Televised sex line

The televised sex line (also described informally as "pay-as-you-go soft porn" [ [http://forum.logofreetv.org/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=336 Logofreetv forum debate] , 7 December 2002] , babe shows/channels [Several shows' titles start with "Babe..."; this phrase was used by [http://www.sysmedia.com/ Sysmedia] teletext on the "Babestation" channel in 2006.
“‘Babe’ channels” used in Guardian article [http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/nov/30/ofcom.television?gusrc=rss&feed=media The Guardian, “Babeworld fined after mum complains”] Retrieved 31 March 2008] or Liveshow-channels from the German "Liveshow-Sender" [ [http://www.sexysat-tv.com/de/Liveshow-Sender/ Sexysat-tv.com German version] , 12 July 2007] ) is a style of pornographic television programme that has developed in Europe since 2001. Broadcast live from a studio, the shows usually feature female presenters advertising a phone sex line at a premium rate, through which callers can also see the woman they are talking to on the screen. Viewers can rarely hear the phone conversations, although some programmes have presenters talking, unscripted, to the camera, and responding to viewers' text messages and camera phone photos.

Many almost-identical programmes have established themselves in Europe (mainly on Hotbird) since 2001, and in the United Kingdom (mainly on Sky Digital) since the beginning of "Babestation" in 2002. These mainly aim for profits, at the expense of production values, which are rarely high. The presenters of shows are often glamour models or porn stars, and have included Lolly Badcock, Cathy Barry, Angel Long, Michelle Monaghan, Dani O'Neil, Faye Rampton and Nina Roberts.

History

1995

*In the US, Playboy TV started "Night Calls", a phone-in show where viewers could 'direct' the presenters (all female porn stars) in sexual acts on the air. However, this was not quite the same format as the one currently used in Europe, where the focus is more on the phone calls, and profit made from them.

2001

*SexySat TV, claimed to be "the first European liveshow channel on satellite" [ [http://www.sexysat-tv.com/en/ Sexysat-tv.com] , 12 July 2007] , began in the Netherlands, broadcasting from 14:00 to 02:00. [ [http://www.sexysat.tv/sexysat1.php Sexysat.tv] , 12 July 2007]

2002

*3 December: "Babestation" was first broadcast from 11pm-1am on Game Network UK, with one girl presenting, and two taking calls (unheard by the viewers). "(A fuller history of Babestation is included in its article.)"

2003

*Other programmes such as "Babecast" [http://www.babecast.tv/] (on Friendly TV) and "Fast Girls" (Motors TV UK) began in late-night timeslots. These were usually on channel nos 150-250 on the Sky EPG [http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/skyuk_chno.html] , and gradually became more daring in portraying nudity and masturbation (although they were by no means hardcore).
*Babestation's running time was extended to include a "late babe" hour, with only one girl taking calls on full screen; to avoid the conversation being heard by viewers, background music was played, as continues to be the case on other programmes.

2004

UK

*A number of the "true" or dedicated adult channels (whose channel no. was around 900, such as Live XXX TV [http://www.livexxx.tv/] ) started to run up to 2½ hours of free-to-view live phone-ins, encouraging viewers to sign up to the subscription for the channel, before becoming . Then, the porn stars from the earlier show would engage in hardcore acts like oral sex, and use dildos.

Outside UK

*4 August: [ [http://www.sexysat-tv.com/en/Liveshow-Channels/SexySat-TV Sexysat-TV.com - SexySat TV] , 13 July 2007] SexySat TV moved from the Netherlands to Prague, Czech Republic, which reduced the explicitness of broadcasts.
*August: Diva Futura went on-the-air in Italy. [ [http://www.sat-erotik.de/fta2.php?id=75 Sat-erotik.de - Diva Futura page] , 13 July 2007]
*22 October: eUrotic TV began in Austria. Its role was "to sell subscriptions for encrypted channels like Inxtc.tv and Xplus tv". [ [http://www.sexysat-tv.com/en/Liveshow-Channels/eUrotic-TV Sexysat-TV.com - eUrotic TV] , 13 July 2007]

