Dare I be so bold as to insinuate that there maybe aren't 10 powerful people? I mean, yeah, if you HAVE to pick 10, then you can but I don't know that there are 10.
I would throw Manwin up there because they have some of the most popular paysites on the internet and they have the tubes. They provide quality porn and they control a tremendous amount of the porn traffic. Certainly their method of obtaining all that traffic is controversial but it is what it is at this point.
I don't consider Playboy to be porn. And the adult they are involved in doesn't make them powerful.
I think brick and mortar porn providers are dying.
I think DVD distribution is dying.
I don't know that Paul Cambria is "powerful." I mean, he can make someone's life hell but really he just does what he's asked to do.
As the head of the largest studio in adult, Hirsch must be included. He's certainly powerful from a "if they stopped shooting there'd be a lot of out of work vaginas" but does he have drastic influence on the industry overall? I don't believe so.
Same thing with Larry Flynt and Samantha Lewis and Allison Vivas et al.
Sex toy business is growing but does that make them powerful or influential over the industry?
Derek Hay could close up shop tomorrow and all the girls would be with a new manager in 47 seconds. Perhaps sooner.
I think the internet, cheap camcorders, changed morals, reduced stigma and easy editing software have all contributed to decentralizing the "power" of any one individual.
So, to reply to your post, I'm going with:
1) The US Government
2) Manwin/Brazzers
Those are the only two organizations that have enough power to scare the entire industry, IMHO.
If I have to go with 8 more, then I go with Hirsch, Flynt, Vivas, Lewis, Me, Me, Me and Jon Clark.
