Downturn hits porn industry
 

Downturn hits porn industry
Adult Entertainment Expo feels the slump
By BEN FRITZ

You know it?s a bad economy when the adult industry is experiencing shrinkage.

At the Adult Entertainment Expo, the annual confab that runs concurrently with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, there were fewer exhibitors, fewer fans and a lot less glitz.

According to a rep for Adult Video News, which runs the show, the exhibitor count was down about 18% from last year. Attendance by fans -- who are admitted on some days of the show, with the rest open to industry pros only -- wasn?t set to be tallied until after the event was finished, but is likely down as well.

Though meetings were still being taken, parties thrown and the annual AVN Awards taking place over the weekend, there wasn?t too much energy on the show floor, with most booths significantly toned down and even muted.

Given conditions, organizers seemed glad simply to have the participation of industry heavyweights like Vivid Video, Wicked Pictures, Digital Playground and Hustler.

Joy King, VP of special projects at Wicked, estimated that adult entertainment revenue was down more than 20% last year, which has led to slumping profits, layoffs and even Hustler topper Larry Flynt?s recent, semi-satirical request for a federal bailout.

?Usually we?re recession proof,? she explained. ?In my 24 years in the industry, this is the first time I?ve really seen us being affected.?

While the industry still makes significant amounts of money from digital distribution -- much more than mainstream media -- King noted that the amount of free porn online is likely hurting the biz as fans look to cut back on spending.

The adult industry has always been on the cutting edge of tech, but there was little in the way of hot new gadgets on display for fans. One outfit did showcase the same technology that was red hot over at CES, though: It displayed a porno in 3-D.

There was even a whiff of desperation as some adult film companies used the show, which is mainly a place for companies to promote their products and stars, to do what?s not allowed: sell DVDs. Their solution was to ?give away? adult DVDs with T-shirts, calendars and hats on sale -- for between $20 and $40.

I think every industry worldwide is having a slowdown ,its only a blip im sure and everyone will be rocking again in time :thumbsup

from your lips to gods ear dollface.

That doesn't sound to good.

Well it is on folks.. how long will you last? I'll be in my bunker... let me know when there's sales again.

:thumbsup Positive Vibration Rules! :thumbsup

the economy is just gonna get worse, start lowering your prices.

just hope everyone has backup plans and solutions to ride out this wave.

hopefully it will get better this year.. :)

Everyone.... Grab your ankles.

Everybody hope the same thing.

economy just takes a break

not really surprised

I may be very naive, and I am not trying to say that the economy is rosy by any means.

But I think that industry specific reasons are far more responsible for the downturn than the economy is.

I typed "positive vibrations" on google and appear this:
http://www.gnt_smp.blogger.com.br/mtg6.jpg

I would suspect a portion of that 18% (at least 5+%) to be those who have posted they were tired of going and it had NOTHING to do with ecomnomic crunch.

How many companies have posted on GFY they are skipping some of these things because its a waste? Ive personally seen a few just on gfy state this as fact. Lines like "now is not the time to party, but time to work"

Well everyone knows this but most companies will never admit it

BMW sales - from 130 000 tp 90 000 in Dec on a year to year basis, all beacuase of tube sites?

sad news. :(
I know we can get through of this.

we are all going to hell

I wonder how long will it last

No, not all because of tube sites.

Because of credit card fraud, an ocean of free content, crappy members areas, shady cross sale tactics, a general fuck-the-consumer attitude, and tube sites.

well said!

Gun + ammo sales have been up since this past fall.
They seem to be the only industry not affected by this "downturn"

too expensive to go :2 cents:

oh well :upsidedow

:2 cents:

Your avatar scares me... :Oh crap:Oh crap

You don't have Internet in your bunker?

This has been going on for several years, with the smaller companies selling to the fans, at the same price they sell to distributors/store owners. If they were selling them for $20 then that is impressive, as I've seen booths selling DVDs for as little as $5.00, and I'm talking about atleast five years ago.