PTC Applauds HBO Move to Stop Offering Porn

The Parents Television Council applauds HBO and its corporate parent, AT&T, for removing the pornographic content from its platform -- but urges AT&T to make the same move by removing X-rated pornographic content from DirecTV. “AT&T’s HBO made a wise decision to remove pornographic content, even citing that ‘there wasn’t strong demand for this kind of adult programming.’ While that is a huge positive step forward, the same logic should also extend to AT&T-owned DirecTV, which still offers hardcore pornographic content to subscribers,” said PTC President Tim Winter. “How can a company that says it is built on responsibility continue to deliver and profit from pornography? How much does DirecTV porn really increase the earnings per share? Is this a reasonable tradeoff for a so-called responsible company? “Given that AT&T’s CEO Randall Stephenson was the 36^th National President of the Boy Scouts, it’s hard to reconcile that role with the DirecTV pornographic lineup. Are the explicit pornographic titles on DirecTV about grandmothers, mothers, or stepsisters what he wants his scouts to be thinking of? “Mr. Stephenson should follow the leadership of fellow Texas businessman Bob Rowling who removed porn from his Omni Hotels chain. “AT&T should use the same business rationale and remove pornographic content from DirecTV. Anything less is a halfhearted commitment to corporate responsibility.”