UNREAL REALITY: There Was an Actual Discussion With Theater CEOs To Allow Texting In Theaters
A few weeks ago, we showed you a poll that revealed most young moviegoers want to be allowed to text in theaters. Now, it seems that some theater CEOs are so desperate, they might just allow it.
At CinemaCon earlier this week, there was a panel held about “industry issues”. Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Jeff Blake began the discussion, saying (via Joblo) that 20 years ago, kids would come to the movies every week, and he was concerned that “the movie going experience just isn’t the same for baby boomers”.
Later in the discussion, Regal Entertainment CEO Amy Miles got into the texting issue, stating that the chain doesn’t currently allow texting “but if we had a movie that appealed to a younger demographic, we could test some of these concepts.”
Oh, and yeah…the theater actually wanted to attempt being more flexible with cell phone use during showings of 21 JUMP STREET.
And they weren’t the only one who supported the change. IMAX’s Greg Foster was open to this idea saying that banning cell phones would make people, “feel a little handcuffed.” He also cited his 17- year old son, who “constantly has his phone with him”:
“We want them to pay $12 to $14 to come into an auditorium and watch a movie. But they’ve become accustomed to controlling their own existence.”
Tim League, CEO of Alamo Drafthouse (the man/theater responsible for the absolutely wonderful ad below about not texting) shot back:
“Over my dead body will I introduce texting into the movie theater. I love the idea of playing around with a new concept. But that is the scourge of our industry….It’s our job to understand that this is a sacred space and we have to teach manners.”
I personally agree with League 150%. Is today’s youth so sick that they can’t be asked to stay off of social media for a span of two hours? This isn’t an “industry issue”, but a matter of respect. Parents tell their kids to get off their phones at the dinner table and when with family. Sitting in a movie theater deserves the same type of manners from everybody involved, and the fact that CEOs of Regal and IMAX are actually thinking of allowing texting just shows how desperate they are for money. Seeing a movie is supposed to remove you from the outside world for just a little while. If you can’t handle that, then stay home.
You let us know what you think. Would you allow random kids to text around you while you’re trying to watch a film? Or would you prefer to go all Hulk and destroy the damn thing? You gotta admit, the latter would be fun…