LA Times
The National Association of Theater Owners took out full-page ads in the trade papers warning studios that they need to consult with exhibitors about any moves to shorten the windows between when a movie is released in theaters and when it is shown in homes. Theater owners were reacting to recent statements by some studios executives that they are eager to experiment with shorter windows between a movie’s theatrical release and its DVD and television release. Federal regulators recently granted a controversial waiver to studios that will allow them to show first-run movies in the home shortly after their release in theaters. That idea, however, has sent off alarm bells in the exhibition business, where operators fear that would discourage consumers from going to the theater to watch movies and hence weaken ticket sales.”Collapsing windows muddies the value proposition to the consumer, blurs distinctions between theatrical and ‘straight to video’ and undercuts one of the important selling points for theatrical exhibition — the timeliness of the exclusive event,” the association stated. Read the full article at the above link.