Cinemax Channel
Founded: August 1, 1980
Parent Company: HBO
Tagline: We Are Your Movie Channel
Website: cinemax.com
One of the longest running movie channels in the business (since 1980), Cinemax is all about feature films and mixes in the occasional original series as well. Now owned by HBO, they started out as one of the few premium channels that broadcast movies 24 hours-a-day, with no commercial breaks. Back then, that was a big deal and it helped Cinemax gain quick traction across a broad demo of viewers. Over the years, they've kept to that Hollywood/documentary core and, when it gets late, even branched out into a more adult genre with Max After Dark.
Starting in 1991, Cinemax parlayed their growing viewer base by spinning off a second, "overflow" channel called MoreMax (originally Cinemax 2). As you might expect, it focuses on extra/second-run movies that are exiting Cinemax's movie run cycle. In 2001,they launched a third channel, 5StarMax which features critically acclaimed classic movies. Over the subsequent two decades, 5 more Cinemax sister channels have launched, covering action, younger adults, sci-fi, thriller and Spanish-language movies. With respect to Cinemax's original programming, they've really only produced a little over a handful of series over the past 10 years. Warrior, a Kung-fu drama originally conceived by Bruce Lee and Jett, a female crime drama with edge, are the two most recent.
Overall, Cinemax is beamed to nearly 20% of all pay tv subscribers and while most other premium movie networks are investing heavily in original programming, Cinemax thrives in a niche of popular movie reboots, behind-the-scene documentaries and more. During the current contract dispute between AT&T and DISH, Cinemax is currently only available on DIRECTV (new subscribers get it free for 3 months to give it a try, therefter it's a few bucks a month; and as with most other movie channels, it's already included in the Premier plan for no additional charge).
Cinemax Programming & Shows
Original Series: The Knick, Outcast, Warrior, JETT, Quarry, etc.
Reruns: hollywood movies from Warner Bros, New Line Cinema, Castle Rock, Touchstone, Walt Disney Pictures, etc
