TVX Shutdown.

[gu55ett]

Grawth, I couldn't have put it better myself. You've summed the situation up perfectly. I considered replying to the posts from people who obviously have a vested interest in keeping the status quo, but decided that I would only be accused of whining or sour grapes. I well remember the debate that raged on this forum at the time when ofcom was consulting on changes to what may or may not be broadcast, and yes, I did fill in one of their questionaires and tell them what I thought about the ridiculous censorship laws in this country. I also remember that with very few exceptions the channel operators did nothing to lobby ofcom to get the law/code changed. As was pointed out at the time, most "adult" broadcasters were quite happy to keep things as they were/are.

My major complaint is that, during the freeview trailers, all the channels make fraudulent claims about the strength of the encrypted programmes, a situation made worse by posts on these forums claiming that such and such a channel were showing full strength material the previous day/night/week/month. They should be made to have a large banner somewhere on the screen, pointing out that they will only be showing what is currently allowed under the restrictions imposed by ofcom - something like the government health warnings on cigarettes.

It is my guess that they know full well that they can get away with making false claims because a) people will be to embarrassed to complain to the authorities and b) even if they did complain nobody would do anything about it because it's only some "pervy" (who should probably be locked up) having a moan.

The only way to fight this is by not giving them any more money, and spreading the word to as many people as possible through forums like this.

[Autolycus]

There's a difference between being in decline and closing down. The Sun's circulation figures are in decline - it still makes Murdoch a shedload of money every day.

[Autolycus]

"guys like richard desmond and david sullivan...dont actually wish to broadcast hours and hours of heavily cut programmes...they simply have no choice!!!!"

Since Dirty Des hates being called a pornographer I doubt he would broadcast hours of filth even if he could.

As for the Slug he has made a fortune of promising one thing but delivering another - as indeed does every aftershave manufacturer who "promises" his scent will get you laid or every moisturiser maker who "promises" to banish those wrinkles.

[Cornish Chris]

I agree its a pretty piss poor situation.
To be fair its nearly a monopoly senario.
The same people own the sat channels, licensed sex shops, magazines and newspapers and indeed the major VOD suppliers.

Having said that i reckon the availability of adult material in this country is quite vast compared to many many places....so really theres not much to grumble about.
Better the devil you know than the deep blue sea.

[andy at handiwork]

I would have thought the high cost of DVDs in UK is down primarily to the 'cartel' operated by the few distributors that exist here, rather than the producers.
If we had legal domestic mail order for hard core and no requirement to certificate at huge cost, the industry would be a lot healthier.
BTW what makes you think this or any British government would pay the slightest attention to the collective voice of an industry it would like to close down tommorrow, and upon which it imposes restrictions and red tape as it tries to do just that.

[harmonyluvver]

I think marino has given this challenge before. If you are fed up with it and think you could produce a QUALITY hardcore film on a small budget, distribute it, then sell it cheap and live on the profits.........do it. Fair enough hollywood blockbusters cost ?15 ish )but they can cost upto ?30 on dvd with Blue ray coming out they are gonna go up again) but they have an absolutely massive distribution I have no doubt that if you could buy hardcore in woolworths or get them off the top shelf in blockbuster then prices would come down. If you think that its in any producers best interest to keep the status quo you are crazy because if you had the choice between selling in a few hundred shops at 20 quid or thousands at 15 which would you choose ? People on this forum constantly attack the industry and give little or no support to it. Yes there are some piss poor producers out there who are making the same formulaic rubbish they have been making forever. But there are also some companies out there who are trying to really give british porn a new edge and pushing the envelope like Erotic Flesh, Orchid and dreamligths to name a few and there are some producers who are making more old school stuff but doing it bloody well like marino. Will they be supported to help the industry reach a better place or will they have their films ripped off limewire and emule? If you want a better porn indusrty do something about it.

[Cornish Chris]

The above post makes mucho sense. However try producing a DVD (with all the associated production, certification, pressing, packaging and distribution costs) and expect to recieve more than ?3 - ?4 a unit, when they retail for ?20. Its quite obvious who makes the killing !wink!

[pagangod_uk]

Sorry to say this, but again with the whinging!

