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Viewers Who Stream More Also Go To Cinemas More (cnbc.com)

Video streaming services like Netflix and Hulu don't appear to be negatively impacting the box office like many would assume. Michael Pachter, analyst at Wedbush, expects the U.S. box office will grow about 1% to $12 billion this year, setting another record.

"Our takeaway is that Netflix and the expansion of [streaming video on demand] platforms will have minimal impact on box office given the vast supply of content, plenty of which is ideal for theatrical release (and most talent fiercely and contractually objects to a straight-to-streaming release)," Pachter wrote in a research note Monday. CNBC reports: Last year, the domestic box office had a record-breaking year, hauling in $11.9 billion, there was a 5% rise in the number of movie tickets sold, and 263 million people -- 75 percent of the population -- saw at least one movie in theaters. "Everyone has a kitchen, but everyone still goes out to eat," Charles Rivkin, CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, said, quoting Sterling Bagby, the late co-founder of B&B Theatres, during a "State of the Industry" panel last week.

Rivkin said that with each new innovation in the entertainment industry, there has been worry that it will kill the movie industry. Talking pictures, technicolor movies, television, basic cable and smartphones were all seen as disruptors. "And yet we're still here," Rivkin said. "The theatrical and home entertainment sectors both grew strongly in 2018, and that's great news, because we are all part of the growth together," he said.

53 comments

  1. Willing to pay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Surely this is down to willingness to pay for content? If they are willing to pay for Netflix I'd assume they are more likely to be willingly pay for cinema tickets.

    1. Re:Willing to pay by stealth_finger · · Score: 4, Insightful

      In other words, people that like watching stuff go to a place to watch stuff. Well I never.

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    2. Re:Willing to pay by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      So you much rather watch a movie broken up with ads then?

      Content of any consistent good quality is expensive to produce. Even some crappy you tube channels that has a quality a bit higher then a phone clip, often takes hours of production work. Factoring in time is costing thousands of dollars per 15minute clip.

      A TV Show is usually a over a million per episode.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    3. Re:Willing to pay by squiggleslash · · Score: 1

      Exactly. It's "Film lovers who love spending money on movies spend money on all sorts of sources for movies". This is as bad as the "Music lovers both pirate and buy CDs!" claims that were made 10 years ago, respun as "People who pirate more buy more CDs".

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    4. Re:Willing to pay by Lennie · · Score: 1

      Actually, it's simper than that, finding from a study from France from years ago:

      people who pirate the most also buy the most tickets, DVDs, merchandise, etc.

      --
      New things are always on the horizon
    5. Re:Willing to pay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Part of the problem is that cinema visits are kind of obnoxious.

      You're funnelled into a dark room to watch the precious content and told that you are being watched.

      The cinema experience should be a night out... not a closely watched prison visit.

    6. Re: Willing to pay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We can only confirm with a study.

  2. doom & gloom by sad_ · · Score: 1

    interesting to read that cinema's aren't doing so bad as they constantly claim.
    i read here that; 'The theatrical and home entertainment sectors both grew strongly in 2018'

    --
    On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
    1. Re: doom & gloom by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And people who don't watch TV much also don't go to the cinema.

    2. Re: doom & gloom by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If these guys are so smart they can figure out if it's streaming helps movies or the other way around

  3. Are you sure it isn't the other way around? by darthsilun · · Score: 2

    People who go to the cinema more are more likely to stream more content than their non-cinema going peers?
    Maybe they just like movies more than other forms of entertainment and are doing more of it, whether it's streaming or cinema

  4. Perhaps more time to spend? by houghi · · Score: 2

    Perhaps those people who stream more, also don't have TV to watch all the time. The time they spend in front of ads is now spend at the movies.

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  5. in other news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    People who like movies like to watch movies.

  6. Totally Disagree by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My wife and I cut the cord six years ago and I myself have not been in a theater since 2008. She went to a movie theater last year since a friend wanted to see a movie for her birthday. Before that she too had not been in a theater since 2008.

    From my perspective there is nothing redeeming about the movie theater experience. We are fortunate to have excellent county public library systems, King and Pierce counties has reciprocal agreements, so we can get DVD for free for both library systems. As such we have no need, not desire, to go to a movie theater, and we get to see current movies soon after they are available on DVD.

    The combination of Amazon Prime, Netflix and our local libraries meet all of our video entertainment needs.

    1. Re:Totally Disagree by johnsie · · Score: 1

      So you've turned into hermits. Congratualtions... Don't go outside, the sun might burn you!!

