Movie theaters may ask to jam cell phones

[Itsme]

Movie theaters may ask to jam cell phones

By Reuters

Published: March 14, 2006, 9:25 PM PST

Movie theater owners faced with falling attendance are considering asking federal authorities for permission to jam cell phone reception in an attempt to stop annoying conversations during films, the head of the industry's trade group said on Tuesday.

Industry leaders at the ShoWest conference for theater owners want to find ways to win back crowds.

"I don't know what's going on with consumers that they have to talk on phones in the middle of theaters," John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theater Owners, told the ShoWest conference in Las Vegas.

Theaters are trying a number of ways to silence cell phones, from sweeps by ushers to funny fake movie trailers urging viewers to shut off phones.

Fithian said owners were considering other steps if that does not work.

"We will actually petition the Federal Communications (Commission) to remove the block" on jamming cell phones, he said.

That may be difficult, since federal law and FCC rules prohibit the use of cell phone jammers.

The industry is broadly trying to increase interest in the movies.

Motion Picture Association of America Chief Executive Dan Glickman told ShoWest that the industry is researching why and when people go to the movies and might consider an advertising campaign to encourage people to go out to the movies, just as the milk industry has succeeded with its Got Milk? campaign.

[kgsilvas]

This issue was covered pretty extensively on a previous thread.

Edited to change you link to the thread, rather than just the first post of it.

- GAM

[Jenny]

I didn't see the other thread, so will post here. Just one thing will bring me back to the theater more often. LOWER THE ****ING TICKET PRICES YA MORONS.

[DarkFury]

I didn't see the other thread, so will post here. Just one thing will bring me back to the theater more often. LOWER THE ****ING TICKET PRICES YA MORONS.

Or give us free popcorn and drink at the current prices.

[ArkiStan]

Or give us free popcorn and drink at the current prices.

I'd rather have the lower ticket prices, since I prefer to get Mr. Pibb and red vines at the corner store on my way to the theater.

[mcs328]

I'd rather have the lower ticket prices, since I prefer to get Mr. Pibb and red vines at the corner store on my way to the theater.

Hmmm...that's just crazy delicious!!!

[gwilks98]

Yeah, jamming cell phones is a great idea. That way, when parents leave the kids to the babysitter, they say "I can't go to the movies, because she won't be able to reach us if she needs to."

that'll really encourage people to go to the theater.

How about we stop showing 30 minutes of ads (not trailers) prior to the movie?

[DarkFury]

I'd rather have the lower ticket prices, since I prefer to get Mr. Pibb and red vines at the corner store on my way to the theater.

They like the money... so I doubt that they will lower the prices.

But improving "incentives" may be a way for them to keep some of the profits (how expensive is popcorn and soda? At the rates they currently charge they are making like 500% profit on every sale. A watered down 32 ounce soda selling for $4.00 yeah.. there's all kinds profit all up in there).

Either that or they'll go away as movies go straight to DVD for home viewing.

Yeah, jamming cell phones is a great idea. That way, when parents leave the kids to the babysitter, they say "I can't go to the movies, because she won't be able to reach us if she needs to."

Imagine what folks did prior to having cell phones.

[gwilks98]

Imagine what folks did prior to having cell phones.

Alls I'm sayin is that people will be reluctant to go; not that they couldn't go.

I'm on call every third week. I don't get called all the time, but I need to be able to respond quickly if someone's trying to get a hold of me. I'm polite and turn my phone on vibrate when I go. Punishing me for other people's bad manners would just about ax any of my desire to go to the theaters.

[InfiniteNothing]

Yup. If only they could jam peoples cell phones into vibrate mode. Hmm.

[DarkFury]

Alls I'm sayin is that people will be reluctant to go; not that they couldn't go.

I'm on call every third week. I don't get called all the time, but I need to be able to respond quickly if someone's trying to get a hold of me. I'm polite and turn my phone on vibrate when I go. Punishing me for other people's bad manners would just about ax any of my desire to go to the theaters.

Well if people would cooperate and just set their phones on VIBRATE then we wouldn't have this problem would we?

