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AMC Drops 'Texting Friendly' Theaters Idea (networkworld.com) 150

Posted by msmash from the all-sorted-then dept.
netbuzz writes: Stung by a ferocious backlash on social media, AMC Entertainment this morning took to Twitter to announce that it will not be experimenting with "texting friendly" movie theaters, a trial balloon floated only days ago by the company's boss. "NO TEXTING AT AMC. Won't happen. You spoke. We listened," the company said.That escalated quickly.
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AMC Drops 'Texting Friendly' Theaters Idea More

AMC Drops 'Texting Friendly' Theaters Idea

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  • Put your fucking phone away (Score:5, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 15, 2016 @12:35PM (#51916271)

    Pretty simple, really.

    • I stopped going to movie theaters. Now the $40-50 I spent every time on me a 1-2 kids paid for a large tv and just grab the show on DVD/BR from a pawn shop for $2-5 per disk.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      This was just a publicity stunt by AMC. Nothing to see here, just an ad.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by mishehu ( 712452 )
        Yeah, it was an ad for The Alamo Drafthouse... https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]

      • the problem is that the theaters don't make money on the ticket sales.
        that all goes to the mpaa studios.
        the theaters only make money on concessions.

        what they need to do is the offer a handful of theaters per location that allow it and charge extra.
        they could block the cell towers and offer wifi, but why bother.

        anyway, just my .019 CAD

    • It's not the actual zoned out act of texting that is the disturbance. Aside from people not putting their devices on silent (without Vibrate which is usually not very silent) ...Device screens are VERY bright. And it seems most folks dont have their set to automatically adjust, or they simply can't dim enough not to visually distract other patrons. All those lights popping on throughout a public performance, like a concert or a movie, can be very distracting, especially in a movie a live theater performanc

      • Re:Put your fucking phone away (Score:4, Interesting)

        by Spugglefink ( 1041680 ) on Friday April 15, 2016 @02:04PM (#51917035)

        I went to my first rock concert in years, and all three bands had adopted the same shtick. Cell phones are the new Bic lighter, and if several thousand people all use the "flashlight" app on their phone at the same time, the amount of ambient light is impressive.

        I'm going back inside now, so get off my lawn!

        • the amount of ambient light is impressive.

          Meh. It is not as impressive as everyone using a 500 Tera-Watt NIF laser [xkcd.com].

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by dissy ( 172727 )

          I don't really thing it's the same thing at all.

          Now I admit I haven't been to a rock concert in years, but has there ever been one that outright banned said lighters? It seemed to always be encouraged to me.

          In that case replacing one OK thing with another similar thing logically should also be OK.

          But in the AMC case, we have people who want to go to a movie theater with NO intend to watch the movie and FULL intent to annoy everyone around them.

          We call those type of people trolls, and we don't tolerate trol

          • I don't really thing it's the same thing at all.

            I think you need to re-read the posts you replied to.

          • I don't think anybody spends $287.45 for a movie and snacks (a 5-gallon bucket of soda and a 30-gallon bucket of popcorn, which is the small size, and comes with free refills) with no intent to watch the movie. The problem is that most people in the smartphone age have the attention span of a fruit fly. "Movie is slightly slow, let's check Facebook for just one second. Oh look! Cat videos!"

            Also, I would like the record to reflect that when they asked me to fire up the "flashlight" app on my phone, I scr

        • I have seen quite a few movies and television shows in the last 5 years where the phone is used as a flashlight by people who logically should have real flashlights. Ie, a police investigator looking for clues, someone exploring a cave, etc.

  • Why not? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Sounds great. Have texting theatres and no fucking texting in the other theatres. Then there would be no excuse.

    • I agree (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      I agree. What would the harm be in giving them a showing or two of the most popular movies, and getting them the fuck out of mine!