    2. Re:Totally Disagree by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 1

      They just don't go to the movies. That does not imply they don't go outside. There are many ways of going outside without going to the movies. Plus, arguably, if you are afraid to get burnt by the sun, going to the movies is an excellent way of preventing that.

    3. Re:Totally Disagree by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >So you've turned into hermits

      No we did not. We are quite active outside with walking our two large dogs and being a landscape photographer it's kind of difficult to take these types of photo sitting at home.

      Actually, I'm retiring in a few months and we'll be moving back to our apple orchard where we will spend a great deal of time outside tending to the trees. Perhaps put the fallow acreage under cultivation, which will mean more outdoor time.

      We are also planning on buying a small RV and doing the tour of the National Parks, both U.S. and Canada. Which will afford plenty of outdoor time, so you needn't worry about my health. But kind of you non then less.

      Rest assured that we have no plans to frequent any movie theaters during retirement since we won't be able to afford the price of admission! :)

  7. Go outside by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You nerds need to get out more. Spending your lives in darkened theaters or at home in front of your electronics has made you pale weakened and foolish.

  8. New releases by redback · · Score: 2

    If I could get movies that are in the cinema at home for a one off fee similar to the price of a movie ticket, I would.

    I only go to the cinema when its a big movie and I don't want to stumble into spoilers on the internet before I get a chance to see it, but I'd rather watch it at home if I had that option.

    1. Re:New releases by geoscodin · · Score: 2

      I was on MoviePass until it became awful. I switched to AMC A-List. It costs $19.95/mo but I can see any 3 movies every week. I seldom see that any, but if I see 2 or 3 it pays for itself. It also gives me discounts on popcorn and soda, and for every 5000 points I earn I get a $5 reward. I typically get one reward a month. Plus on Tuesdays I can bring a fiend for $5. All-in-all not a bad deal for me. Not for everyone, of course. My wife is not a member and just goes with me on Tuesdays.

    2. Re:New releases by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Plus on Tuesdays I can bring a fiend for $5. All-in-all not a bad deal for me. Not for everyone, of course. My wife is not a member and just goes with me on Tuesdays.

      Not many people can get away with calling their wife a fiend.
        Perhaps you meant friend or was it a Freudian slip?

    3. Re:New releases by geoscodin · · Score: 1

      Clearly you've never met my wife.

    4. Re:New releases by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can, for some movies. Dragged Across Concrete specifically I noticed was in theaters and available for rental on some of the streaming sites (for a higher rental fee than a normal rental, but lower than the cost of a movie ticket). I noticed that one went out of theaters quickly, so maybe it's something smaller arty-type movies are starting to do.

  9. Wait... by Dunbal · · Score: 1

    So people who tend to watch a lot of movies..... watch a lot of movies? Next: fat people who eat a lot at home also eat food more often from restaurants.

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  10. Internet streaming breaks promotion dominance by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It was the same when Napster was on the rise. It actually contributed to grows of titles sales.
    The main problem with streaming it is vast access to content produced by low profile publishers.
    It creates competition to large title producers like Disney and similar to them, that is why they are so against of streaming.
     

  11. Streaming has better content by Kiuas · · Score: 3, Informative

    For me personally, streaming has reduced the times I go to a theater. In my teens I went probably on average a couple times a month. Last year I saw maybe 3 movies in theaters. What's changed? In my opinion the prevalence of streaming has put movie studios in a bind: now that nearly everyone has access to near unlimited amounts of content from their couch, movies have become a much more risk-averse business. Making movies costs a lot and competition is fierce. This has led to studios focusing heavily on franchises and sequels and cinematic universes. There's a reason disney paid a fortune for the Star Wars IP (and already made their investment back): they know SW is a franchise with a huge pre-existing fanbase and they know they can keep pumping these movies out at a rate of about 1 a year and keep raking in the cash. Marvel. DC. Harry Potter franchise being hastily expanded beyond the original series. It's all about risk-management: the studios are asking themselves 'what can we invest XXX million bucks into and be fairly certain that we'll make money?'

    This is not to say all that is bad. I enjoy a mindless action-flick or a superhero movie here or there. But this has made it so that the selection of movies available in theaters, at least here in Finland, is pretty narrow. My personal taste in movies is story and character/dialogue driven. If the plot and the writing is good enough, I don't care if the special effects budget has been small. Movies like Coherence and Primer are good examples of how to make thoughtful and entertaining scifi/mystery films with a very limited budget. However these kinds of movies don't make it to the cinemas any more, they're too risky. The movie going public has been conditioned into expecting a 'larger than life' experience on the big screen.

