-governing satellite dealers worried about description negative impact on the follower business from the loss influence unencrypted access to HBO stand for Cinemax and the expansion be more or less full-time signal scrambling to subsequent basic and premium cable networks, as dish sales sharply plummeted and several satellite retailers pay the U.S.

closed as straight result; this spurred SPACE, dilemma March 1986, to lobby affection Congressional legislation to protect impend to satellite transmissions.[146][147]

Main article: Main Midnight broadcast signal intrusion

The spin-off from the full-time scrambling came to a head four months later on April 27, during the time that John R.

MacDougall, an Ocala, Florida satellite dish retailer business himself "Captain Midnight", staged fillet own protest of the waverings by redirecting a receiver spiteful towards HBO's Galaxy 1 transponder and intercepting the network's vocable during a late-night presentation matching the 1985 spy drama integument The Falcon and the Snowman.

In this act of originate signal intrusion, the film's show was overridden with a text-based message written by MacDougall, be situated over SMPTE color bars very last composed using a Quanta Microgen MG-100 character generator, in object of the channel's decision smash into scramble its signal for hint satellite subscribers and warning carefulness premium services of possible kickback if they followed suit ("$12.95/MONTH ?

NO WAY ! [SHOWTIME/MOVIE CHANNEL BEWARE!]").[148][149][150] The Federal Communications Commission next charged MacDougall for "illegally a satellite uplink transmitter" take delivery of violation of the Communications Detail of 1934, for which fair enough pleaded guilty after deciding undulation cooperate with the FCC's examination into the incident; under great plea bargain deal, MacDougall was fined $5,000, was put tiptoe unsupervised probation for one harvest, and had his amateur cable license suspended for one year.[151][152][153][154][155]

By May 1987, HBO's programming was received by approximately 15 pile subscribers across about 6,700 unpleasant systems nationwide.[156] As the Decade wound down, HBO saw hang over subscriber base expand greatly gorilla a byproduct of the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike; throughout the strike (which lasted from March 7 to Honoured 7 of that year), HBO had an inventory of first-run programming whereas the broadcast networks were only able to unhappy reruns of their shows on account of of the abrupt halt cut into their production schedules and grandeur delayed start of the disintegration television season.

Leaning into professor growing prominence in pay bear on, in 1989, HBO unveiled significance promotional campaign "Simply the Best"—which used the Tina Turner sui generis incomparabl "The Best" as its imagination theme in some on-air advertisements—basing its programming in comparison pact rival Showtime.[157]

On January 2, 1989, Selecciones en Español de HBO y Cinemax ("Spanish Selections alien HBO and Cinemax"), a Spanish-language audio feed transmitted through, slave on the cable system correlate, either an auxiliary second sensory program channel (accessible through indigenous and external multichannel audio decoders) or audio simulcasts via FM radio, launched.

The service—which at the outset launched on 20 cable systems in markets with significant American and Latino populations, and highly thought of specifically at Spanish-dominant and first-language Spanish speakers—[158][159][160] originally provided Spanish-dubbed versions of recent feature hide releases from HBO and Cinemax's movie suppliers.

By that Well 2, Selecciones's offerings expanded to cover Spanish audio simulcasts of HBO's live boxing matches (except expend certain events broadcast exclusively hub Spanish on networks such slightly Galavisión). Selecciones en Español become less restless HBO y Cinemax—replaced by cardinal dedicated channel feeds, HBO just Español and Cinemax en Español, on September 27, 1993, notable acting as part-time simulcast banquets with added first-run Spanish-language cinema (mostly from Mexico, Argentina existing Spain), and Spanish dubs regard HBO's non-sports-event original programming—quickly gained interest from providers, expanding disrespect an additional 35 cable systems in various U.S.

markets rotation the weeks following its debut.[160][161][162][163]

Time Warner ownership; rising prominence fall for original programming (1989–2016)

On March 4, 1989, Warner Communications—which, through seam venture group Warner-Amex Satellite Good time, sold its interest in Rectitude Movie Channel parent Showtime/The Smokescreen Channel, Inc.

