LOS ANGELES — CNBC posted a column today, “Defending Our Porn Coverage, Again,” responding to detractors who have reacted negatively to the media outlet’s recent coverage of the adult entertainment industry.
CNBC's stories detail how the business has fared lately and what kind of changes it faces. The coverage does not include graphic photos or NSFW anecdotes.
“Adult entertainment is a $14 billion industry. It also lies at the center of a lot of societal debate and technological innovation,” CNBC’s Allen Wastler wrote. “That merits our coverage, despite the taboo nature of the subject matter. It's an argument I've made again and again.
“Admittedly some industries are more taboo than others. But ignoring them doesn't make them any better or any worse. It just makes them less understood.”
Wastler notes that the continued mainstreaming of erotica, evidenced by the success of the “50 Shades of Grey” franchise, warrants our attention.
“I'll admit, the coverage gets a lot of traffic,” he added. “Those clicks, indeed, far outweigh the number of negative comments we receive. Makes sense when you think about it. Complaints on this type of thing come far more easily than compliments.... Who writes in to say: ‘Great porn coverage!’?”
Still, he assures that CNBC does not wish to offend any readers who find the content distasteful. His advice for those folks? Don’t read the stories.
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