Punishing me (a movie patron who paid the same ticket price as you in a theater) and having to listen to your phone (not you personally.. but anyone who takes a call in a theater) go off and the subsequent conversation (for those folks who just aren't polite enough to leave the screening room to take the call) is not right either. Patrons can't control other patrons so the theaters are trying to help us.

Would you rather they confiscate your phone upon entering the theater and give you one of those vibrating buzzers like in a restarant to alert you to the fact that you have a message/call instead?

Besides, if you are "on call"... then get a pager. At least those are less noisy than a phone and then you can leave the theater to take the call/handle your business. Your "personal convenience" should disrupt everyone else in a public arena... sorry.

Same rules go for the folks with "crying babies".... Don't bring 'em if you KNOW they are gonna cry and be scared in the theater. Hire the babysitter or just stay home with them and rent a movie. Hell, I can't even enjoy a movie with DFJ right now because of his "shallow bladder"... but them's the risks of takin' a kid to the movies (at least he doesn't cry and talk during the film... )

[gwilks98]

Besides, if you are "on call"... then get a pager. At least those are less noisy than a phone and then you can leave the theater to take the call/handle your business. Your "personal convenience" should disrupt everyone else in a public arena... sorry.

I think you misunderstand. I leave the theater when the phone vibrates, I don't pick up then and there and start talking. How does that disrupt anyone else more than someone going to the bathroom? Pagers aren't the solution either. They can still cause a disturbance, and I remember them doing so before cell phones hit mainstream.

And honestly, I've never really been to a movie where a kid cried, so I can't really comment on that.

All I'm asking is a freindly reminder at the begining of a movie to put cell phones and pagers on vibrate. Jamming all cell phones because <l% of moviegoers are inconsiderate seems crazy.

Post a warning that jerks, pricks, and buttholes who disturb others will be removed from the theater and BANNED. Hell, I'd even join a movie club membership program so they could better enforce that policy.

I don't think common coutesy is something that should ever have to be regulated. Whatever happened to the good ol' days when you could just drag the jerk to the nearest exit and kick the crap out of him in the parking lot?

[DarkFury]

I think you misunderstand. I leave the theater when the phone vibrates, I don't pick up then and there and start talking. How does that disrupt anyone else more than someone going to the bathroom? Pagers aren't the solution either. They can still cause a disturbance, and I remember them doing so before cell phones hit mainstream.

And honestly, I've never really been to a movie where a kid cried, so I can't really comment on that.

All I'm asking is a freindly reminder at the begining of a movie to put cell phones and pagers on vibrate. Jamming all cell phones because <l% of moviegoers are inconsiderate seems crazy.

Post a warning that jerks, pricks, and buttholes who disturb others will be removed from the theater and BANNED. Hell, I'd even join a movie club membership program so they could better enforce that policy.

I don't think common coutesy is something that should ever have to be regulated. Whatever happened to the good ol' days when you could just drag the jerk to the nearest exit and kick the crap out of him in the parking lot?

I wasn't talkin' about YOU personally... I was saying that there are folks who by their actions have messed it up for folks like you who act properly.

The other part of my post was just giving alternatives for if you "have" to be connected at all times... and pagers also have a "vibrate" mode, but since they aren't phones there is no chance for someone to try to have a conversation right then and there.

People just need to be courteous period is my take on it.

[Merlin]

Alls I'm sayin is that people will be reluctant to go; not that they couldn't go.

I'm on call every third week.

The feel free to go to the theatre on the weeks when you are not on call.

Seriously, if you have to be on call forwhatever reason you should probably wait and see the flick when you are off. The rest of the world can wait. Any emergency can survive without you until the movie ends. Not to shatter most people's worlds but you are not that important.

I go to the movies fairy often and can gladly report that most poeple have gotten the message. It has been quite some time since I heard a phone ring once the show has started (before yeah, but I can live with that) Now I don't know if this is because of the neighborhood where I go to the theatre. Other places might have more rude people.

Sadly the last time I heard a phone ring it was my date's. She thought she had switched it to vibe but didn't. She wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed though.