Todd Schwartz

World Screen Weekly, July 31, 2008

VP of Programming

Playboy TV

It has been more than 25 years since Hugh Hefner took the iconic Playboy brand into the TV arena. The linear premium network for adult entertainment that launched in the U.S. in 1982 has since expanded around the world and today reaches more than 70 markets across Europe, Latin America and Asia. Much of the content on those feeds comes from the U.S., where the channel’s new programming initiatives are being driven by Todd Schwartz.

Schwartz, who has been with Playboy since January 2007, recently announced several new shows aimed squarely at the “YouTube generation” of 18- to 34-year-old men. “Our programming is definitely skewing toward that end,” Schwartz says.

Among the new options on the grid is Playboy Prime, airing nightly and featuring segments from some of the channel’s most popular shows, including Totally Busted and Naked Happy Girls.

Playboy has also relaunched Foursome, after ceasing production on the series two years ago, and is working on a game show that Schwartz refers to, with a laugh, as “Cash Cab meets a strip club.”

New content has been at the heart of keeping the service fresh over the years, Schwartz explains, “and we have been putting on new programming as fast as we can.”

While much of Playboy’s content is produced in house, acquisitions are also part of the mix, and Schwartz cites the Canadian import The Boy Nexxt Door as a recent success. “We acquired the first 13 episodes and the response was so positive that we ordered 12 originals. It’s a reality series [about] a real guy who lives with his parents and works at pizza place but wants to be an adult film director.”

As part of the channel’s efforts to develop new programming concepts, it has been reaching out to producers outside of the adult entertainment world. As a result, Schwartz says, “the level of creativity really increased.”

Schwartz also has regular discussions with his colleagues at Playboy’s branded networks around the world. “I was just down in Buenos Aires where we actually shot a [a U.S. version of] a series that was developed by Playboy TV Latin America, called School of Sex.”

Wherever the content comes from, Schwartz notes that it must reflect the Playboy TV sensibility. “Playboy has a very positive attitude and an openness towards personal freedom and sexual freedom. There’s nothing derogatory to women, obviously we want to take all the necessary precautions to make sure everything is produced in a safe way. We look for things that have an element of fun. It has to be sexy.”

Schwartz explains that the Playboy TV brand differs somewhat from the magazine that started it all 55 years ago. “The magazine and the rest of the brand really focus on the Playboy lifestyle and I think Playboy TV tends to focus on the attributes of the Playboy lifestyle.”

While there may be differences in the objectives of Playboy’s various divisions, Schwartz explains that tapping into cross-promotion opportunities has been integral to the company’s strategy. “The magazine will mention shows every month that are on the air. And we do profiles of things that are in the magazine. We go behind the scenes of photo shoots. We shoot the Playboy Car of the Year contenders. We’re at the Playmate of the Year luncheon. The Playmates have a video on the network every month.”

Schwartz notes that his TV career thus far, which includes time spent at NBC, VH1 and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, helped prepare him for his role within Playboy. “I learned how to cross-collateralize your assets and keep everything going in one direction.”

—By Mansha Daswani