    Every once in a while a movie with a wide mass-market appeal hits the theaters that even a cinephile nerd like me can call excellent. Mad Max: Fury Road is a good example of a such a film and in my opinion the best pure action film ever made (because it uses action to actually tell a story beautifully, instead of having tons of crap dialogue that just acts as dressing to get the characters into the next action set-piece, you could cut what little dialogue there is out of the film and it'd still be more world building and immersive than the whole of the Transformers franchise combined), but outside such movies I don't often find myself wanting to go to the theater, because for people like me, the streaming services simply offer a better selection.

    --
    "It is the business of the future to be dangerous" -Alfred North Whitehead
    1. Re: Streaming has better content by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I wish Netflix and Hulu would keep more content around. Lots of times I search for something and it's not available there.

    2. Re:Streaming has better content by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Streaming has decimated movie going for me. I'm at home on my comfortable couch, my own food, pausing for the bathroom, I control the lighting and the volume, no one on their cell phone. Movie theaters fail to check all those boxes. It's rare that I need to actually see a movie immediately - I'm fine with last year's releases. We do love going to the drive in though - there is often a pickup football game before the movie starts.

    3. Re:Streaming has better content by parkinglot777 · · Score: 1

      I think another reason is that TV and home sound system nowadays are much better than back then, so you can enjoy a movie at home with similar (and possibly better) experience compared to at a movie theater. Besides, all the drink (both alcohol & non-alcohol) and pop corns are free at home. You could even invite your friends to watch it together without extra cost (besides pop corns and drink). Even better you can pause the movie, if you need to go to the bathroom so you won't miss anything. Let alone the price of streaming a movie. So why go to a movie theater?

    4. Re:Streaming has better content by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It was Redbox for me. Getting Blu-Rays and DVD's cheaply and without hassle (reserver online) was a treat. They always had nearly any movie that I'd want to see. Then they sold out. After that, the same shitty movies were there and you could never expect the latest and greatest. I started streaming a lot more after that but I still miss being able to see all the newly released movies. I hardly ever go to the movies anymore. The only movie I'm planning to see this year is End Game and then I'll be done with Marvel movies and probably the cinema forever.

  12. bitgold by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    All content is advertising. Only fascism makes you pay for advertising. In fact, the content providers owe us for hijacking our broadband.

  13. Take that, Helen Mirren! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-08/73-year-old-helen-mirren-rages-fck-netflix-theres-nothing-sitting-cinema

    1. Re:Take that, Helen Mirren! by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 1

      Fuck Helen Mirren. (Not literally of course.)

      I watch movies at home because I can:

      * control the overall volume
      * can turn the bass up/down
      * can turn the center channel up/down
      * can pause
      * can rewind
      * can watch at my convenience instead of being dictated
      * can take bathroom breaks
      * can get "free" snacks when I want
      * can turn captions on/off
      * can move my seat closer or further
      * always have the best seat in the house
      * can use headphones if i want so I don't disturb others in the house
      * can use my phone if I want
      * can save money
      * don't have to robbed paying for overpriced food
      * don't have to worry about sticky floors
      * don't have to ignore people/kids that won't STFU
      * don't have to pay an arm and a leg to watch the latest overpriced crap
      * don't have to watch 15+ mins. of bullshit trailers & ads
      * don't have to worry about fuel & parking
      * don't feel obligated to laugh at crappy jokes because everybody else is

      I can wait 6+ months to see the latest Hollywood crap.

      There are very few movies that makes the "theater experience" (*) worthwhile.

      (*) "Theater experience" to be read in a stuffy, British voice. =P

    2. Re:Take that, Helen Mirren! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck Helen Mirren. (Not literally of course.)

      In her prime, she was intensely sexy, and even today there is something about her.

    3. Re:Take that, Helen Mirren! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ^^^^^EXACTLY THIS^^^^^^!!!
      There have been almost no worthwhile movies (or TV shows) produced in the last 15-20 years! Watching at home via Netflix, Hulu, or a DVD is a MUCH MUCH more pleasant experience than going to a theater! Cost is part of that, but there are other considerations as well. The theaters around here seem like they clean once a month! Its not just sticky floors, its sticky seats too! Add that to the fact that my $25.00 computer speakers with sub-woofer sound better than the theater's sound system...I would much rather stay home!

