Cable TV channels have discovered a significant source of additional profit from pay-TV porn channels, such as the Hot Network and the Hot Zone, operated by Vivid Entertainment Group, the Wall Street Journal reported today (Tuesday). According to the newspaper, Vivid's profit nearly tripled last year to $14.3 million from $5.6 million in 1998. Even more impressive are the revenues for cable operators who receive 80 percent of revenue from the porn flicks versus 50 percent for Hollywood films. Presumably responding to Vivid's sudden success, Playboy Channel last week switched from soft-core to hard-core films for its 11:00 p.m. Saturday fare, saying that it had done so "in response to consumer feedback."

Source: Studio Briefing