- published: 03 Nov 2013
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Cinemax (sometimes abbreviated as "Max") is an American premium cable and satellite television network that is owned by the Home Box Office Inc. operating subsidiary of Time Warner. Cinemax primarily broadcasts theatrically released feature films, along with original action series, softcore pornographic series and films, documentaries and special behind-the-scenes features.
As of July 2015, Cinemax's programming is available to approximately 21.325 million television households (18.3% of cable, satellite and telco customers) in the United States (20.785 million subscribers or 17.9% of all households with pay television service receive at least Cinemax's primary channel).
Cinemax launched on August 1, 1980 as HBO's answer to The Movie Channel (which at the time, was owned by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, a joint venture between Time Warner predecessor Warner Communications and American Express; TMC is now owned by the Showtime Networks subsidiary of CBS Corporation – previously under Viacom from 1983 to 2005). Cinemax was originally owned by Time-Life Inc., which later merged with Warner Communications in 1989 to form the present-day Time Warner.