Portland TV

Portland TV is a British adult television company owned by Neon X. It broadcasts subscription and pay-per-view services to UK audiences on the Sky UK, Virgin TV and Freeview platforms. The company was established in London Docklands in 1995 as the adult broadcasting division of the British publishing group Northern & Shell. At one point Portland owned its own broadcasting facilities, but they were later transferred to Channel 5 which Northern & Shell also owned.[1] In 2016 Portland TV was sold by Northern & Shell in a management buy-out, becoming wholly owned by Neon X, in a deal that marked Northern & Shell's complete departure from involvement in the UK television industry.[2] Portland was reportedly sold for less than £1 million after contributing less than two per cent of group revenues per year over the previous three years, or about £9 million per annum. Portland's managing director, Chris Ratcliff, led the buyout.[3] At the time Portland was broadcasting five adult channels and two on-demand online services.[4]

Portland TV
Country
United Kingdom
TV stationsTelevision X, Xrated, Dirty Talk
HeadquartersLondon Docklands
OwnerNeon X
Key people
Chris Ratcliff (managing director)
Established1995
Official website
http://www.portlandtv.co.uk

Channels

Television X was launched in 1995.[5] A number of additional channels were subsequently launched as sub-brands of Television X, and the channel began Internet streaming content in 2007. Red Hot TV was launched in 2000 as an additional set of adult channels; the brand was renamed Xrated in 2017.

Current
  • Television X (Launched in 1995 as "The Fantasy Channel")
    • Bangers (Launched in 2019)

Former
  • Erotika
    • Erotika 1 (closed on March 1, 2004)
    • Erotika 2 (closed on February 2, 2004)
    • Erotika 3 (closed on February 2, 2004)
    • Erotika 4 (closed on October 16, 2003)
    • Erotika 5 (closed on October 16, 2003)
    • Erotika 6 (closed on October 16, 2003)
  • Television X sister channels
    • Television X Amateur
    • Television X Brits
    • Television X FFWD

Regulatory issues

In both 2008 and 2009 Portland was fined by Ofcom for broadcasting material equivalent to BBFC classification R18 on Television X channels. The fines totalled £52,500. In the same years Portland was found in breach of the broadcasting code for advertising R18 website content on Red Hot TV, and on the second such occasion Portland was fined £25,000 by Ofcom.[6]

References
  1. "Richard desmond sells adult tv channels for less than £1m". Campaign. Campaign Live. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  2. "Goodman Derrick advises Neon X on Portland TV MBO". The lawyer. 6 April 2016.
  3. William Turvill (1 April 2016). "Porn-no more for Richard Desmond as he sells adult entertainment network Portland TV for less than £1m". City A.M.
  4. John Plunkett (1 April 2016). "Richard Desmond sells his adult TV channels". The Guardian.
  5. Johnson, Beth; Aston, James; Glynn, Basil (2012). Television, Sex and Society: Analyzing Contemporary Representations. EBSCO ebook academic collection. A&C Black. p. 81. ISBN 9780826434982.
  6. Mark Sweney (18 May 2009). "Richard Desmond-owned TV firms fined by Ofcom". The Guardian.
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