NEW YORK (AP) Porn companies are struggling to keep up with new demands and an onslaught of technology, and many are laying off staff.
But some are finding new ways to keep their businesses alive.
The Associated Press is tracking the growth and trends of porn and the industry in the U.S. and abroad.
It was compiled from public records and interviews with industry insiders.
For the first time, we’re taking stock of the porn industry in a digital world.
Here’s what we know so far: * The industry is thriving.
There are more than 300 companies, according to a report from the Entertainment Software Association.
They have more than $10 billion in annual revenue and have an estimated 10.4 million paid members.
* The technology is changing.
In the past decade, the industry has made huge strides in its ability to get people in the bedroom.
That has led to more options for consumers to view porn.
In 2017, the average adult movie went for $3.88 on DVD.
Now, that’s up from $2.65 in 2016.
The rise in streaming has also made it easier to access the material.
More people have access to porn through smartphones, tablets and laptops.
Porn now reaches millions of people around the world, including in the United States.
* But many companies are cutting back.
They’re losing employees.
Porn is a $2 billion-a-year industry, and the majority of them are either being sold or shutting down.
In addition to the decline in paychecks, the studios are also losing revenue due to technology changes, including the advent of the Internet, which makes it harder to find movies online and on demand.
* And the companies are being hit by a lot of competition.
Pornographers and studios have faced a host of new threats over the past year, including ransomware attacks, a rise in Internet piracy and cyberattacks on companies.
Some companies have shut down or slashed jobs, leaving customers in the lurch.
But the industry is recovering.
There were a record 1.2 million adult movies streamed online in 2017.
The industry’s most recent revenue came in 2017, up 5 percent from 2016, the Entertainment Code reported.
Porn revenue is expected to rise 10 percent to $6.7 billion in 2019.
That’s expected to be driven by a surge in the number of new subscribers.
* Porn is not the only industry in trouble.
The New York Times has called the porn business “a ghost town.”
The industry was once the backbone of American culture and had an estimated $10.3 billion in revenue.
It had $3 billion of revenue in 2016, down from $4.2 billion in 2016 and is expected drop further, according in the Times.
The Times also reported that the number and size of porn sites are on the decline, especially in countries where Internet access is limited.
The decline in porn has been attributed in part to technological changes, such as mobile devices and Internet speeds.
* Most people aren’t buying porn.
Porn isn’t the only adult product on the market.
There’s also adult dating, sex toys, bondage and bondage gear and a whole slew of other products that people want to have in their bedrooms.
The American Civil Liberties Union, the National Organization for Women and a slew of gay rights groups have sued porn companies for discriminating against gay customers.
The companies say they are protecting customers and that they’re just trying to stay afloat.
The Justice Department recently launched a probe into whether companies like Pornhub and Vivid are providing “a platform for predators to abuse their power to prey on young people.”
PornHub, which is owned by the Walt Disney Co., declined to comment for this story.
Vivid did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
The U.K. Advertising Standards Authority also has opened a probe.