Should Theatres be allowed to Jam Cell Phones?

[Kirby]

I say "YES"! Not that I care about falling attendance (this is like the GM/Ford problem - make something people WANT) but I get REALLY annoyed with people who chat in theatres, formal concerts (i.e. orchestras), etc, let alone ringing and talking on cell phones.

I have on more than one occasion told people who do this to shut up or leave the performance. One of these days I'll probably get my face busted by someone

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Movie theater owners faced with falling attendance are considering asking federal authorities for permission to jam cell phone reception in an attempt to stop annoying conversations during films, the head of the industry's trade group said on Tuesday.

Industry leaders at the ShoWest conference for theater owners want to find ways to win back crowds.

"I don't know what's going on with consumers that they have to talk on phones in the middle of theaters," John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theater Owners, told the ShoWest conference in Las Vegas.
Theaters are trying a number of ways to silence cell phones, from sweeps by ushers to funny fake movie trailers urging viewers to shut off phones.


Fithian said owners were considering other steps if that does not work.

"We will actually petition the Federal Communications (Commission) to remove the block" on jamming cell phones, he said.

That may be difficult, since federal law and FCC rules prohibit the use of cell phone jammers.

 

[Big Daddy]

Why don't they just throw the offenders out? I always turn mine off before I go in!

 

[MyHarley]

Why don't they just throw the offenders out? I always turn mine off before I go in!

I agree.....I go to the movies a couple of times a month and I don't really have this problem....sometimes I wish I could talk when the movies are so bad...

 

[mjbst111]

Why don't they just throw the offenders out? I always turn mine off before I go in!

Agreed, I leave my phone on vibrate in case someone calls for something important. I would leave to talk and come back in afterwards.

Its all about respect and frankly not a ton of people have much of it. Thats why they have to come of with crap like jammers.

 

[Militant-Grunt]

Agreed, I leave my phone on vibrate in case someone calls for something important. I would leave to talk and come back in afterwards.

Its all about respect and frankly not a ton of people have much of it. Thats why they have to come of with crap like jammers.

Exactly why there cant be jammers, if you recieve an emergency call or text, and its jammed what then?

 

[jonaphn]

Exactly why there cant be jammers, if you recieve an emergency call or text, and its jammed what then?

my thoughts exactly.

 

[mjbst111]

Exactly why there cant be jammers, if you recieve an emergency call or text, and its jammed what then?

oh no i completely agree. (don't think i made that clear) i don't really have a cell phone to sit places and chat. I have it in case people need to get a hold of me or for an emergency (i'm not a big fan of talking on the phone).

 

[codex57]

I'm in total favor of jamming. Removing offenders is really disruptive. It's bad enough that they're yapping away, but having an usher come in, try to find them, then escort them out (standing the entire time) and/or dealing with them fighting to not leave. Just not worth it.

If you have an emergency, just call the movie theater. Say it's an emergency. People survived just fine before cell phones. Being out of contact for a couple hours is not gonna be that big a deal.

 

[epj3]

People survived just fine before cell phones.

I know what you're saying - but it is technology that ALLOWS us as humans to evolve our society. I guess you could also say most people lived fine before telephones, hospitals, penicillin, and petroleum.

 

[Kirby]

Being out of contact for a couple hours is not gonna be that big a deal.

Exactly, right on. If you can't afford to be out of touch, the least you can do is put it on vibrate and leave the theatre to call someone back. There just is NO reason to have the ringer on or answer a call in a theatre. Since some people can't comprehend this, just jam everyone, fine with me.

 

[Big Daddy]

I'm in total favor of jamming. Removing offenders is really disruptive. It's bad enough that they're yapping away, but having an usher come in, try to find them, then escort them out (standing the entire time) and/or dealing with them fighting to not leave. Just not worth it.

If you have an emergency, just call the movie theater. Say it's an emergency. People survived just fine before cell phones. Being out of contact for a couple hours is not gonna be that big a deal.

Good points I had not thought of that! If you are so very important maybe you should not attend movies at a public theater!

 

[codex57]

My uncle can't do lots of crap if he's expecting a call. Hey, he's gotta sacrifice some things for his job. If you think about it, what thing can be so important that it can't wait until after the movie? If it's so important, YOU DON'T GO! It's just an excuse to blame others and force others to be inconvenienced because you don't want to. If you left your kid with the babysitter, they can leave a message to the movie theater cuz if you were a good parent, you left your itinirary and other important info with the babysitter. If your kid had a medical problem, the sitter should be calling 911, not you. You're only gonna stand around and fret and bother the medics. You can do that after the movie at the hospital. It ain't gonna change anything.

I'm all in favor of technology. That's why, since we have technology that can block cell phones, we should use it. Cell phones are a great invention. They can do a lot of good, however, people can't control themselves and as a result, they do a lot of bad as well (see idiots on cell phones while driving).

 

[Militant-Grunt]

Instead of jammers, why not just make a check point before entering the theathre in which staff makes you silence your phone.

 

[epj3]

Instead of jammers, why not just make a check point before entering the theathre in which staff makes you silence your phone.

Our airports can't keep people from taking explosves on airplanes...how do you expect movie theater personnel (typically highschool kids) to enforce that??

 

[epj3]

My uncle can't do lots of crap if he's expecting a call. Hey, he's gotta sacrifice some things for his job. If you think about it, what thing can be so important that it can't wait until after the movie? If it's so important, YOU DON'T GO! It's just an excuse to blame others and force others to be inconvenienced because you don't want to. If you left your kid with the babysitter, they can leave a message to the movie theater cuz if you were a good parent, you left your itinirary and other important info with the babysitter. If your kid had a medical problem, the sitter should be calling 911, not you. You're only gonna stand around and fret and bother the medics. You can do that after the movie at the hospital. It ain't gonna change anything.

I'm all in favor of technology. That's why, since we have technology that can block cell phones, we should use it. Cell phones are a great invention. They can do a lot of good, however, people can't control themselves and as a result, they do a lot of bad as well (see idiots on cell phones while driving).

That's great, but why should my cellphone signal be blocked since I am not a jerk?

 

[codex57]

That's great, but why should my cellphone signal be blocked since I am not a jerk?

Cuz we all failed to beat to a bloody pulp the idiots who are jerks.