Moviegoer numbers drop

Moviegoer numbers drop

JAKARTA (JP): The number of moviegoers has fallen drastically,
due to severe competition from both local and foreign television
channels and the widespread distribution of laser discs.

Johnny Sjafruddin, an executive of the Indonesian Movie
Theater Businessmen's Association, said that this stiff
competition has caused the number of moviegoers at middle- and
upper-class movie theaters to fall by 10 percent.

"The hardest hit is being experienced by lower class movie
theaters, with the number of visitors falling by up to 60
percent," Johnny told members of the City Council's Commission C,
who visited a number of movie theaters in Jakarta yesterday.

The many films screened on private television channels seem to
prevent movie-lovers from leaving their houses to see films at
the movie theaters, he said.

He said there are 25 Studio Twenty One movie theaters in
Jakarta. (hhr)