We’ve been hearing the words “alternative content” a lot in relation to today’s cinemas, but 2009 has been a year when alternative programming has become more and more commonplace—and creative.
The alternative possibilities for movie theatres were dramatically demonstrated at the beginning of the year, when the excitement over the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama entered the cinema realm. Thanks to a deal between Screenvision and cable news channel MSNBC, the ceremony was seen in 27 cinema locations representing 11 exhibitors, filling auditoriums during the off-hours of Tuesday morning.