The discounting of cinema tickets among some independent operators, Reading, Hoyts and Event Cinemas is so prevalent that some executives describe the practice as “a cancer” which is threatening at the industry.
The ACCC has officially authorised Independent Cinemas Australia (ICA) and its members to collectively bargain with distributors on licensing agreements.
Netflix and other streaming services won’t kill the cinema industry and are in fact complementing rather than competing with the theatrical business.
The global rise of streaming services has not directly impacted cinemagoing but it has hurt independent films which traditionally have performed well at indie cinemas.
Two dollars from every ticket sold at the vast majority of Australian cinemas on Sunday January 19 will be donated to three charities that are supporting bushfire relief efforts.
The January 19 bushfire relief and recovery fundraiser, which saw distributors and exhibitors donate $2 from every ticket sold that day, raised $654,838.
Independent Cinemas Australia president Scott Seddon addresses the challenges facing cinemas in negotiating with landlords, cash-flow problems with JobKeeper and the need for a coordinated industry-wide approach when cinemas re-open.
Australia's independent exhibitors warn that more than 50 per cent face being forced to shut down permanently in the next six months unless they get urgent relief from the Federal Government.