Posted on 12/18/2005 7:27:25 AM PST by Kjobs
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Dec. 17 (UPI) -- The National Association of Theater Owners wants the Federal Communications Commission to allow the blocking of cell phone signals in theaters.
John Fithian, the president of the trade organization, told the Los Angeles Times theater owners "have to block rude behavior" as the industry tries to come up with ways to bring people back to the cinemas.
Fithian said his group would petition the FCC for permission to block cell phone signals within movie theaters.
Some theaters already have no cell phone policies and ask moviegoers to check their phones at the door, Fithian said.
The Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association -- a Washington-based cell phone lobby that is also known as CTIA-the Wireless Association -- said it would fight any move to block cell phone signals.
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
Technology moves on. People lived perfectly happy lives without antibiotics, the internet, automobiles and other modern conveniences as well.
Being able to stay in touch even when in a movie allows many, many people to attend movies that ordinarily wouldn't be able to.
A good example is married couple with young children. Having a cell phone (on vibrate) allows the parents to be notified by the babysitter of anything needing their attention. It also allows the parents to enjoy the movie by knowing that if anything needs their attention, the babysitter will contact them rather than the parents having to call the home every so often.
Another example is someone that is on call 24 hours a day. A cell phone (on vibrate) allows them to live a normal social life rather than having to sit next to the phone in their living room waiting for a call.
Theaters are already facing declining sales. This tactic will just reduce them further.
"Then go to a different theater. If enough people agree with you, then I'll lose business and change my policy. If not, too bad for you."
Easy to say, not easy to do. Ok, so let's say they Block Nextel, - which happens to be interleaved in frequency with Public Safety radios (you'll be blocking fire dept, police, ambulance too) or Cellular A band which is adjacent......
There are a ton of unintended consequences with this - in this case they are mostly bad.
However, if they hired bouncers to kick out unruly customers, including those using cellphones - which is totally within their right as a place of business, I submit the unintended consequences would be mostly GOOD.
This is a dumb idea - no matter how you slice it.
Ok, scenario #2....you have a restaurant next to the theater - and you want your patrons to be able to use cellphones - how do you stop the theaters system from blocking signals in your establishment? It probably would involve lawyers.
Scenario #3.....what would stop some enterprising person from using this technology to extract revenue from cellphone providers to selectively "allow" signals from one carrier and not another - say by approaching businesses en masse and offering to share revenue? (what would stop competing cell providers from jamming competitors signals in this way, in certain areas by teaming with business owners?......probably nothing)
No, like a common currency, this is one of those things where the gov't, as incompetent as they are, and the FCC as stupid as they can be, are better at managing radio spectrum than anyone else.
Better yet, buy the movie and watch it at home. 10 dollars for a coke and pop corn is ridiculous. No crowds and you can stop it to answer the phone:')
How did we live without cars? Being a Luddite is your prerogative and all, but the reality is that cell phones are part of today's world.
In today's world, the people who actually do go to theaters (not old fogies or Luddites that don't go anyway) simply do not want to be cut off from the world for 3 hours.
"I look forward to the development of pocket-sized, affordable cellphone jammers. I'll buy one and take it with me everywhere. Think of the peace and quiet at bars and restaurants, theaters, golf courses, cars, and office meetings."
Why don't you just tell people what to do in person now? Could it be that you are too scared what they might say or do to someone who considers himself so indispensible to society as the source of all that is socially acceptable?
When you are using that device, make sure you bring your checkbook. You'll need it for bail.
My wife's the same height as you and we have the same problem. I can't recall the last movie we saw in a theater -- too much hassle! We belong to a DVD club though and by picking and choosing over the list we find quite a few watchable movies, some we'd never have taken a chance on in a theater. But there's a huge number of real dogs!
"By the way, there are things the average person can do. I encourage people to buy those devices that jam cellphone signals. I won't provide a link here, but y'all know what I 'm talking about."
A little passive aggressive, don't you think?
I am in fact amazed that any children born before 1995-ish ever lived to adulthood!I was thinking the same thing. It's lucky for us that cell phones were invented. Where would the human population be without them?
I can hardly wait for you to catch up on the rest of the thread.....
"In today's world, the people who actually do go to theaters (not old fogies or Luddites that don't go anyway) simply do not want to be cut off from the world for 3 hours."
Silliness! I'm an old fogie at 60. I'm far from a Luddite. I have a cell phone on my person at all times. It is off, unless I need to make a call.
I have a good bit of disposable income. Some of that I use to watch movies at movie theaters, where I also buy popcorn, hot dogs, and sodas, at inflated prices. I see a movie in a theater, with my wife, at least once a week.
