Playboy to cease publication of ‘passé’ female nudity
Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner has taken the dramatic decision to back a ban on female nudity within his soft porn bible after agreeing with critics that full frontal shots are ‘passé’ in a world of ubiquitous online porn.
The new edict will come into effect from March next year when the title will pursue ‘provocative’ female poses instead as part of a wider redesign – although its Playmate of the Month feature will remain.
In other moves the magazine will appoint a ‘sex-positive female’ columnist as part of its drive to appeal to younger readers.
CEO Scott Flanders told the NYT: “You’re now one click away from every sex act imaginable for free. And so it’s just passé at this juncture.”
The Playboy website has already been given a makeover, with x-rated content expunged to make it safe to read at work.
The new-look magazine will be rated PG-13 and is an effort to stem a steady decline in readership which has slumped from 5.6m in its 1970s heyday to just 800,000 today.