Cinema scams
Updated: 2014-02-26 08:47
By Raymond Zhou(China Daily)
|
||||||||
|
US political drama tells much about us |
|
TV dramas need creative touch |
The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, the regulating agency, announced measures in late January to curb under-reporting and cheating on box-office revenues. A special fund is set up to subsidize the upgrading of computer software at point of sale. The current system was installed in 2005 and "cannot keep up with the new situation", in the words of Jiang Tao, director of the fund. "The new system will fix loopholes and shorten the reporting window to only 10 minutes after a sale is made instead of waiting till next noon, which is the current reporting lapse in time, which leaves room for manipulation. The national platform will be ready by May and the cinema side will complete their upgrading by October."
Apart from putting a stamp of authorization on all sales systems, SAPPRFT insists that all film tickets carry correct prices and movie admission. But conspicuously absent are concrete penalties for violations. The software upgrade will certainly be a great help, admit distributors and exhibitors, but it may not be enough.
"The cost of violation is still too low. If you're caught under-reporting 10 tickets, all you need to do is make up for the shortfall," says Huang Ziyan, vice-president of Le Vision Pictures in charge of sales.
Cao Yong, a manager with the Huaxing UME cinema chain, suggests that violators should have their business license revoked. "Cinemas invest tens of millions of yuan and, with punishment of this severity, it would not make sense for them to steal 80,000 or 100,000 yuan from the box office."
Other ideas have been floated such as the use of an infra-red camera that automatically scans a movie theater for attendance. The technology has been available for eight or nine years and it claims to have 95 percent accuracy. But it has never been put into use.
Filmmakers are reluctant to stand firm when they become victims because they do not want to offend the exhibition branch of the business chain - the branch that deals directly with end users. Some say they are no longer sad at the irregularity, but have come to the stage of despair.
This time it's for real, and "we'll cleanse the industry of this illegal and irregular behavior", says Zhang Hongsen, director of SAPPRFT's Film Bureau.
Related stories:
New measures tackle box-office fraud
China's 2013 box office nears 21.8 bln yuan
Top 10 box office hits in 2013
For more stories by Raymond Zhou, click here
- New measures tackle box-office fraud
- China's 2013 box office nears 21.8 bln yuan
- Top 10 box office hits in 2013
- Most Americans have yet to watch any best-picture Oscar nominee: poll
- China Exclusive: What's next after 'Black Coal, Thin Ice' wins
- Love blossoms on Chinese screens on day for lovers
- Fans travel to recreate their favorite scenes
- 'Chollywood' goes arty
- Music at her fingers
- Across America Over the Week (Jan 16 - Jan 22)
- Spend Chinese New Year in style
- Ili river valley becomes a popular destination for swans
- Philip Ma: from scientist to businessman
- Birmingham's Spotlight on China dinner
- How to distinguish doucai, wucai, Famille-rose and enamel porcelain
- Xinjiang lake in bumper fishing season
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Premier Li attends Davos Forum |
Li Na expecting first baby |
Star's marriage is 'bittersweet' news for fans |
Infographic:Chinese IPOs in the US in 2014 |
Tale of two cities |
China's 2014 diplomacy |
Today's Top News
Houston's SW Chinatown
China to focus on reforms, opening of capital market
Slowdown brings new risks to banks
Trade group calls for BIT
Market status for China is 'political' issue
Birmingham's Spotlight on China dinner
Bank takes renminbi-clearing seriously
Traditional Garb
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |