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15 March 2007: Despite the
spread of technologically advanced
television sets such as the
plasma-screen TV, a majority of movie
fans still prefer the theatre.
According to the Motion Picture
Association of America (MPAA), in
2006, a majority of film viewers – 63%
– found “the ultimate movie-watching
experience” in theatres rather than
their living rooms.
A survey commissioned by the MPAA
found that, in 2005, 69% preferred
going out instead of staying home.
Theatergoers gave America’s box office
a much-needed boost in 2006, ending
the industry’s three-year depression,
Dan Glickman, chairman of the Motion
Picture Association of America, has
said. Ticket sales rose by 5.5% to
finish the year 2006 with $9.49
billion in domestic revenues.
“In 2006, film audiences around the
world demonstrated through strong
ticket sales that they love going to
the movies,” Dan Glickman said.
While the 1.45 billion movie tickets
sold in 2006 is an increase of 3.3%
over 2005, the figure is still lower
than the 2002 total of 1.6 billion.
Global returns climbed to an all-time
high of $25.8 billion in 2006, up by
11% from the 2005 total of $23.3
billion.
Technology had a positive impact on
movie fans, the Motion Picture
Association of America survey showed.
Those who use DVD players, Netflix,
TiVo-type recorders and big-screen TVs
were more likely to visit theatres
than those who shun such technologies,
Dan Glickman noted.
Tech-friendly fans saw an average of
10.5 films in 2006, compared to an
average of 7.1 movie outings for
low-tech types, according to the
survey.
Movie fans also had more to choose
from in 2006 – a record 607 movies
were released in 2006, up from 549 in
2005.
The survey also showed that internet
advertising is on the rise. Movie
companies spent 3.7% of their
advertising budgets on online
advertisements in 2006, compared to
2.6% the previous year. The average
cost to advertise a film in 2006 was
$30.7 million, down from $32.4 million
in 2005.
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