You talk of goverment red tape, yet this very goverment is the one that was in power when UK porn was finally given some kind of legitimacy - albeit by way of certain EU statutes.

I'm no supporter of Blair or his policies - but it was under the auspices of his cabinet (and despite the protestations of Jack Straw) that we were finally able to legally buy HC adult material.

Nobody in the British Adult Industry is willing to take a stand against the absurd restrictions the law imposes on sales/distribution of legitimate HC product - instead excuses become the order of the day, with the endless moaning about the state of things and other such tiresome cliches.

Maybe it's just part of the 'British Condition' - to accept, without protestation, the way of things and not actually stand up and voice their dissatisfaction with the bullshit we have to contend with.

Years ago I was active in trying to change such thinking in the industry and kept coming up against the very same brickwalls - the inherent negativity, the unwillingness to put their money where their mouth is and speak out.

There's a strange kind complacency in the UK Adult biz, a distrust, paranoia and insularity from certain 'key figures' in the industry, and worst of all, a fear of change - that ironically, if it did happen, would most likely be of benefit for all involved.

In past years I've worked on a number of productions and helped facilitate others, for U.S. and European producers shooting in this country and the attitude is so much different - for a start off none of that Brit any-old-tripe-will-do thing, that so many Brit producers seem so content to churn out.

The foreign Producers actually take pride in their work - we just 'busk' and 'bodge' our way through a shoot, unprofessionally and (mostly) without much in the way of discernable talent.

No wonder our best female talent bugger off to the U.S. - ok, I know the pay is better, but I've seen girls really taken for a ride (pardon the pun!) by Brit directors/producers. They get treated a hell of a lot better by non-Brit producers and thats a deciding factor for sure in their departure from blighty.

Back to the politics of porn...

This goverment, more than any in recent history, is pre-occupied with new ventures of a fiscal nature - witness the rise of the current gambling culture and the advent (and over saturation) of all those late night, phone-in TV quiz shows.

Basically, if theres to money to be made, then this goverment will sit up and listen - if people from the Brit adult industry lobbied the goverment on that level and tapped into that mentality, then they might just be a little more happy to pay attention to the 'porn argument'.

Blair is on his way out, and with him his self-rightous/moralistic religous views...

Gordon Brown most likely to replace him, think about it: he's Chancellor at the moment with a keen eye for the Bottom Line - the potential lure of massive revenue from an industry still in it's embryonic stages in this country.

The ideal situation: a unified adult British industry sellling the concept of a well-proven business model - porn! - with it's huge growth potential to a bottom-line obsessed ex-Chancellor/new PM.

Will this ever happen? unlikely, given the reluctance/inability of the Biz to take a real stand.

The British adult business NEEDS to change in order to survive - quit griping, be pro-active instead of in-active and maybe, just maybe, UK porn might be saved from a certain and inevitable demise.

Sorry for the 'epic' post peeps, just felt these things really needed to be said.

Peace,

PG!rant!

[Dickie Davies]

Everyone is of course entitled to their opinion but this thread has been characterised by a fair amount of ocean-going crap (no names, no pack drill). People who talk about taking a legal stand should put up or shut up. They might be right but they are taliking about risking other people's money - risk their own money and we are talking..

I understand Gorgeous Gee's frustration - I was in London (from far away) on Wednesday and popped into the main Soho sex shops.

They were pretty empty - I think this was for two reasons - firstly, when porn was illegal and you needed to go to Soho for a smuggled mag or pirated VHS, it was all a bit exciting. Of course those days have gone.

Secondly, of course, the internet - why go to a shop and buy a DVD when you can get loads on the internet?

I first started visiting Soho in 1980 or so - I used to go to do a big round of shops because, as everything was smuggled in, each might have something different (and did). It was especially good when a Brit girl was involved - and that led to this site. Add youth to unpredictable and it was extiting. My round is now down to a max of four shops.

It strikes me now that some of you sensible porn video producers need to club together and see how you can engage with Parliament to change the R18 rules to allow mail order. All MPs will be worried about the Daily Mail effect but I think Britain has becom a bit more liberal in the last few years, so there should be some who would listen.

As for TVX, its programming today is much better than a few years ago. I'd guess it will carry on as it has been and we should all be very grateful that it (and other UK channels) commissions new porn from UK producers. I certainly am.