Hard Times for Hef

I’m surprised this hasn’t happened sooner. Playboy is kind of an anachronism in this day and age.

Tycoon Hugh Hefner has been advised to cut back on staff at his multi-million dollar glamour empire as it struggles to cope during the global economic turmoil.

The 83-year-old has been told to lay off some of his staff at his Los Angeles and New York offices as soon as this month or go bankrupt.

The company has recently seen shares fall from £6.20 to £1.55.

An insider at the company told the Daily Star that bosses had been aware of the worsening situation for “a while”.

The internet has made publishing tough for men’s magazines. Playboy has diversified to other media, but I’ve always found their stuff pretty corny. I guess the success of people like Joe Francis have shown there’s still a market for tease. But Playboy has become pretty old fashioned. And the whole Hef act was getting pretty old in the 80s, let alone now when Hef’s in his 80s.

I think the porn industry has it worse than the music industry because of internet downloads.  If people aren’t willing to pay for the hardcore stuff, they sure as hell ain’t going to be paying for the softcore stuff Playboy offers.

Posted by TJ_X  on  09/26  at  11:12 AM

Penthouse was supposedly devastated by the internet, but they seem to still be around.

Posted by  on  09/26  at  12:18 PM

I’ve was getting playboy for awhile…believe it or not I liked all the content. As someone who considers himself to be a libertarian , and at one time that was with a capital “L” , the free nature atmosphere of the magazine appealed to me. But lately I feel it’s moved too far to the left for me to read. It could be that I’ve been less tolerant of the left’s views but I’ll bet I’m not alone.

Posted by  on  09/26  at  04:34 PM

Yeah, I know what you mean. They were always pro-Democrat, but so many magazines have gotten so partisan lately it’s tiresome.

Posted by  on  09/26  at  07:26 PM
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