UPDATE: 04/15/2016 – AMC has since backed off the idea of allowing texting in some of its auditoriums. Now, if they’ll just enforce the rules against texting that ARE in place, maybe we can all just enjoy the freaking movie!
I like to stay in touch with the rest of the world as much as the next smartphone user, but AMC Entertainment – America’s biggest theater chain – is about to give this theater-goer one more good reason to invest in a great home theater setup and just stay home. CEO Adam Aron says the chain may make some of their auditoriums, “texting friendly.”
io9:
It’s come to this: texting may soon be allowed in movie theaters, according to the head of America’s biggest chain. It’s all part of a scheme to lure in younger audiences, which apparently would be worth the trade-off of angering anyone who actually wants to enjoy a movie without the distraction of little glowing screens everywhere.
Aron told Variety that the chain needs to make the moviegoing experience more attractive to millennials:
When you tell a 22-year-old to turn off the phone, don’t ruin the movie, they hear please cut off your left arm above the elbow. You can’t tell a 22-year-old to turn off their cellphone. That’s not how they live their life.
At the same time, though, we’re going to have to figure out a way to do it that doesn’t disturb today’s audiences. There’s a reason there are ads up there saying turn off your phone, because today’s moviegoer doesn’t want somebody sitting next to them texting or having their phone on.
Happily, AMC’s plan also includes making only certain auditoriums “texting friendly,” which will hopefully be clearly designated in movie listings, both online and in the theater, so theater-goers such as this writer won’t make the mistake of buying tickets for a “millennial friendly” showing of a movie.
Personally, I believe if you’re that frigging important that you can’t be out of touch with the rest of the world, then you should obviously be somewhere else, taking care of business.
So, what do you think? Is this a good idea? Or, is it just one more reason to stock up on popcorn and soda , while investing in a top-notch home entertainment center, so you can stay at home and watch movies? Let us know in the comments section below.
