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

Posted by msmash on 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.

23 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. Put your fucking phone away by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Pretty simple, really.

    1. Re:Put your fucking phone away by Spugglefink · · Score: 3, Interesting

      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!

    2. Re:Put your fucking phone away by toonces33 · · Score: 2

      You could just put an LCD screen in each toilet stall. The people that want to text can sit there.

    3. Re: Put your fucking phone away by jofas · · Score: 2

      Ah, I see all roads lead to idiocracy.

  2. Why not? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

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

    1. Re:Why not? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      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.

    2. Re: Why not? by Chas · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Put it this way. If everyone was considerate, dialed the screen brightness all the way down, and set their phone to vibrate, then got up and left the viewing area of the theater to text or talk, that'd be one thing.

      But, in general, people are self-centered ASSHOLES.

      So we get Big Ben jangling out of a phone at 100 decibels.
      Then a strobe light going up in the middle of a theater.
      Followed by some asshat going "Yeah! YEAH! I'm at the movies right now! IN THE THEATER! No! I can't hear you! I'm IN THE THEATER!"

      Fuck that noise...

      "We can't tell 20 year olds to put away their phones..."

      YES YOU FUCKING CAN!

      For the prices being charged for admission, not to mention the CONCESSIONS, it's not a huge stretch to expect to be able to enjoy a movie uninterrupted by some jackass and their phone.
      Seriously, that's the main reason movie theaters still exist! The provide a quiet, controlled environment for showing films!

      If Phoneguy McDouchebag is constitutionally incapable of keeping his phone off for 90-120 minutes to watch a movie, he needs to GET THE FUCK OUT!

      Not sure why the hell this is such a novel, or hard to grasp concept.

      Allowing that sort of stuff to go on in a theater is basically removing the primary reason people still go to movie theaters!
      It's actively destructive to the business model.
      Because groups like Screening Room can charge you $50 (about the price of ticket and concessions for one person) to stream you a brand new movie on opening day.
      So if someone's got a boss home theater setup, they can do Screening Room, invite a dozen friends and supply their own food.
      The theater makes NO money. And the industry loses a dozen ticket sales. PER PERSON VIEWING.

      I'm glad AMC listened and axed this so fast. Someone eventually elected to use their brain on this subject.
      Better late than never...

      --


      Chas - The one, the only.
      THANK GOD!!!
    3. Re: Why not? by omnichad · · Score: 5, Insightful

      People are used to pooping, too. They still leave the theater to do it.

    4. Re: Why not? by Chas · · Score: 2

      Sure, and I'm sure there's a market for those who prefer to felch while watching a movie too.

      Doesn't mean it's a large enough segment that it's worthwhile to service...

      --


      Chas - The one, the only.
      THANK GOD!!!
  3. Seriously who thought up this idea? by UnknowingFool · · Score: 5, Funny

    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?"

    --
    Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
  4. Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.)

    1. Re:Why? by chispito · · Score: 2

      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.

      --
      The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
    2. Re:Why? by Dutch+Gun · · Score: 5, Insightful

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

      --
      Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
  5. Sounds like a PR stunt by hawguy · · Score: 3

    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.

  6. Good Thinking, AMC! by WheezyJoe · · Score: 2

    The last time I heard about texting in a theater, someone got shot. 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.

    --
    Take it easy, Charlie, I've got an Angle...
  7. The texting friendly theatre by Dunbal · · Score: 2

    It's called Netflix.

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    1. Re:The texting friendly theatre by Gojira+Shipi-Taro · · Score: 2

      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.

      --
      "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
  8. I did one better by future+assassin · · Score: 2

    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.

    --
    by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
    1. Re: I did one better by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Not everyone has Google Fiber where they live, you stupid asshole.

    2. Re:I did one better by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It's kind of odd to me to hear that people still buy DVDs and Blu-Rays in the Golden Age of Streaming.

      1. If you want to stay legal, there are WAY more movies available on DVD than via streaming.
      2. You can buy used DVDs, watch them, and then sell them for about what you paid for them.

  9. I don't get it, why so much hate... by w1zz4 · · Score: 2

    Why does it bothers everybody so much if AMC decide to allow the use of cell phone in certain rooms/screenings?

  10. Wait till you hear this by future+assassin · · Score: 2

    I even cancelled Netflix last week since everything I like to watch I already have on 800+ dvd's and they went hard after the DNS providers. To me its weird that people would not flock to pawnshops/fleamarkets and buy new/old dvd for $2-5.

    Two weeks ago I got The Tick series DVD for $5 at a flea market. Now I already downloaded it anyways but hey a HD goes the DVD is still there.

    --
    by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
  11. Re:Can't believe they even considered it by cmdr_klarg · · Score: 2

    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 go to the movies you can afford to hire a fucking babysitter.

    --
    THE SOFTWARE, IT NO WORKY!!!