Coming Distractions
I dislike all the ads and previews before movies these days as much as the next person. They add a good 15 minutes to the actual start time of a movie. But the NYC Council's proposed bill to require movie theaters to advertise the true starting time of movies, adjusted for the "pre-feature entertainment", strikes me as hurting matters, not helping.
People already know that features don't start as promised. Yet, they arrive early to get good seats and to avoid fumbling around in the dark. Now tell them that the movie starts at 3:40 instead of 3:20, and you'll have people showing up in the middle of ads and previews. When the lights are down.
If the Council really wants to help, figure out a way to restrict the number of previews and eliminate ads. That I can go for.
Comments
You want Bloomberg and company to meddle in that too? I don't think you really want to open up that can of worms, concerned citizen groups, industry PAC's, lobbyists all involved to determine the amount of previews. (is it time or pure numbers? - that too will be a debating/lobbying/economic rent seeking point)
Posted by: Justin | February 18, 2005 11:44 AM
No, I don't really want the government involved in limiting the number of previews. Just that it would be nice if there were fewer previews and ads before the show.
Posted by: Jon | February 18, 2005 06:20 PM