Paul Raymond Publications
Paul Raymond Publications is a British men's softcore pornography publisher which releases ten pornographic magazine titles each month; Escort, Club International, Just Girls, Mayfair, Men Only, Men's World, Razzle, Swing Mag, Club DVD and Escort DVD.
Paul Raymond (1925–2008) had launched his first magazine, King with the profits from his Raymond Revuebar in 1964, but it was short-lived.[1] The company originated with its owner's purchase of Men Only in 1971 and Club International in 1972.[2] Raymond relaunched Men Only with photographs of the women who worked at his strip-clubs.[1] Within a few years Raymond claimed the magazine had a circulation of 500,000.[1] Raymonds daughter Debbie ran the company for a time, until she died from a drugs overdose in 1992.[2] The companies main competitors in the UK are Gold Star Publications, formerly owned by David Sullivan, and Northern & Shell, owned by Richard Desmond.[3] In 1999 the company had revenues of £2 million, and pre-tax profits of £19 million.[3] As of 2001 it produced eight of the 10 best-selling pornographic magazines in the UK, aided by its deal with Comag, one of Britains largest magazine distributors.[3] In the 2000s the companies fortunes waned due to competition from the internet and "lad mags".[2][3]
After the death of Paul Raymond, the US arm of the company was sold to Magna Publishing Group, while the UK arm was sold to a group of private investors.
[edit] Notable Employees
Nicholas Whittaker, journalaist and author of Platform Souls, Blue Period and Sweet Talk, worked for the company from 1982 to 1987, and played a major role in establishing the new Razzle magazine. He wrote of his experiences in Blue Period
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Obituary:Paul Raymond, Daily Telegraph, 3 March 2008
- ^ a b c BBC NEWS | UK | Porn baron Raymond dies aged 82
- ^ a b c d Observer - Top shelf gathers dust
