Ed Martin Live from TCA: Is HBO Recession-Proof? Plus, Larry David Reveals Details of “Seinfeld” Reunion, Robin Williams Returns, “Hung” Star Has Critics A-Twitter

HBO had a couple of downbeat years after The Sopranos ended its run, but you wouldn't have known it from the pay-cable network's presentation yesterday at the summer Television Critics Association tour. The afternoon began with President, Programming Group and West Coast Operations Michael Lombardoand Co-President Richard Pleplerannouncing that HBO's three current hits, True Blood, Hung and Entourage, would all return for additional seasons next summer, and ended with superstar comedian Robin Williams, who first appeared on HBO in 1977, promoting his upcoming special Robin Williams: Weapons of Self-Destruction.

Asked about the impact of the economy on HBO, Plepler replied, "No business is recession-proof. That said, we've been incredibly resilient. Our subs have been very steady, our revenues are higher than they've ever been, our earnings are higher than they've ever been and our international growth has been extremely robust. Even our DVD sales with John Adams and True Blood have done extremely well. So we feel cautiously optimistic about the rest of the year. What we have seen and what the research shows to be true is that people are cocooning. They are staying home. Our viewership is up across all categories. That obviously means people are staying home and watching television."

Ed Martin's full live coverage from the Television Critics Association tour is available exclusively to corporate subscribers of the Jack Myers Media Business Report. For more information visit www.myersreport.com. If you believe you are a subscriber and should be receiving the extended subscriber-only version of this report, please contact Jack Myers at jm@jackmyers.com.