(now Showtime Networks) to Showtime founder and fullness partner Viacom in 1986—announced neat intent to merge with HBO parent Time Inc. for $14.9 billion in cash and exemplary. Following two failed attempts coarse Paramount Communications to legally lump the merger, as Paramount was seeking to acquire Time sully a hostile takeover bid, nobleness merger was completed on Jan 10, 1990, resulting in description consolidated entity creating Time Seemly, which was the parent party of the network until magnanimity merger of the company (as WarnerMedia) with Discovery, Inc.

hit form Warner Bros. Discovery link with 2022. (Manhattan Cable Television would be integrated into Time Innocent Cable—formed through a consolidation reproduce the cable system assets think likely American Television and Communications [ATC], which Time acquired for $140 million in January 1978 esoteric subsequently integrated with Manhattan Poor, and Warner Cable Communications—and would adopt its parent unit's unanimity in January 1993.

Time Appetizer Cable would be spun-off use its namesake parent as change independent company in 2009, crucial later merged into Spectrum captive May 2016.)[164][165][166][167][168] By the commencement of 1990, HBO served 17.3 million subscribers out of systematic cumulative 23.7 million subscribers below ground between it and sister textile Cinemax.[169]

On August 1, 1991, HBO and Cinemax became the be foremost subscription television services to value "multiplexed" companion channels—a term coined by then-CEO Michael Fuchs make contact with equate the channel tier stay with a multi-screen movie theater—offering, dry mop no extra charge to HBO subscribers, distinct schedules with programs culled from HBO's programming libraries separate from offerings shown concurrently on their respective parent chief channels.

TeleCable customers in Overland Park, Kansas, Racine, Wisconsin duct suburban Dallas (Richardson and Metropolis, Texas) that subscribed to either service began receiving two extra HBO channels, HBO2 and HBO3, as part of a trial launch. (A secondary Cinemax conditional, Cinemax 2 [now MoreMax], was also test launched on goodness three systems.)[170][171][172][173][174] The HBO assorted would eventually expand to cover four additional channels: HBO Brotherhood (on December 1, 1996),[175] HBO Comedy (on May 6, 1999), HBO Zone (on May 6, 1999),[176] and HBO Latino (on November 1, 2000).[177][178]

On January 1, 1993, HBO and Cinemax—accompanied harsh Showtime and The Movie Channel—became the first television services embankment the world to transmit their signals using digital compression study.

The compressed satellite feeds, be sore through Galaxy 1, were inveterate at compression ratios intended round on maintain "state-of-the-art" signal quality wrap up provider headends. (The DigiCipher set, developed in 1992 by Common Instrument to replace the Videocipher II system that was tacky among satellite-delivered cable channels, was designed with an advanced encoding algorithm co-developed by AT&T put off was structured to prevent leadership signal piracy issues that were apparent with the Videocipher II.)[179][180][181][182] The adoption of the DigiCipher allowed Home Box Office, Opposition.

to transmit three HBO banquets and the primary Cinemax aqueduct through the compression standard hit upon participating systems that adopted influence technology,[183] and served as rendering benchmark for the launch emulate additional multiplex channels of both HBO and Cinemax utilizing compression—commencing with the December 1996 value of HBO Family and final with the 2001 launches show consideration for four Cinemax channels: WMax (now MovieMax), @Max (now Cinemáx), OuterMax and 5StarMax.

On March 1, 1994, HBO, Cinemax and rivals Showtime and The Movie Temporary implemented a cooperative content par‘netical system to provide to parents specific information about pay-cable scheduling content that may be wrong for their children; the get up of the system—inspired by blue blood the gentry advisory ratings featured in dignity HBO Guide and other syllabus guides distributed by the elder premium cable services, and marker at each co-owned service's discretion—was in response to concerns shun parents and advocacy groups think over violent content on television, despite the fact that HBO and other services generate assign individual ratings corresponding rant the objectionable content depicted have as a feature specific programs (and categorized family unit on violence, profanity, sexuality humble miscellaneous mature material).[184] A revised system—centered around ten content refinement of two to three script in length—was implemented across HBO and the other participating recompense services on June 10, 1994.[185]

During the 1990s, HBO began going strong a reputation for high-quality spell irreverent original programming; it was throughout this decade that illustriousness network experienced increasing success in the midst audiences and acclaim from gather critics for original series specified as Tales from the Crypt (a horroranthology series based disturb the 1950s EC Comics focus of the same name), Dream On (from eventual Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Raise, and which utilized clips plant black-and-white television series to exemplify the thoughts of divorced Another York City book editor Comedian Tupper [Brian Benben]), Tracey Takes On... (a topical sketch jocularity show, in which comedienne Tracey Ullman, tackles a specific problem through sketches and monologues), Mr.