  14. No the analysis is just skewed by goombah99 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If box office is up 1% in revenues and inflation is 2.5% then box office is down. Since ticket prices have risen by more than 10% the nunber of butts in seats is down by more than 9%.

    The correlation could easily be interpreted to suggest the opposite. Specifically People who go still go to the theaters like movies so much that they also watch more on Netflix too. Exactly the reverse causation for that correlation.

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
    1. Re:No the analysis is just skewed by XXongo · · Score: 2

      If box office is up 1% in revenues and inflation is 2.5% then box office is down.

      Somebody mod that insightful.

      The inflation rate in 2018 was 1.9% (this year, to Feb, was 1.5%) (ref: https://www.usinflationcalcula... ) So 1% increase in revenues is actually a downward movement, not up.

      Since ticket prices have risen by more than 10% the nunber of butts in seats is down by more than 9%.

      Yes, probably a better way to look at it. ticket prices are up. This site claims about a 5% rise in price 2017 to 2018 (44 cent rise in a year, on a ticket price of about 9 dollars): https://variety.com/2018/film/...

    2. Re:No the analysis is just skewed by Solandri · · Score: 2
      When A is correlated with B, there are three possibilities for causation (well, a fourth is that it's just a coincidence but ignore that).
      • A causes B
      • B causes A
      • Some other factor C causes A and B

      Everyone is trying to spin this as the first or second depending on whether they're pro-theater or anti-theater. When it's intuitively obvious that the actual relationship is the third. People who like to watch movies often go to the theater, and also subscribe to Netflix.

      Trying to glean if there's a secondary effect of Netflix increasing or decreasing theater attendance is complicated by that being a time comparison - how did these people behave before they got Netflix, versus after they got Netflix? Unfortunately, the number, type, and quality of movies has changed over time. So unless someone comes up with some really clever method to control for those changes, you won't know if people's theater viewing behavior changed because of Netflix, or because movies changed.

  15. In other news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    People that tend to watch movies tend to watch more movies than those that do not tend to watch movies.

  16. uh-mazin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    People who like watching movies also like watching movies. Go figure.

  17. They go as that's the way the market is protected by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    Want to see a new movie? Have to enjoy that theatrical release.
    Then wait for physical media, streaming.
    Streaming to a 4K display would work too. Give people the option :)

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  18. Re: They go as that's the way the market is protec by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    People are brainwashed by dumb nonexistent rules. They were always free to choose whatever their funny little hearts desired.

  19. view it as marketing by jbmartin6 · · Score: 1

    This reminds me a bit of the Baen Books approach to ebooks. They found that giving away some or all of the books in a series as ebooks actually increased the sales of the paper copies. Not the exact same situation but perhaps a common phenomenon at work. I will say that recently I have been streaming more and actually went to the theater a few times after avoiding them for years. It helps that the competition pushed the theaters into substantially improving the experience with reserved seats, better chairs, cleaner floors, etc.

    --
    This posting is provided 'AS IS' without warranty of any kind, implied or otherwise.
    1. Re:view it as marketing by Bigjeff5 · · Score: 1

      They used to have a write-up about it on their site, dunno if they still do. Basically, offering ebooks for free was especially helpful in boosting the long tale profits for the book, because people would read a book for free and then either buy it for their collection, buy sequels, or tell their friends about it.

      Since something like 90% of a book's profit comes from the first 3-6 months after release, letting the books go free after that high-profit window is not a major risk. So Baen releases a large selection of their books free once their high-profit window has passed.

      It just always seemed like a totally sensible way to do business to me.

      --
      Security is mostly a superstition... Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. - Helen Keller
  20. Wow! by Maury+Markowitz · · Score: 1

    > Video streaming services like Netflix and Hulu don't appear to be negatively impacting the box office like many would assume

    People who watch movies watch movies. STOP THE PRESSES!

  21. Re: MAGA Country!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Make America GREAT Again!

  22. I do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I pay for multiple streaming-services (Netflix, HBO, F1TV, NFL and MLB) - but I haven't been to cinemas since 2001/2002-ish (the first Lord of the Rings)

  23. Someone should investigate this phenomenon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hmmm, people who like to watch movies go to the movie theaters more often. Can't wait for some university to do an expensive study of this strange phenomenon.

  24. what a buncha boring consumer fucksticks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wastes of oxygen

  25. Not me. by antdude · · Score: 1

    I watch more online, but not in theaters.

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  26. Well, that's hardly surprising. After all, by sabbede · · Score: 1

    people who like to watch movies, like to watch movies.