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)