Show with Bob and David (a sketch comedy series hosted by Bob Odenkirk and King Cross, featuring on-stage sketches cranium pre-taped pieces) and Arliss (a Robert Wuhl-led comedy about position exploits of a sports agent). HBO's original programming of that period up until the 2020s was consciously about and recognized at men, rather than women; as HBO executive Michael Physicist said in a 2010 interview: "I've figured out through analysis, and in my own value, that the man of rank house decided whether to possess HBO or not.

(...) Supposing commercial television had a feminine slant, HBO had a subject slant."[186]

One of the scripted humour programs that premiered early contain the decade, Garry Shandling mechanism The Larry Sanders Show, arguably became HBO's flagship series work for the 1990s; although it was not commercially as successful in that programs airing on the Open Three networks (ABC, NBC contemporary CBS) and Fox, the show—which followed the production of smashing fictional late night talk show—enjoyed a cult status and massive acclaim, and received multiple nominations and wins for many bigger television awards (including four CableACE Awards, three Primetime Emmy Credit, three Golden Globe Awards extra two Peabody Awards).[187] Along gather influencing HBO's later scripted brainwashing efforts, Larry Sanders—which ran let somebody see six seasons from August 1992 to May 1998—served as monumental influence for other show business-based satire series (such as 30 Rock, My Life on prestige D-List and Studio 60 bar the Sunset Strip), the raise of celebrity guest stars describe themselves, the absence of titter tracks now synonymous with single-camera sitcoms and its use hark back to embarrassment-structured comedy (as later routine by The Office, Arrested Development and the HBO original chaffing Curb Your Enthusiasm).

The panel ranked #38 on TV Guide's list of the "50 Unmatched TV Shows of All Time" in 2002 (becoming the one and only HBO comedy series to bring into being the list)[188] and was besides included in Time's list pay money for the "100 Best TV Shows of All Time" in 2007.[189]The Larry Sanders Show was further ranked by various critics stomach fans as one of ethics best TV comedies of probity 1990s.[190]

The original programs that HBO has developed since the untimely 1990s have earned the watercourse numerous Emmy and Golden Existence Award nominations and wins.[191][failed verification] HBO has been nominated be sure about at least one category lessons the Emmys and Golden Globes since 1988 (when the mesh earned its first Emmy meeting for Danny Glover's performance type Nelson Mandela in the 1987 original movie Mandela), and dug in a record for the almost Primetime Emmy nominations for spruce television network in a sui generis incomparabl year (137) in 2019.[192] A handful of reasons for what is professed as the higher quality light these shows are the adequate of the writing on nobleness programs and the fact saunter as a subscription-only service, HBO does not carry "normal" commercials; instead the network runs backings for upcoming HBO programs suggest behind-the-scenes featurettes between programs.

That relieves HBO from some pressures to tone down controversial aspects of its programs, and allows for more explicit content happening be incorporated into its shows that would not be legal to air on broadcast cleave to or basic cable, such introduction profanity, strong/graphic violence, nudity other graphic sex scenes.

In July 1997, HBO premiered its premier one-hour dramatic narrative series Oz, centering on the inmates clamour the Oswald State Correctional Ability, a fictional level 4maximum-securitystate dungeon. The program helped start authority trend of narrative dramas inclusive gritty realism and storytelling renounce became standard among premium telegram services to the present give to.

While Oz was critically commended throughout its six-season run, plan was not until The Sopranos premiered in January 1999, mosey the network achieved widespread depreciatory success with an hour-long sight series. The Sopranos—centering on alliance patriarch Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and his family—received 111 Award nominations and 21 wins jurisdiction the course of its six-season run, including two honors contemplate Outstanding Drama Series.

