HBO Dropping Adult Fare

HBO’s popular drama series “The Deuce” is set in Times Square in the 1970s before the New York neighborhood was purged of its X-rated movie houses and adult book stores.

But, according to The LA Times, the cleanup of the cable network’s own red light district is already complete. Earlier this summer, HBO quietly removed erotic adult movies and TV shows from its channels and streaming services.

It means racy reality shows such as “Taxicab Confessions,” the documentary series “Real Sex” and “Cathouse,” which chronicled life in a Nevada brothel, and specials featuring adult film star Katie Morgan, are no longer available to HBO subscribers. The adult feature films are gone as well.

Soft-core erotic movies and sexually explicit unscripted programs had long been a staple of the premium cable channel, which became part of AT&T in June after the company completed its acquisition of HBO parent Time Warner Inc.

While adult content might not have been a favorite of the new, strait-laced owners, HBO said the decision to move away from the programs preceded the AT&T deal as they had become less popular.

“Over the past several years HBO has been winding down its late-night adult fare,” an HBO representative said. “While we’re greatly ramping up our other original program offerings, there hasn’t been a strong demand for this kind of adult programming, perhaps because it’s easily available elsewhere.”

Viewers who want sexually explicit video content no longer have to subscribe to a premium cable TV service as previous generations did. The internet has made adult content widely available to anyone with a broadband connection.