    • Re:Why not? (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 15, 2016 @12:45PM (#51916349)
      There is "no excuse" now. If you're so deranged you can't stop trifling with your phone for 90 minutes then stay out of the theater. And stop causing crippling, deadly wrecks too; I personally know three twenty somethings that have caused serious wrecks fucking with their phones.

    • . . . . with carbon monoxide or nitrogen, and the species will improve as a whole rather markedly.

      And chances are, they'll be so self-absorbed, that they won't even notice they're dead. . .

    • How about everywhere? Do you want texting, or non-texting? You could even expand it. Data, or non-data? WiFi, or non-WiFi?

  • Seriously who thought up this idea? (Score:5, Funny)

    by UnknowingFool ( 672806 ) on Friday April 15, 2016 @12:39PM (#51916313)
    Yes, let's allow movie patrons to be bothered by other movie patrons. What's next a talking friendly theater? The only time when it was appropriate to text was my local theater special viewing/razzing of The Happening where the patrons were allowed to text their commentary that appeared on the screen like subtitles. For example during the wind scene the characters realized it was some sort of pollen spread by the wind and then the group was suddenly caught in a massive wind gust, someone texted: "You know now would be a good time to fart." It was immediately followed by "Who farted?"
    • They already have fork and screen theaters. And, surprisingly, its not disturbing when those around you order food. Of course that may have to do with the seats being both larger and more spread out.

  • Why? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 15, 2016 @12:40PM (#51916319)

    Maybe I'm missing something. I thought the comments on yesterday's article were quite over the top. Why is it so bad to provide a service to someone who wants it? Nobody is forcing you to go to the auditoriums designated for phone-users.

    Just because it's not something you personally like doesn't mean that someone else can't enjoy it.

    (For reference, I'm not personally interested in the movie theater concept, so I don't care one way or another. But if this is something that some people want, why not? It hurts nobody.)

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Just because a service *might* be wanted, doesnt mean its a good idea. Next some *other* totally stupid idea will be expected to be implmented. People are stupid, and given half the chance, they'll expect every company to pander to their stupid ideas. If you think it hurts nobody, you're a prime example of why its not a good idea.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by sims 2 ( 994794 )

        I can only imagine that they were receiving sarcastic suggestions on their comment cards from people who had their experiences ruined by texters and amc took them seriously.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by sims 2 ( 994794 )

      Well for one it would replace at least one auditoriom that is not currently text friendly.

      Also you just paid something like $11 for the ticket alone then however much extra for a snack and a drink. You would think that after all that investment they would actually want to watch the movie they paid for.

      If you just want to hang out and text stay in the lobby its cheaper.

      • You would think that after all that investment they would actually want to watch the movie they paid for.

        How the other guy chooses to spend his $11 experience is up to him as long as it doesn't affect me. He can fall asleep, for all I care.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by unrtst ( 777550 )

        If you want a completely distraction free viewing, just wait and watch at home. It's cheaper.
        (see, that sort of argument is pretty useless!)

      • >If you just want to hang out and text stay in the lobby its cheaper.

        For a certain tweenie bopper demographic, it's all about being downtown and hanging out. Actually going to the movie is hugely secondary. Seeing and being seen is what it's all about. Kind of like clubbing but for those too young to get into clubs.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by sims 2 ( 994794 )

          I suppose I can understand that but many other places they could be.

          There is also an arcade in the lobby.

    • The theater doesn't have unlimited capacity... Lets say they have two showings of a movie at the same time. One allows texting, and one doesnt. Which one do you think will sell out first? Do you actually know a single person who would choose the texting theater? Not just a make-believe "millennial", but an actual person that you know?

      If the movie is popular, the normal no-text-allowed theater will sell out because they now have half of their otherwise normal seating capacity. And now some consumers wi
      • This idea was not well thought out.