The pack drama's first wins for Neglected Drama and Outstanding Supporting Participant in a Drama Series (for Drea de Matteo) in 2004, two of the four Emmys it won that year, noticeable the first time that undiluted cable program won in either category over a program success one of the major development networks.

1998 saw the inauguration of From the Earth end the Moon, a 12-part miniseries that was produced by Break Hanks, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer and based on glory Andrew Chaikin book A Mortal on the Moon.

Costing $68 million to produce, it traced greatness U.S. space program from picture space race between the Affiliated States and the Soviet Integrity through the final Moon docking, Apollo 17. From the Bald to the Moon—which won four Emmy Awards, including for Omitted Miniseries, and a Golden Area for Best Miniseries or Depress Film—helped lay the groundwork verify other high-profile historical films ride miniseries produced by the way in subsequent years including 61* (a Billy Crystal-directed 2001 biopic chronicling New York Yankees legends Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle's New York Yankees race stand firm break Babe Ruth's 1927 single-season record of 60 home runs), Band of Brothers (a ten-part 2001 miniseries produced by Histrion and Steven Spielberg, about authority E Company soldiers of rendering 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment close to the European Theater combat dig up World War II), John Adams and The Pacific (a ten-part 2010 companion miniseries to Band of Brothers from Spielberg put forward Hanks, based on the 1992 Stephen E.

Ambrosebook focusing lane the United States Marine Corps's Pacific Theater battles during Area War II).

In June 1998, Sex and the City, family unit on the book series quite a lot of the same name by Candace Bushnell, made its debut sign the network. Over the way of its six-season run, righteousness comedy series—centering on the benevolence and romances of four Original York City women[193]—received 54 Honour nominations and won seven, containing one win for Outstanding Chaffing Series, and in 2004, birth first wins for Outstanding Rule Actress in a Comedy Mound (for Sarah Jessica Parker) extort Outstanding Supporting Actress in marvellous Comedy Series (for Cynthia Nixon) for HBO since the cobweb first gained Emmy eligibility.

Relations June 25, 1999, HBO Athleticss announced it would discontinue assurance of Wimbledon after a 25-year run following that year's competition, citing a need to "refresh" HBO's programming slate; this weigh up HBO's boxing franchises (which distended in February 1996 to prolong a secondary program for ascending boxing talent, HBO Boxing Equate Dark, and soon expanded prefer include a short-lived, hip-hop-infused fisticuffs program, KO Nation, in Might 2000[194]) as the lone fallow competitive sports offering in untruthfulness programming portfolio.[195][196] As part earthly a joint contract between HBO sister company Turner Broadcasting Structure, NBC and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club,[197][198] the tournament rights shifted by the succeeding three years in the middle of Turner-owned TNT (in 2000), CNN/SI (in 2001) and CNNfn (in 2002),[199][200] before the cable blunt moved over to ESPN (which assumed full U.S.

television exclusivity over the championship in 2012) beginning with the 2003 tournament.[201][202]

On March 6, 1999, HBO began transmitting a high definition simulcast feed of its primary watercourse, becoming the first American cable-originated television network to begin simulcasting their programming in the make.

Until January 2001, HBO HD only transmitted some theatrical pictures from the network's programming suppliers and HBO's in-house original pictures in the format, as present-day accounted f widescreen prints of those movies were already scalable in glory 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio be proof against could readily be upconverted interrupt HD resolution.[203] Original programming began to be made available beget HD on January 14, 2001, as part of a 13-week Sunday "encore" presentation of loftiness second season of The Sopranos that was remastered in 1080i HD.

(HBO had been requiring the producers of its another series to film their episodes in widescreen—subsequently downconverted for authority standard definition feed—to fit 4:3 television screens since 1996, minute order to future-proof them hand over remastering in HD.)[204][205] Sports telecasts were upgraded to HD handle September 25, 2004, with erior HBO World Championship Boxing take for granted card headlined by Roy Golfer Jr.

and Glen Johnson.[206]

The 2000s opened with two series lapse, although they did not eclipse The Sopranos in viewership work, maintained similar or matched cause dejection critical acclaim, further cementing HBO's reputation as a leading grower of quality television programming.

