A recent television news story reported that they were going behind the doors of a business that doesn't want you to know it exists in Philadelphia. The company does want you to find them in cyberspace. It's part of the entertainment industry revolution. The company's rapid growth will be cause for concern for some, because of what is being sold.
In a recent broadcast on Philadelphia station WPVI-TV, reporters looked into a business that they said hides in plain sight. Just blocks from the Liberty Bell, the report said, a local company is building an adult entertainment empire.
The company's called National A-1 Advertising. No big signs outside advertising that. Security is tight. Only employees are allowed inside. Not even the mail carrier is allowed into company offices.
"People are always surprised that we're right across from the Liberty Bell, but it is freedom of speech and freedom of expression. We're proud of that. We like being in historical Philadelphia," the company’s owner told WPVI-TV.
Inside there is even more security with hand scanners, key cards, and codes to keep out those unauthorized. One woman knows how secure the place is. She used to work there.
"All I know is it's very, very secured,” the ex-worker told a television reporter. “You have to have key card to get in. Not allowed to let anyone else in the building. Not even one of your fellow employees."
She worked as what's called a phone sex actress. National A-1 has one of the largest number of phone sex hotlines in the country and it makes up 80 percent of the company's revenue, the story reported. The woman told reporters that the pressure was on to keep callers on the line and make big money.
For her, the story continued, she called it just a paycheck.
A Center City office building is also the home to Hotmovies.com, arguably the fastest growing porn provider on the internet, said the report. One man is considered the brains behind the internet operation.
"The adult side of things, they are always on the cutting edge of technology. They have to be. It's the most cutting edge thing online that there is. There are millions of sites out there. To be the best and the biggest you have to be on the top of the technology all the time," Hotmovies.com owner told the report.
The television report continued by saying that the owner of Hotmovies.com has said so-long to DVD rentals. Hotmovies.com boasts an incredible 32,000 legal porno movies, all online, all on demand, and the Philadelphia-based company is planning to offer edit-your-own porn. And while this man and the owner, a Drexel Grad, say they are proud of their success in the porn industry, no one would agree to be identified.
"Do you sleep at night,” the report asked.
"Yes, I do," he responded.
The owner flat out admits the industry is demeaning to women, the report said, but also brags he's making money hand over fist. He expects to collect $20 million from Hotmovies.com alone this year. And that's exactly what concerns some. In fact, the American Family Association of Pennsylvania says, "All these providers can see are the dollar signs.... National A-1 and the others do not want to acknowledge the harm done by offering their product."
The news report concluded by saying that National A-1 only accepts then distributes the adult movies from both studios and movies people make at home. They expect to have 50,000 available by the end of year. Only one other adult website is bigger and it's all here in Philadelphia.
