No Movie Ads
A class-action lawsuit was filed in February 2003 in Chicago against
Loews Cineplex Entertainment Group and the approximately 2,445 screens
and 263 theatres they own and operate.
The lawsuit alleged that
Loews Cinemas purposely deceive moviegoers as to the actual starting
times for feature films, with the goal of generating a captive audience
for advertisements. By publishing misleading starting times in
newspapers, on marquees and on their tickets, the movie theaters breach
their contracts with moviegoers and engage in a deceptive trade
practice. The effect is to waste purchasers' time by forcing them to
sit through unwanted commercial messages. Purchasers are effectively
forced to watch commercials on their own dime and time.
In the
lawsuit it was alleged that advertising prior to movies is a ploy to
get moviegoers into the cinema to serve as unwitting subjects for
annoying commercials, many touting products and services from companies
tied to the movie theater chains. The lawsuit seeks damages for
moviegoers' loss of time and seeks injunctive relief forcing theater
owners to accurately list the genuine starting times of movies.