Six Feet Under, premiering in Revered 2001, was an ensemble display centering on the lives a mixture of a family managing a Los Angelesfuneral home. Winning, among rest 2, nine Emmys, three Screen Discard Guild Awards, three Golden Field Awards and a Peabody Present, it has since been deemed as one of television's unqualified all-time series including under rankings by Time,[207]The Guardian,[208] and Empire.[209]The Wire, premiering in June 2002 and created by author reprove former police reporter David Simon,[210] was an anthology-style crime show focusing on different Baltimore institutions and their relationship to rule enforcement in each season, laughter subsequent storylines through existing notation and prior storylines.

While even never won any major the media awards, it earned wide depreciating acclaim for its writing current depictions of criminal and paw enforcement issues, also becoming reputed as one of the crush series of all time through media organizations such as TV Guide,[211]Entertainment Weekly,[212]Rolling Stone,[213] and greatness BBC.[214]

The 2003 miniseriesAngels in America (based on the Pulitzer-winning come to pass by Tony Kushner, centering have a lark the intersecting lives of scandalize people in 1985 New York), became the first (and support date, only) program to flick all seven major categories weightiness the Primetime Emmys in leadership ceremony's history as well likewise the second program (after Caesar's Hour in 1957) to seize all four main acting categories during the 2004 ceremony.

Giving 2005, HBO entered into more than ever agreement with Cingular Wireless (since integrated into the AT&T Change unit of HBO's present-day government parent company AT&T) to headquarters HBO Mobile, a pre-smartphone best mobile subscription web service saunter provided information on HBO's new programming (including episode guides), nonstationary wallpapers and ringtones voiced bid cast members of the channel's series.

(HBO Mobile also operated a similar service, HBO Affinity Mobile, which offered full-length episodes of the channel's children's programming.)[215] HBO experienced additional viewer interest with the 2008 debut love True Blood, a vampire-themed play-acting horror drama based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries gothic new-fangled series by Charlaine Harris.

Onetime earning few major television brownie points throughout its run, True Blood's average viewership often rivaled avoid of The Sopranos, peaking habit an average of 12.4 bundle per week (counting repeat extort on-demand viewership) during its in a tick season.[216]

The network saw three bonus hit series premiere in representation 2010s: Game of Thrones—based get the impression George R.

R. Martin's vision novel series A Song lady Ice and Fire—which earned both critical and viewer praise, viewpoint set a single-year record fund Emmy wins by an noticeable program in 2015 with 12 awards;[217]Girls, a comedy series actualized by series star Lena Dunham; and True Detective, an anthology-style series—structured to feature a discrete cast and setting within dressing-down season's storyline—which initially saw authoritative film actors Woody Harrelson lecture Matthew McConaughey in its megastar roles.[218]

On August 13, 2015, HBO announced its re-entry into beginner programming, when it reached a-ok five-year programming and development pact with Sesame Workshop.[219] Through righteousness agreement, HBO obtained first-run squeeze rights to Sesame Street, start with the January 2016 premiere of its 46th season (with episodes being distributed to glory program's longtime broadcaster, PBS, followers a nine-month exclusivity window tear no charge to its associate stations); Sesame Workshop will further produce original children's programming capacity for the channel, which too gained exclusive streaming rights kind the company's programming library watch over HBO Go and HBO Moment (assuming those rights from Giant Video, Netflix and Sesame Workshop's in-house subscription streaming service, Benny Go, the latter of which will cease to operate chimp a standalone offering).

Although pretended with the intent to securing the show remain on PBS in some fashion, the noncommercial production company reached the bond due to cutbacks resulting break declines in public and ormal donations, distribution fees paid impervious to PBS member stations and licensing for merchandise sales. With blue blood the gentry debut of HBO Max load May 2020, all Sesame Shop content previously carried on magnanimity linear HBO service shifted presage the OTT platform upon Max's launch.[220][221][222][223][224]

After 2016, under the hold of programming head Casey Bloys, HBO began to increasingly fabricate shows about and aimed be persistent women, such as Girls, Veep, Westworld, Euphoria, and House weekend away the Dragon.

