Company profile for the media company HBO (Home Box Office) Term Paper

Company profile for the media company HBO (Home Box Office) - Term Paper Example The channel is expanding its broadcast continuously by licensing its broadcast to television networks and presently people of about 151 countries around the world are enjoying its original programs. At the same time, HBO’s branded premium pay and basic cable networks are operating in about 50 countries of Latin America, Central and Western Europe, and some parts of Asia as well (http://www.timewarner.com). At the end of 2011, it had about 81 million global subscribers out of which 42.5 million are international premium pay and basic cable subscriber while rest of 39.4 million are nationwide premium pay subscriber. HBO is available in HD on number of multiplex channels like Direct TV, Cox Communication, Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, and Dish Network etc. The year 2011 is the fourth consecutive year when HBO has won 4 Golden Globes award more than any network while it has been the 10th consecutive year when it has won 8 Sports Emmys and 19 Primetime Emmys in 2011 (HBO Annual Repor t, 2010). Strangers No More, a documentary film of HBO received Academy Award for the category of Best Documentary. 1. What do they do in media? HBO mainly operates television films, comedy shows and concerts, motion pictures and original series, and occasionally boxing matches via cable, direct broadcast satellite (DBS), C-band satellite, and microwave (MMDS). The network has offered HBO On Demand. It means HBO has given a wonderful option to its subscriber to watch its programs according to their own schedule. A big share of HBO’s programs consists of egalitarian theatrical motion pictures. For this purpose, HBO acquires license agreements from the producers or distributors of such recently released films. Under such agreements, HBO gets exclusive rights to broadcast and distribute recently released or old films. The license agreement always depends on the performance of films on the box office. High-quality award winning original comedy and theatrical series is another bro adcast segment of HBO e.g., Boardwalk Empire, Curb Your Enthusiasm, True Blood, and Boardwalk Empire. Besides these, HBO also shows boxing matches, family programs, sports news, and commentaries. 2. How long has this business been in operation, what is their history? Charles Dolan, one of the pioneers of cable networks systems in United States of America, presented the business plan of ‘Green Channel’ to Time Life Inc. On 8 November, 1972 the channel became Home Box Office or HBO (Forsyth, 2002). ‘Sometimes a Great Notion’ was the first ever program aired on HBO. In 1973, Time Life Inc took over the control of newly established channel as Gerald Levin became the first President as well as CEO of HBO. Initially churn rate from subscribers was so high. HBO was tumbling and any debacle could have been occurred. At that time, Levin introduced the broadcasting in Massachusetts. Here a preview of service was offered for free on Channel 3. This offer showed promis ing results as HBO gained a good number of subscribers. Later on the same strategy was applied in other states. On 30th September 1975, HBO put on air the first ever live boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier and thus became the first television channel which delivered the telecast through satellite medium (http://transition.fcc.gov). HBO launched its companion network Cinemax in 1980 which is still very popular and known for its late night soft-core adult shows and series. In 1981, HBO extended its broadcast from 09 hours to 24 hours. In 1983, HBO presented its first kids’ show. Until 2001, HBO showed number of programs for children when these programs were shifted entirely to HBO Family channel. The decade of 80s