2006

*By this time, Game Network had allowed "Babestation" (and other profitable non video game-related programmes like "Psychic Interactive") to dominate its schedule.
*20 February: Game Network ceased to exist, and the channel was renamed "Babestation".
*28 February: Sky moved all adult or predominantly-adult channels to channel nos 900-970, so all channels showing late-night babe shows are now alongside established adult channels like Television X.
*During the daytime, some channels show teleshopping or quiz channels, while many of the newly-moved channels decided to start showing "softer" daytime babe shows, with some of the same presenters as at night (e.g. "Babedate"). They still take premium-rate phone calls, but usually wear bikinis (and keep them on), and cannot make sexual gyrations.
*Television X's "TVX Callgirls Live" became the first "babe show" to introduce male porn stars on-screen. They co-presented a free-to-view preview for two hours, with an alternating female presenter (two other girls take calls), then, in the live finale for subscribing viewers, had sex with one of the female presenters on air after encryption.
*9 November: ICSTIS fined a variety of daytime chat-line service providers for breaches of phone line regulations — LiveLines UK Ltd, who ran daytime show "Housebabes Live" (and "Office Babe" and "Hospital Reception" until 28 September 2006) were fined a total of £85,000 [ [http://www.icstis.org.uk/consumers/adjudications/default.asp?node=&id=588 LiveLines UK £60,000 fine] ] [ [http://www.icstis.org.uk/consumers/adjudications/default.asp?node=&id=585 LiveLines UK £25,000 fine] ] ; Datapro Services Ltd, £3,000 for "Office Babe" [ [http://www.icstis.org.uk/consumers/adjudications/default.asp?node=&id=589 Datapro Services Ltd £3,000 fine] ] ; Com & Tel Ltd, £25,000 (lowered after appeal) and 2 Ergo Ltd, £5,000, for "Babedate" and "Mobibabes" [ [http://www.icstis.org.uk/consumers/adjudications/default.asp?node=&id=586 Com & Tel Ltd, 2 Ergo Ltd, £30,000 total fine] ] ; and Eckoh Technologies, £10,000 for "Babeworld" (daytime version, which still contained sexually-explicit phone conversations) [ [http://www.icstis.org.uk/consumers/adjudications/default.asp?node=&id=584 Eckoh Technologies £10,000 fine] ] . [http://www.informationoverlord.co.uk/2006/11/icstis-fines-variety-of-service]
*24 November: British television regulator Ofcom imposed a £175,000 fine on Look4Love, owners of "Babestar TV". In 2006, Babestar had become one of the more explicit free-to-view nighttime channels, containing use of sex toys and oral sex between female presenters, although the content could still just be considered "softcore". Ofcom's problem was actually with Babestar's concentration on the "barely-legal" status of an 18-year-old presenter. [ [http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/obb/ocsc_adjud/look4love.pdf Ofcom fine Look4love] ]

2007

*SportXXXbabes and House Of Fun TV introduced 'live pixelisation' - blurring of a part of the screen. This allowed them to feature explicit content (masturbation and oral sex between presenters) without breaking rules, because aroused genitals were not seen.
*February: House Of Fun TV also introduced "Boys Next Door", the first all-male gay porn on a British televised sex line, broadcast only twice (on Tuesday nights). This featured simulated anal sex, and (pixelised) real masturbation and oral sex between three male presenters.

2008

*The websites of Babestation, "Babecast" and "Sex Station" began to simulcast content — although most of this is repeated material previously televised on "Sex Station", there was also the introduction of a daytime webcast from 11:00 until 20:30, with sexually-explicit content and language that would be too strong to be televised, featuring up to three female presenters.
*3G technology was introduced to televised sex lines, which allows some presenters to see some of the callers who are talking to them.

Daytime chat lines

United Kingdom

During the daytime, most Sky Digital adult channels broadcast "chat line" or "date line" programmes, where viewers can call female presenters, still at the premium rate, but rarely including sexual content or conversation so they cannot be classed as "sex lines". The presenters are sometimes the same as on nighttime sex lines; some, like French "Bangbabes" presenter Chloe [http://be-seen-here.co.uk/chloe-midlands-model.htm] , made the 'transition' from daytime to nighttime.

The 8pm-9pm hour (before the watershed) features fewer phone-ins on the adult channels.

List of televised sex lines

Austria

Germany

*Defunct:

Daytime chat lines:

Defunct televised sex lines:

Bisexuality

Bisexuality (or pretended bisexuality) has a strong presence on the shows, because the girls are usually taking calls from men but many perform girl-girl porn on-screen, and some have had relationships off-screen; Dani O'Neal said "we're all bisexual here [on Babestation] " ["Babestation", August 2006] .

On 9 June 2008, O'Neal and Amanda (both presenters on Babestation), after TV promotion insinuating that they were in a sexual relationship, had sex with each other in an internet show viewable only to 3G callers. [ [http://www.babestation.co.uk/home Babestation homepage] & www.babecamsex.com (Video121, “Amandadani”) retrieved 9 June 2008]

References

External links

* [http://www.sexysat-tv.com/en/Liveshow-Channels/ Sexysat-tv.com — Liveshow-channels page] , A page reviewing European "televised sex lines". "(sexual content)"
* [http://babechannelsexposed.blogspot.com/ Babe Channels Exposed] - The Blog for discussing the UK Babe Channels available on Sky Digital