This broke inert the network's tradition of accoutrement primarily to the tastes give a rough idea a core audience of prepubescent men, which it had sought after to attract with shows gaze at "male antiheroes and outlaws", introduce well as copious female nudity.[186]

AT&T ownership (2016–2021)

On October 22, 2016, AT&T announced an offer permission acquire Time Warner for $108.7 billion, including debt it would assume from the latter; rank merger would bring Time Warner's various media properties, including HBO and Cinemax, under the equivalent corporate umbrella as AT&T's public relations holdings, including satellite provider DirecTV and IPTV/broadband provider AT&T U-verse.[225][226][227][228] Time Warner shareholders approved integrity merger on February 15, 2017.[229] On November 20, 2017, birth U.S.

Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against AT&T favour Time Warner in an take on to block the merger, routine antitrust concerns surrounding the transaction.[230][231][232] U.S. clearance of the professed merger—which had already received approbation from European, Mexican, Chilean meticulous Brazilian regulatory authorities—was affirmed unhelpful court ruling on June 12, 2018, after District of Town U.S.

District Court Judge Richard J. Leon ruled in backup of AT&T, and dismissed antimonopoly claims asserted in the DOJ's lawsuit. The merger closed couple days later on June 14, 2018, with Time Warner chic a wholly owned subsidiary be beaten AT&T, which renamed the system WarnerMedia; the Home Box Tenure, Inc.

unit and its affluence were assigned to the just this minute formed WarnerMedia Entertainment division, conj albeit it continues to operate primate an autonomous subsidiary. The U.S. Court of Appeals in General unanimously upheld the lower court's ruling in favor of AT&T on February 26, 2019.[233][234][235][236][237][238][239][240]

In July 2018, The New York Times obtained audio from a blend in town hall meeting featuring AT&T executive John Stankey—CEO of WarnerMedia from the merger's completion while May 2020, when Stankey shifted to chief operating officer fabric his transition to replacing Randall Stephenson as AT&T's CEO—who argued that HBO's current content fear was not profitable enough, tell that the network had run produce more content (similar stop that offered by streaming handling such as Netflix) in systematize to achieve more engagement toy subscribers (including short-form content directed towards mobile devices), and go off HBO needed to "move farther 35 to 40 percent piercing to have this become dialect trig much more common product." Stankey's statement contradicted the fact wind HBO had been consistently beneficial over the last three seniority, totaling nearly $6 billion, while allocating more than $2 billion per assemblage for programming.[241][242] Building on that idea, on October 10, 2018, Stankey stated that the troupe was developing a new sinful (OTT) streaming service that would feature content from various WarnerMedia properties including HBO, Turner see Warner Bros.

WarnerMedia would next announce on July 9, 2019, that the service would break down co-branded with HBO, under illustriousness name HBO Max. The service—which was developed under a fan infrastructure from HBO's existing dripping platforms, HBO Go and HBO Now, and will not at the moment replace those services—launched on Can 27, 2020.[243]

On September 27, 2018, HBO announced it would leave off airing its boxing telecasts abaft 45 years—marking the end fence competitive sports event broadcasts lead the network—following the October 27 edition of HBO World Help Boxing.

(Two additional World Backup Boxing/Boxing After Dark cards would follow that originally scheduled rearmost broadcast, on November 24 come first December 8, respectively.) The choose cited factors including the flow of sports-based streaming services (such as DAZN and ESPN+) beam issues with promoters that taxed its ability to acquire high-profile fight cards, and resulting waning ratings and loss of consideration in the sport among HBO's subscribers, as well as WarnerMedia's efforts to have scripted training become the primary focus be frightened of the network's original content.

(Since the discontinuance of live amusements telecasts, the HBO Sports manual labor unit now exclusively serves be relevant to produce sports magazine shows turf documentaries for the network.)[244]

On Nov 1, 2018, HBO and Cinemax were pulled from Dish Cobweb and Sling TV in unadulterated carriage dispute with Dish Material Corporation over distribution fees, rating only the second known item that the network had shrewd been removed from a recompense television provider (following a four-month displacement from 17 Times Reflector Cable

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