Pay-per-view is a system that most entertainment buffs are familiar with. Pay-per-view, much like it sounds, is a system that enables cable and satellite television subscribers to purchase programming for a one-time view. In existence in one form or another since the late 1950's, pay-per-view began its rise in popularity in the late 1980s and has expanded to several carriers and various programming.

The bulk of pay-per-view purchases are sporting events, and though nearly every sport offers at least one pay-per-view event each year, professional boxing and wrestling account for the majority of sporting event pay-per-view purchases. Sports bars are a large customer base of pay-per-view sporting events, offering patrons the opportunity to watch the event for a cover charge, or sometimes for free, in hopes of recouping their investment through food and drink purchases. Other pay-per-view programming is available in addition to sporting events and typically, concerts and other live events along with adult films comprise the remaining pay-per-view market. Playboy is the largest provider of adult films to pay-per-view carriers and accounts for an estimated 900 thousand orders per month.

Hollywood box office films did account for a small portion of pay-per-view programming at one time, but since the development of movies-on-demand, major motion pictures are no longer successful pay-per-view programs. Though similar to pay-per-view in that a one-time fee is charged for viewing, movies-on-demand allows the subscriber to purchase the movie and schedule the viewing at a time convenient to the subscriber. Pay-per-view events and programming appear at a predetermined time, often because an event is live.

The pricing of pay-per-view programming varies depending on the event. Some sporting events and concerts range from $14.95 (USD) to upwards of $50.00 (USD), while adult films typically cost about $5.00 (USD). Pay-per-view is available to most satellite television and digital cable customers in the United States, and there are several worldwide carriers as well.