Phillip Chester faces charges in Lantana, Florida, for allegedly recruiting two minors to sell pornographic DVDs. Police reported that Chester, from Georgia, arranged for a 12-year-old and a 13-year-old cousin to sell over 1,100 DVDs from his pickup truck.

Charges Filed in Florida

Lantana police stated that Phillip Chester is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and distributing obscene material to a minor. The arrangement involved the boys selling the DVDs for $5 each, with $2 from each sale kept by the minors.

Evolving Business Models in Adult Entertainment

The adult entertainment industry has seen significant shifts in its business models over the past decades. Before the internet, the industry generated revenue through print magazines, VHS and DVD movie sales, and pay-per-view services offered via hotels and adult cable channels. These traditional content producers earned substantial income.

With the advent of the internet, the entire media industry, including porn, experienced a transformation in its business model. Unlike some other media outlets, such as newspapers, which were slow to adapt to the web, the porn industry quickly recognized and utilized the internet as a tool.

Today, the global porn industry is estimated to be worth $97 billion. A new business model has emerged, often based on providing free content to consumers. The economics of the industry are in constant evolution, with many massive sites offering millions of free videos and supplementing revenue through subscriptions.

Distribution and Accessibility

The accessibility of pornographic material has changed dramatically. Hardcore porn is now readily available through simple search terms on the internet. This contrasts with earlier periods when access was less immediate and often involved physical media like DVDs.

The incident in Lantana, involving the sale of DVDs from a truck, reflects a distribution method that predates the widespread availability of online content. Historically, film studios made significant money selling VHS and DVD movies. The shift to online platforms has made porn more difficult to avoid than to find, with extreme, hardcore material accessible with a one-second search.

Key Facts

  • Phillip Chester is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and distributing obscene material to a minor.
  • Chester allegedly recruited a 12-year-old and a 13-year-old cousin to sell pornographic DVDs.
  • Over 1,100 DVDs were reportedly sold from the back of Chester's pickup truck in Lantana, Florida.
  • The DVDs were sold for $5 each, with the minors retaining $2 per sale.
  • The global porn industry is estimated to be worth $97 billion.
  • The adult industry's business model has evolved from print magazines and DVD sales to a model often based on free online content.