HBO

The Home Box Office Corporation (HBO) is a 24-hour TV network that manages two channels, HBO and Cinemax. Subscribers pay a monthly free for this service available in the United States via cable, C-band satellite, direct broadcast satellite (DBS) and microwave (MMDS). HBO is owned by the Time Warner Entertainment Company. HBO programs include theatrical motion pictures as well as exclusive programming, such as original movies, series, comedy, documentaries and other educational materials, and sporting events. 

Executives

 * Bill Nelson: chairman and chief executive
 * Richard Plepler, Eric Kessler and Hal Akselrad, co-presidents

As of 2007

Background and History
In 1972 FCC (The Federal Communications Commission) announced its “open sky policy” for satellites—that is, private corporations could launch broadcasting satellites into space. As a result the following decade were an era of deregulation of the television broadcast industry, which allowed cable networks, including pay-cable networks like HBO, to launch.

HBO was launched in November of 1972 and began as a Time, Inc. subsidiary and cable television channel used to rent videos via satellite.

Initial Reactions in Hollywood
The film industry responded with a range of emotions to the initial launch of HBO—Hollywood film production businesses used the pay-cable network to advance the distribution of their content, but representatives from competing movie rental agencies expressed disdain.

Within the first decade of its existence, HBO began financing feature films and maintaining exclusive rights to showing these films. Some speculated that this would cause the downfall of the Hollywood film industry within five years.

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Time Warner
 * Time, Inc.
 * Hollywood
 * Cinemax
 * FCC