Home Box Office

Home Box Office (HBO), subscription cable television network, with outlets in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands, and with more subscribers than any other similar network. Established in 1972 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, HBO began distributing its programs nationally by satellite (see Communications Satellite) in 1975—a move that helped make cable television a nationwide communications force in the 1980s, when use of satellite technology by other networks increased dramatically. HBO began transmitting programming 24 hours a day in 1978. The network, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Time Inc. at its start-up, also owns Cinemax, a similar network. In addition, it is part owner of Comedy Central and holds equity in Black Entertainment Television (both advertising-supported basic cable services).

HBO broadcasts a mixture of current commercial movies and sports, as well as films produced by the company itself. HBO also produces and broadcasts comedies, children's shows, documentaries, special series, and music specials. Each program is repeated at different times of day over a period of time, and some original programming is eventually released to commercial network television.