Out of all the issues, in all the world, Connecticut wants to regulate…movie start time advertisements?
Earlier this legislative session, Sen. Martin Looney (D-New Haven) introduced a bill that would require theaters to post both start times for previews and the actual movie. Theaters failing to comply would be hit with a $500 fine per violation, which would go to the state’s General Fund.
Sen. Looney testified this proposal “represents fairness for moviegoers and a commitment to truth in advertising” after receiving “complaints from constituents who note that they incurred” babysitting costs, were late to reservations, or simply “subjected” to uninteresting trailers.
“I realize that some theatres believe that this legislation would adversely affect their bottom line,” Sen. Looney noted. “[H]owever, it is a stretch to say that moviegoers are not already aware of the available refreshments or that they are unaware of other movie options. This bill might actually encourage some residents to see movies in a theatre as they will be able to accurately schedule the time needed.”
Movie theaters beg to differ, arguing that advertising two different start times would be “costly, impractical, confusing, and detrimental to the moviegoing experience.”
“For over 100 years, moviegoers have come to expect coming attraction trailers to play before the movie,” said Doug Murdoch, executive director of the Connecticut Association of Theatre Owners (CATO). “Trailer durations vary depending on the film, time of day, and distributor agreements, making it impractical to advertise precise and consistent pre-show programming and feature start times. Mandating additional scheduling complexity will strain theater staff, increase labor costs, and create unnecessary logistical hurdles.”
Murdoch further added that advertisements before the feature film “generate essential incremental revenue that help offsets operational costs,” especially as theaters recover from the pandemic’s effects.
CATO was not alone. AMC Theaters — the largest U.S. theater exhibitor with nine theaters in Connecticut — concurred, testifying that, if enacted, the bill would increase “operating complexity and costs for theatre operators, which would make this recovery even more difficult.”
“In fact, the cost of complying with such regulations would likely negatively impact moviegoers with higher prices and the possibility of more theatre closures,” said Kevin Connor, general counsel and secretary for AMC.
Nationwide, the movie industry has struggled with box office returns since the pandemic, which, in turn, impacted theaters. In Connecticut, this has led to nearly 20 closures, from 57 to 38, including the last one in New Haven — which was in Sen. Looney’s district.
For the state to try to regulate movie start times, nickel and diming theaters already struggling to stay afloat, is, ironically, a waste of peoples’ time — the very thing Sen. Looney proposed to prevent. This bill raises concerns over enforcement, government over-regulation, and the cost of doing business in Connecticut — which is among the worst in the nation. Any moviegoer knows previews are roughly 15-20 minutes and have been for decades, so that should be baked into any trip to the theater.
Again, the state has a plethora of affordability issues, from high property taxes and energy rates — movie start times should not even be on the General Assembly’s radar.
This bill gets two thumbs down.
