Exhibitors Herald (Mar-Jun 1924)

April 5, 1924 EXHIBITORS HERALD 47 PUBUC RELMONS Smith Urges Public Service Sunday Screen Service Success It Will Save Theatres from Adverse Influences, He Says Ohio President Impresses Exhibitors With the Value of Membership in Local Civic Organizations This department would not be fulfilling its mission if it failed to take full cognizance of the suggestions made by Martin G. Smith, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Ohio, relative to the value of public service — or “Public Relations” — work in further stabilizing and promoting the theatre. Although Mr. Smith’s suggestions were offered directly to members of his state organization, this department believes that their significance is worthy of the attention of exhibitors of all states. President Smith’s reference to public service in his annual message follows in full : Some eighteen months ago this department, then “Public Rights League,” related an experiment of Charles Lee Hyde, Grand theatre, Pierre, S. D., in conducting a Sunday Screen Service. The success of this endeavor is told by Mr. Hyde in the following letter to this department: “Many months ago I started a Sunday Screen Service in my theatre on Sunday night, renting my house to the Congregational church for their use and they conducting a religious service built up around some feature film that I pick for them. I wish to report after eighteen months’ trial that I consider it the most satisfactory step I have taken in developing my theatre and in putting it on a profitable basis. “There has been a successful revival meeting conducted the last month by the Methodist church primarily, but in fact by the united effort of the church people of the community. In spite of this opposition I closed a February with a profit for my time of •.something over $300 and last Saturday I broke my house record. “Every Sunday I have from 500 to 800 satisfied people in my theatre seeing a picture picked by me from one of my regularly shown producers and with some of my regular stars. This picture is one that might not be a good money getter for a week night, but which goes nicely in a Sunday atmosphere and the church puts it on with a prologue that would cost me $100 to duplicate. Naturally, everyone goes out of the place completely satisfied. You can get no better advertising than this. They associate my house with the best in pictures and with satisfaction. The church is able to support the expense of this service and pay me $15 a Sunday rent as well as the film rental for good pictures, out of the voluntary offering or collection taken each evening. “Don’t fight the church, but cooperate with them. Don’t be afraid of the ‘menace.’ The cave man feared fire. Get the church to work with you and everyone will prosper. Many in Pierre will tell you that our Sunday Screen Service is the finest thing that has ever happened to this town. I notice the poposition expressed in the trade papers to the use of pictures by the church. Don’t fear it, foster it. It has proven profitable to me.” “Inauguration of our public service department took place at Toledo on February 25, 1922, and was a tremendous success, both in attendance and in arousing interest generally in the movement. Programs have been shown subsequently in cooperation with school and church authorities throughout the state. “To my mind one of the most important developments in the history of t*he motion picture industry and one which has helped considerably to reduce the general opinion that the theatre is only a place for amusement is the institution of public service elements on the part of the motion picture theatre owner. “Exhibitors should realize that if the theatre cannot be made of indispensable service to the community and ultimately to the state and national government the theatre owner would have to leave his theatre through the back door to escape the adverse legislation and taxes pressed .upon him. “Public service is one of the pronounced phases of our organization work. Public officials and the public in general must be made to realize that the motion picture is an institution and not merely a place of amusement subject to attack and adverse criticism, obnoxious and unjust taxation and destructive legislation. The utility and worth of the motion picture theatre in this relation is becoming more and more apparent to the official, legislative and general public mind daily. The superior power of presentation associated with the screen as a medium of expression and publicity is everywhere recognized and this voluntary and helpful cooperation of theatre owners is much appreciated. “This association established between the screen and the public is elevating, advancing and adding further dignity to the motion picture theatre and places it in its true position as the screen press of America. It will lead to a higher public conception of the un-American political censorship and other unfair and unnecessary inhibitions and the freeing of the screen for even greater elements of service to the people. “In order to produce the best possible understanding between the leading elements in every community and the motion picture theatre, I strongly urge our members to avail themselves of membership in chambers of commerce and other trade bodies, in Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions and Exchange clubs and kindred organizations. This wiU enable them to bring the service of the motion picture theatre in all community work to its proper position and also bring about a much better feeling toward the motion pictme theatre as its activities will find a favorable reaction in the minds of all the people.” Exhibitors who have experimented with “Public Relations” activities will concur in Air. Smith’s suggestions and statements. Theatre operation is a business not unlike any other business and the exhibitor who does not conduct his theatre as such is misrepresenting the industry.