        Actually, it might have been very well thought out. AMC may be getting some static from vocal ID10Ts who want to be allowed to ruin everybody else's experience at the theater and are demanding to be allowed to use their phones during the movies. Simply ignoring them won't work because they're too self-centered and selfish to accept the fact that they're not being allowed to act like spoiled children. Now, however, AMC can point to the fact that they did consider giv

    • Re:Why? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Dutch Gun ( 899105 ) on Friday April 15, 2016 @01:39PM (#51916851)

      I'd guess perhaps because it validates this sort of rude, narcissistic behavior rather than shames it?

      • I'd guess perhaps because it validates this sort of rude, narcissistic behavior rather than shames it?

        I really don't understand this argument. Social norms are defined by communities. If people are in a community of like-minded people, who don't mind others' texting at movies, how are they being "rude" or "narcissistic"?

        Don't get me wrong: I find such behavior in "normal" theaters to be obnoxious. But if they want to have their own theater where they can do this, why should it bother me? Why should I feel the need to shame someone who isn't even doing the behavior I find "shameful" in my presence?

        I

        • Given that so many people apparently thought this was a terrible idea, it's pretty clear that texting in theaters is not yet a "social norm". And the reason I call it "narcissistic" is because the people that currently do this are either unaware or simply don't care that it annoys others. That sounds pretty self-centered to me. So, I suspect the idea of catering to those people tends to rub those who have been annoyed by them in the past the wrong way.

          Also, to clarify, I'm not personally making this argu

    • Why is it so bad to provide a service to someone who wants it?

      Geez, isn't it obvious?! Idiocracy wasn't an instruction manual! We need to be stamping that shit out, not encouraging it.

    • I thought the comments on yesterday's article were quite over the top. Why is it so bad to provide a service to someone who wants it? Nobody is forcing you to go to the auditoriums designated for phone-users.

      It's not an issue until it:
      a) removes options for the traditional alternatives i.e. 3D movies, do you know how hard it is to find a standard session of a major blockbuster nowadays. The last thing I need is those options to be further reduced because half of them are yack on the phone sessions.
      b) legitimises perceived anti-social behaviour. Like seriously this isn't a product. Unless your idea of a product is telling people it's okay to be an unbearable thundercunt at a movie disturbing others who paid good

  • Sounds like a PR stunt (Score:4)

    by hawguy ( 1600213 ) on Friday April 15, 2016 @12:45PM (#51916351)

    Sounds like this was just a PR stunt to remind people that movie theaters still exist. I think I've only seen 2 movies in a theater (and one of those was a work event) since I got my 55" 1080p TV + Bluray + surround sound, there's not much reason to see a movie in a theater anymore, I prefer the experience I get at home (where there's an open bar and the movie will pause for bathroom breaks and if anyone talks over the movie, I can rewind). And the blu-ray costs about the same as a pair of movie tickets. When 4K content is more readily available (the TV's are already available and relatively affordable), that will mean even less reason to go to a theater.

    • Sounds like this was just a PR stunt to remind people that movie theaters still exist. I think.

      Book the right movies and you can fill a lot of seats.

      Currently Zootopia is the highest grossing film of 2016. Just with the six [animated] films released since the beginning of the 2010s, Disney has gained $3,855,100,000; this is more than the total gross of Disney's Renaissance Era.

      'Zootopia': The Highest Grossing Film of 2016! [rotoscopers.com]

  • The last time I heard about texting in a theater, someone got shot [cnn.com]. Imagine the guy at AMC doing a late Google search on theater texting and finding this. Uh, Boss, maybe this really isn't such a great idea.

  • Eventually the reverse will be true. Give it another five years and people won't react so viscerally. Ten years and designated phone-free theaters will be the exception, not the norm.

    Sure, I don't like the idea, but it all depends on who is buying the tickets. Every day more kids with no memory of what movie going etiquette used to be get their first smart phones. Times change.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by sims 2 ( 994794 )

      Ten years from now we may not even have theaters.

      For one you can buy a 70" tv at walmart today. How big will they be in 10 years?

      Netflix and redbox were able to kill blockbuster I think its only a matter of time until the on demand services are able to kill off the smaller theaters.

      The theater here in town closed a few years back so its now 25 miles to the nearest theater.

