This sounds like an awful idea. Newly appointed AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron is open to the idea of allowing people to text in theaters. The businessman, who previously headed Starwood Hotels and Resorts and co-owned the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team, told Variety at CinemaCon on Tuesday, April 13, that he’s considering an experiment with relaxing mobile phone bans.
While discussing AMC’s planned merger with Carmike Cinemas and strategies to engage millennials, Aron explained that you have to factor in cellphones and other mobile devices.
“When you tell a 22-year-old to turn off the phone, don’t ruin the movie, they hear, ‘Please cut off your left arm above the elbow,’” the CEO said. “You can’t tell a 22-year-old to turn off their cellphone. That’s not how they live their life.”
At the same time, Aron is aware that some — like Us — would rather watch a movie without someone texting next to them.
“We’re going to have to figure out a way to do it that doesn’t disturb today’s audiences,” he added. “There’s a reason there are ads up there saying turn off your phone, because today’s moviegoer doesn’t want somebody sitting next to them texting or having their phone on.”
Aron continued that “one possibility” would be to have mobile-friendly designated areas inside the theater, but “what may be more likely is we take specific auditoriums and make them more texting-friendly.”
Tell Us: What do you think of the idea?