• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, October 14, 2015

Playboyisn’t going to print pictures of fully nude women anymore -- in the magazine or online. Why? “Times change,” says the company. Perhaps the subtext is: There’s too much of it everywhere. May as well go in a different direction.

Still, nice-looking, somewhat-clothed ladies will be making appearances on its media platforms.

Playboy has a number of premium TV channels, but didn’t say if the policy will affect its programming there.

We know, of course, plenty of bare content does exist on television (on other premium TV subscription channels) and on digital.

Opponents of current TV content, who believe storylines have been getting more lewd and rough, may be shrugging their shoulders over the Playboy move. (Or perhaps declaring some small victory).

Meanwhile, traditional TV has been investing a little more in the blood, guts and skin game --  especially in crime procedural dramas. Broadcast TV networks and traditional ad-supported cable networks, doesn’t reveal much nakedness of women bodies -- though everyone tries to workup sexual tensions.

In part, TV network broadcasters are still playing catch-up -- content-wise -- when it comes to the adult language and complex storylines pay TV networks have been offering.

Looking at the scores of Emmys awarded to HBO and other less-traditional outlets over the last several decades, broadcasters have little choice but to find ways to keep up. Nudity is off limits -- though more blood and guts seems to come to the forefront.

Still, maybe broadcast networks can go in another direction. Maybe not with less-scandalous and flirty, less-bloody TV shows, but somewhere TV executives could really use the term “counter-programming” when pitching their strategy.

Kind-hearted, so-called “aspirational” reality TV shows like NBC’s “The Voice” or ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” may only be the start. What area is still untapped, for the future?