Playboy models no longer nude

Starting in March 2016, Playboy magazine will cease publishing photos of nude women. There will still be pictorials of scantily clad women, but the models won't be completely naked. The decision is based upon the premise that the magazine can no longer compete with hardcore pornography available (for free) on the internet. Playboy’s circulation has dropped from 5.6 million in 1975 to about 800,000 now.

I understand the logic behind the decision, but I still think it's a dumb move. Plenty of other publicans offer scantily clad women (Maxim, FHM, etc) but Playboy is unique because it stradles the no-man's land between bikinis and hardcore. Naughtier than a Victoria's Secret catalogue, yet still tasteful, unlike those gynecological exams (and/or colonoscopies) published in Hustler. It's also an American icon, with a rich history.

The last Playboy I saw was the 1995 issue
with Nancy Sinatra on the cover. I was
on the family forum for 5 years and
got to know Nancy quite well, exchanged
many PM's with her. A classy lady. She
is savagely devoted to Frank's legacy.
And to making money from it.

In 20 years, that's it. In the 60's and 70's
I read Playboy all the time. Best interviews
ever.

See, now you can actually say you read it for the articles and mean it.

Quote: rxwine

See, now you can actually say you read it for the articles and mean it.

Playboy was always expensive, most of us
read it for the articles. You wanted pics,
buy Hustler or Penthouse.

"Playboy" was always more for the upscale, thinking man. It is where women posed to get discovered, several stars came out of the Playmate of the Month spreads over the years. More than one career was revived or taken to the next level by a pictorial. It put up a fight not to be lumped in with cheap porn.

It sort of tracked the baby boom generation, though. Peaked in circulation around when they were hitting 30. While for years it could get a celeb and spike in sales, I really cannot remember a "must see" issue in over 20 years. For today's target audience, it is their grandfather's magazine.

Just another American icon who's time we saw come and go. Who is going to pay $8 for the new product?

Will NatGeo see a spike in sales?

Quote: Nareed

Will NatGeo see a spike in sales?

Only in their dark continent issues.

Quote: rxwine

See, now you can actually say you read it for the articles and mean it.

Did it really have articles before? Or was that something the "readership" made up?

certainly they'll need articles now. ;)

The more I think about it, the crazier this decision is. The magazine is famous for one thing, and they decide to stop printing the one thing they're famous for? Even if you accept the premise that the centerfold is too tame to compete with hardcore internet porn, surely this decision won't increase sales. It will merely hasten their demise.

Imagine if Starbucks stopped selling coffee. Or if McDonald's stopped selling hamburgers. Or if Kodak stopped selling film. Or if MTV stopped playing music. (Ok, bad example.)

Quote: Nareed

Did it really have articles before? Or was that something the "readership" made up?

certainly they'll need articles now. ;)

Always did... there's several journalists who made there mark in the pages of Playboy.