PODCAST · tv
Rated H
by Annenberg School for Communication
Rated H tells the story of how Home Box Office (HBO) transformed from a cash-bleeding, scrappy startup into a global cultural force. The series traces the rise of a network that refused to play by traditional rules, betting everything on risk, defiance, and pushing the limits of what television audiences were allowed to see. Across four episodes, Rated H describes not only HBO's groundbreaking creative leaps, but also its high-stakes battles for survival, its uninhibited early office culture, and the critical question of who got to speak and who got left out. From near-collapse to rebellious programming and the legal battles that shaped the streaming era, its story became a masterclass in reinvention.
Episodes
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Episode 4: Hitting the Wall
In this final episode, with HBO’s lead attorney Peter Gross as our guide, we follow the network into the courtroom as HBO wins company-saving lawsuits against the government and Hollywood. Henry McGee, Linda Frankenbach, and Jeff Bewkes tell the story of how VCR movie rentals and stalled cable...
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Episode 3: It’s Not TV, It’s HBO
Ever heard of The Sopranos or Sex and the City? Well, they wouldn’t exist without HBO. In episode 3, you’ll hear three early executives – Marty Callner, Michael Fuchs, and Sheila Nevins – tell the story of how they built HBO’s programming from the ground up. Breaking Hollywood’s stranglehold on…
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Episode 2: You Must Have Missed Our Invite
Step inside HBO's 1970s workplace—all-consuming, insular, and marked by $500 breakfasts, weekly parties, and blurred boundaries. We follow the fierce struggles of Don Anderson (cable’s first Black executive) and early female leaders like Linda Frankenbach and Sheila Nevins as they fought to break...
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Episode 1: The Origin
On vacation in the south of France in 1971, cable entrepreneur Chuck Dolan dreamed up what would become the Home Box Office, launched with magazine giant Time Inc. the next year. But the new, commercial-free pay TV venture was losing money, and came close to shuttering by the mid-1970s, when a...
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Rated H Trailer
Welcome to Rated H. Rated H tells the story of how Home Box Office (HBO) transformed from a cash-bleeding, scrappy startup into a global cultural force. The series traces the rise of a network that refused to play by traditional rules, betting everything on risk, defiance, and pushing the limits…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Rated H tells the story of how Home Box Office (HBO) transformed from a cash-bleeding, scrappy startup into a global cultural force. The series traces the rise of a network that refused to play by traditional rules, betting everything on risk, defiance, and pushing the limits of what television audiences were allowed to see. Across four episodes, Rated H describes not only HBO's groundbreaking creative leaps, but also its high-stakes battles for survival, its uninhibited early office culture, and the critical question of who got to speak and who got left out. From near-collapse to rebellious programming and the legal battles that shaped the streaming era, its story became a masterclass in reinvention.
HOSTED BY
Annenberg School for Communication
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Rated H have?
Rated H currently has 5 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Rated H about?
Rated H tells the story of how Home Box Office (HBO) transformed from a cash-bleeding, scrappy startup into a global cultural force. The series traces the rise of a network that refused to play by traditional rules, betting everything on risk, defiance, and pushing the limits of what television...
How often does Rated H release new episodes?
Rated H has 5 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Rated H?
You can listen to Rated H on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Rated H?
Rated H is created and hosted by Annenberg School for Communication.
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