      But that's fine if the experience degrades to nothing I just won't go anymore.

      I rarely go now but thats mainly due to the distance and co

  • The texting friendly theatre (Score:3)

    by Dunbal ( 464142 ) * on Friday April 15, 2016 @01:02PM (#51916489)
    It's called Netflix.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by unrtst ( 777550 )

      It's called Netflix.

      Backwards. Netflix is where you aren't choosing to sit in a room full of 100's of other random people expecting them all to behave exactly as you'd like.

      • No, he has the right of it. Polite society has rules. If you expect to enjoy a night out without getting your teeth knocked in, you obey them.

        Your right to free speech/action ends where the person you offends' fist begins.

  • The single biggest reason I don't go to theatres anymore is because the other movie goers drive me nuts. Between talking, texting, getting up to pee (requiring everyone to shuffle and shimmy to make room for the person to get out) or bringing a baby that then starts wailing half way through the movie, etc, it's just not worth the constantly rising ticket price.

    Maybe if theatre chains were more like the Alamo Drafthouse (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L3eeC2lJZs), overall ticket sales would be much higher

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mlts ( 1038732 )

      I like the Alamo Drafthouse for exactly those reasons. Need to pee? easy to crouch and duck past people without bumping their legs, especially if you sit at a break between tables. Food and drink? On par with any decent eatery. I am more than happy to pay the Alamo Drafthouse their due because I can sit and watch a movie. No screaming kids, no texting, no people yapping on cell phones.

      I understand other people have a sentiment that they should be allowed to do what they so choose anywhere, even if it

    • bringing a baby that then starts wailing half way through the movie

      I've never had a big problem with texters where I attend the movies, but nothing irritates me more than when some fucking moronic parents bring their toddler or younger child into the theater with them. The kid isn't going to pay attention to the movie and won't like being cooped up and sitting still for 2 hours, the parent isn't going to enjoy the movie while dealing with aforementioned squawking child, and everyone else that has to listen to the squawking are going to be pissed off.

      If you can afford to g

      • This. I've had movies ruined by non-parental parents bringing their children as tag-alongs to late-night R-rated movies that children have no business seeing. These idiot-parents act all surprised and hurt that their sleepy kid goes into a screaming fit, kicking the seat in front and puking on a stomach-full of candy and artificial popcorn butter. And just think... if it survives, that kid's part of the future of America!

  • Alamo Drafthouse is the only chain that I'm aware of that actually throws people out for the second offense. Use your phone once, you get a warning, use it twice you are escorted to the door without refund.

    If more theaters actually did that.. cellphone use would no longer be an issue.

  • ..theaters with jammers built into the walls that kick on during the cellphone message and turn off when the house lights come back up.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by jsepeta ( 412566 )

      Shouldn't have to pay for that, it should be a built-in FEATURE of seeing a movie in a theatre. Or ballet, or opera, or classical symphony. Wouldn't work for rock shows but hey, gotta start somewhere.

    • ...bouncers. That's right, gorilla-sized bouncers with sharp eyes and authority to deny admission or throw you the fuck out if you text, talk, film, fart, kick seats, throw food, twitch, got bad B.O., or attempt to sneak a toddler into an R-rated movie or any movie after 8 PM.

  • Mark Hamill was there promoting the Kingsman movie and did this for them, he should offer to do the same for the big chains: http://variety.com/2015/film/n... [variety.com]
  • Why does it bothers everybody so much if AMC decide to allow the use of cell phone in certain rooms/screenings?

  • first you bill me $22.50 for a ticket. It's an additional $25 for popcorn & drinks. Then I sit through 20 minutes of ads (scorn) and a few movie previews (yay).

    but you float this idea of taking me out of the willful suspension of belief, thinking it will be a better business model to ruin the movie-going experience?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Wolfrider ( 856 )

      --$22.50 for 1 movie ticket? Dafuq do you live, New York? You never go to a matinee??

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