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Friday, April 15, 2016
After social media outcry, AMC changes tune on texting experiment
Ars Technica: Just one day after Ars and other outlets published comments by the CEO of AMC Entertainment saying he's interested in allowing some texting in theaters, the movie chain is backing away from the idea.
5 comments:
Megan Jones
said...
I first heard about this story a couple days when the CEO was still considering creating these texting approved screenings, and I'm so happy that they decided against it. Allowing these kind of screenings just rewards the people who are rude enough to do this in the first place. It would also be very ineffective because people don't recognize their own bad behavior. Someone who regularly texts during movies isn't gonna be thinking about their bad habit while buying movie tickets, and definitely won't rearrange their schedule around one particular screening.
Also his comment about telling 22 year-olds that not using their phones is like cutting off their arms is ridiculous. I hate when old people make gross generalizations about young people and say that they're completely attached to technology. It just comes off as condescending, and makes people dislike this policy even more. Maybe this is just me, but every time I hear a ring tone in a movie theater it's usually not from someone my age.
Personally, I think it’s a little ridiculous that this idea was thought of in the first place. The emphasis placed on how much millennials absolutely always need to have their phones on at all times, as if it was a body part is very stereotypical and almost insulting. Also, where is the data that shows that millennials aren’t going to movies as much as baby boomers are? It seems to me that the only reason this may be the case is because millennials probably don’t have the money to be going to movies all the time, and maybe also because going to movies is considered to be a family- oriented activity that college-aged and young-adult people wouldn’t be included in. I can’t imagine someone my age not wanting to go the movies for fear that they won’t be able to use their phone, since going to watch a movie still has a certain degree of sanctity and specialness that warrants full attention. Maybe if theaters want more millennials to pay money to see their movies, they should be pushing for filmmakers to create content that is socially relevant and interesting.
I think its so demeaning that this idea was proposed in the first place. What a generalized statement to say that a 22 year old can't spend 2 hours without their phones. In class, we do it every day. At calls, and in rehearsal, we never have our phones and we aren't dying because of it. If I'm paying upwards of 9 dollars to see a movie, of course I'm not going to have my phone out. It's obviously something I care about enough to spend money on and am not going to waste it texting. And any break from my phone and social media etc, is honestly much welcomed. Also, I love the movies. They're a special place to me, and I think a lot of other people, young people included, feel the same way. So, I'm glad this was shot down. It's time these CEO's see more to millenials and our younger generation that we are more than just people with iphones who will eat up any app or social media marketing they put out. It's also about content and respect of the group you are marketing towards.
I am definitely glad they backed away from this notion. I sincerely do not believe that it is the inability to text that might be hurting audience numbers among the millennial demographic; with platforms like Netflix and Prime which can be utilized in bed, movie theaters might just not be appealing as an activity anymore. Moreover, inflated ticket prices are near staggering, and the cost of a small popcorn is right on par with your firstborn child. Sure, with at-home platforms you have to wait a little for the new releases to get dispersed. However, the time, energy, and monetary investment that actually accompanies going to a movie theater seems to be more and more consistently not worth it. As for texting in movie theaters, if someone wants to be on their phone, then they probably should not be in the movie at all, paying the exorbitant prices movie theaters now require in the first place.
I am still having difficulty wrapping my head around this concept. I can see AMCs new advertisement slogan, Pay 12 dollars to text in a dark room. Giving people this opportunity will most likely end with them getting zero business. No one likes to hear the faint sound of a phone buzzing while you are watching a movie. When the CEO talks about how you can’t tell 22 year olds to turn off their phone I don’t necessarily agree. People go to the movies to get away from their phones and use the movie as a distraction from the rest of the world. So even if you did allow for this I don’t see many people changing their habits when watching a movie. I really hope that I can continue to go to the movies and not hear a cell phone ring, especially during a part of the movie that it is supposed to be suspenseful. Plus.. I like seeing the animated clip in the beginning where it tells you to silence your phones.
5 comments:
I first heard about this story a couple days when the CEO was still considering creating these texting approved screenings, and I'm so happy that they decided against it. Allowing these kind of screenings just rewards the people who are rude enough to do this in the first place. It would also be very ineffective because people don't recognize their own bad behavior. Someone who regularly texts during movies isn't gonna be thinking about their bad habit while buying movie tickets, and definitely won't rearrange their schedule around one particular screening.
Also his comment about telling 22 year-olds that not using their phones is like cutting off their arms is ridiculous. I hate when old people make gross generalizations about young people and say that they're completely attached to technology. It just comes off as condescending, and makes people dislike this policy even more. Maybe this is just me, but every time I hear a ring tone in a movie theater it's usually not from someone my age.
Personally, I think it’s a little ridiculous that this idea was thought of in the first place. The emphasis placed on how much millennials absolutely always need to have their phones on at all times, as if it was a body part is very stereotypical and almost insulting. Also, where is the data that shows that millennials aren’t going to movies as much as baby boomers are? It seems to me that the only reason this may be the case is because millennials probably don’t have the money to be going to movies all the time, and maybe also because going to movies is considered to be a family- oriented activity that college-aged and young-adult people wouldn’t be included in. I can’t imagine someone my age not wanting to go the movies for fear that they won’t be able to use their phone, since going to watch a movie still has a certain degree of sanctity and specialness that warrants full attention. Maybe if theaters want more millennials to pay money to see their movies, they should be pushing for filmmakers to create content that is socially relevant and interesting.
I think its so demeaning that this idea was proposed in the first place. What a generalized statement to say that a 22 year old can't spend 2 hours without their phones. In class, we do it every day. At calls, and in rehearsal, we never have our phones and we aren't dying because of it. If I'm paying upwards of 9 dollars to see a movie, of course I'm not going to have my phone out. It's obviously something I care about enough to spend money on and am not going to waste it texting. And any break from my phone and social media etc, is honestly much welcomed. Also, I love the movies. They're a special place to me, and I think a lot of other people, young people included, feel the same way.
So, I'm glad this was shot down. It's time these CEO's see more to millenials and our younger generation that we are more than just people with iphones who will eat up any app or social media marketing they put out. It's also about content and respect of the group you are marketing towards.
I am definitely glad they backed away from this notion. I sincerely do not believe that it is the inability to text that might be hurting audience numbers among the millennial demographic; with platforms like Netflix and Prime which can be utilized in bed, movie theaters might just not be appealing as an activity anymore. Moreover, inflated ticket prices are near staggering, and the cost of a small popcorn is right on par with your firstborn child. Sure, with at-home platforms you have to wait a little for the new releases to get dispersed. However, the time, energy, and monetary investment that actually accompanies going to a movie theater seems to be more and more consistently not worth it. As for texting in movie theaters, if someone wants to be on their phone, then they probably should not be in the movie at all, paying the exorbitant prices movie theaters now require in the first place.
I am still having difficulty wrapping my head around this concept. I can see AMCs new advertisement slogan, Pay 12 dollars to text in a dark room. Giving people this opportunity will most likely end with them getting zero business. No one likes to hear the faint sound of a phone buzzing while you are watching a movie. When the CEO talks about how you can’t tell 22 year olds to turn off their phone I don’t necessarily agree. People go to the movies to get away from their phones and use the movie as a distraction from the rest of the world. So even if you did allow for this I don’t see many people changing their habits when watching a movie. I really hope that I can continue to go to the movies and not hear a cell phone ring, especially during a part of the movie that it is supposed to be suspenseful. Plus.. I like seeing the animated clip in the beginning where it tells you to silence your phones.
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