What is HBO?

HBO stands for Home Box Office and it refers to a cable TV network based in the US.  Launched back in 1972, it is currently owned by TimeWarner and its programs are shown in more than 150 countries in the world.

From the term itself, most of the programs under the HBO channel are previously-released movies.  HBO started off as “The Green Channel” back in the early 1970s with Charles Dolan.  With the help of the people behind Time Life management, HBO as a cable channel was born.  In the early years of the channel, Time Life eventually took control of the cable company started by Charles Dolan.  Although HBO became successful in attracting subscribers in its early years, the churn rate was also high.  People back then would just try to subscribe to the new cable channel for a couple of weeks and then cancel their subscription.  But eventually, the popularity of programs under this cable channel increased and extended the broadcast from initially 9 hours a day in the first 9 years of the channel to 24 hours daily.

Things even got bigger for HBO after it successfully aired regularly for 24 hours every single day.  By 1980 it was able to launch another sister channel called Cinemax due to the increasing popularity of its program offerings.  In some markets, HBO not only represents a single channel but a multi-channel line-up.  Besides the standard HBO channel featuring movies, TV series, and events, HBO 2 was also launched which offers more movies and features.  HBO 2 also airs R-rated movies at daytime which is not available on the standard HBO channel. Some markets also have HBO Comedy which is the cable channel dedicated for less serious and more comedic films and features.  There is also a channel called HBO Family which features movies and series that appeal to the younger crowd and the whole family.  The Spanish-speaking community also got their own channel with HBO Latino.

HBO today is synonymous with blockbuster movies that are shown “at home”.  But aside from movies, HBO also produces some television series’ and sporting events.  This channel also has several documentaries and features various special events.