A ringing cell phone is an abomination in a theater. Worse is some clown talking on a cell phone during a movie. But, fear not, I speak right up and complain if the person is near me. I also ask talkers to can it if they're near me. I do this quietly, and politely, but very, very firmly. So far, that strategy has shut up every single person committing the breach of etiquette right away, and they've stayed shut up through the rest of the movie.
It is only required that those in the theater refuse to tolerate rude behavior for it to end. If that happens frequently enough, pretty soon such behavior is no longer commmon.
People have to stop being afraid to ask rude people to stop their rudeness. If you ask them, they'll stop, especially if it's clear that you are not one to tolerate any further disturbances.
You're confused if you believe that only rude, young, or technically addicted attend movies. Indeed, it's just the opposite. Folks with time and money also attend, and lots of them are older.
People that are at war with technology don't tend to be high volume movie goers. Also, people in their 60's aren't very high volume movie goers either. It's not like many movies are being made that appeal to that generation. I take my parents who are in thier 60s to the movies on Thanksgiving and Christmas and it's very hard to find something that is appropriate.
Just read this thread, almost everyone who hates cell phones also wrote in the same message that they almost never go to movies anyway.
Go to any cineplex and look at who is in line. It is by far mostly people in their teens and 20s. There are couples in their 30s here and there as well. All of these people would be turned off by the cell phone warriors.
The argument seems to be that the phone ringing is disturbing to others so that Government needs to intervene.Well, then you just don't understand the argument, MrsEmmaPeel, you just don't understand it at all.
Here's the deal, MrsPeel:
If theaters built expensive metal mesh in their walls, blocking all incoming signals, that would be legal. But if they use a much cheaper method of blocking the signals, that's illegal. What the theaters are saying to the government is: butt out. Let us block the signal the way we want.
Now, repeat after me: Asking the government to butt out is not the same thing as asking the government to intervene.
Again, this time with feeling, and a bit of understanding: Asking the government to butt out is not the same as asking the government to intervene.
Got it, MrsEmmaPeel? Is it clearer now?
I have to wonder where the theaters are located where you guys have such a problem with cell phone conversations during movies.
Offhand I don't recall it ever being a problem. The cineplex I usually go to has 24 theaters and patronized by a very technologically friendly clientele.
Most people are aware that phones have a silent mode.
By far the biggest distraction are people that heckle during movies (especially horror movies) and parents that bring their infants to movies.
"People that are at war with technology don't tend to be high volume movie goers. Also, people in their 60's aren't very high volume movie goers either."
You're incorrect. People in their 60's are far from movie avoiders. It all depends on the location of the theater and the time of day. Who do you suppose is at all those matinee performances in the middle of the week? Do you think the theaters are running those films at those times to empty audiences?
Here in the Twin Cities Metro area, there are dozens of multiplex theaters, most in suburbs, and each with full parking lots in the daytime, during the week.
What movies do you think they're going to? Folks my age are not feeble-minded cretins. We're going to all the movies, especially the ones aimed at adult audiences.
By the time the Oscar nominations come out, I will have seen every nominated film, including the foreign films. I'll have seen the short subjects, too, since a theater in downtown Minneapolis has a special screening of the nominated shorts.
If you only go to movies at night, then you're misunderstanding the audience. Yes, the 8PM showings are full of 20-35 year olds. No question. Try a weekday matinee. All of us healthy 50, 60, and 70 somethings are at those showings. In numbers.
As I said, my wife and I see at least one movie in a theater each week. Often it's two or three. We like movies.
60 is not old, my friend. It's an age full of folks with disposable incomes. Kids are gone...usually even out of college. We have time. We have money. We have numbers. And we like the same movies everyone else does.
This old fogy, Luddite is.
LOL!!
Nope. Not passive-aggressive. Just pointing out new trends in technology. I'm not aggressive at all, and put up with whatever happens in movie theaters, including loud talkers and people on cell phones. I like going to the movies. If I didn't like it, I wouldn't go.
But this forum question is all about cell-phone jamming in theaters. I'm for it.
Yes, every time I've been to a matinee showing the theater has been about 80% empty. During the summer when school children are out of school, there might be a bit of a jump but that's it.
The high volume show times for movie theaters are the evening shows when the technologically friendly people are out and about.
"I can hardly wait for you to catch up on the rest of the thread....."
You got that right!....I thought there were just a couple screwballs on this thread, but it's total anarchy here. If folks really believed the stuff they are spewing here, society would completely collapse.
I like to do a little backyard astronomy......can't people just be polite enough to live without electric lights long enough (in a 50 mile radius) for me to look through my telescope?
"I do hope you are prepared for a natural (or man-made) disaster, where you could be cut off from the world for three days not three hours!
This old fogy, Luddite is."
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