Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

300 [Motion Picture Herald Graph] The above graph is based on computations by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period beginning January 1, 1 94 1, through December, 1946. U. S. FIGURES SHOW SCREEN IS NATION'S BEST VALUE Despite the continually increasing scale of wages, climbing retail prices and the generally higher cost of living throughout the country, theatre admission prices relatively have maintained the level of early 1941. This is revealed in a survey of 34 key cities conducted by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The admission price index increases are due largely to the greater Federal taxes placed on amusements. Price and Wage Rise Not Matched by Admissions A comparison of indexes of salaries and wages and retail 'prices with those of motion picture admission prices from January, 1941, to December, 1946, shows that the admission price index, including adult and child admissions, has increased only modestly on a comparative basis. Salaries and wages during this period were increased from an index of 130.0 to 258.4, an increase of 98.8 per cent; retail prices jumped from 101.9 to 172.7, or 69.4 per cent, while admission prices rose only 50 per cent from 109.1 to 163.7, or from 19.4 per cent to 48.8 per cent less than the comparative indexes. In computing the above increases the Bureau uses "100" as the base index figure for the 1935 through 1939 period. The Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington computes the "consumer price index" from the composite measure of prices charged for clothing, food, house furnishings, rent, fuel, electricity and ice. In addition, selected miscellaneous commodities and service are indexed by the Bureau including admission prices charged by theatres. This index includes Federal, state and local admission taxes and general sales taxes. The admission price index is collected and tabulated monthly from first, second and third run theatres located in downtown and neighborhood sections of the 34 representative cities throughout the country ranging in population from 62,107 to 7,454,995. The cities, with the populations based on the 1940 Government census, used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in compiling the admission price indexes are: Atlanta with a population of 302,288 ; Baltimore, 859,100; Birmingham, 267,583; Boston, 770,816; Buffalo, 575,901; Chicago, 3,396,808; Cincinnati, 455,610; Cleveland, 878,336; Denver, 322,412; Detroit, 1,623,452; Houston, 384,514; Indianapolis, 386,972; Jackson, 62,107 ; Kan sas City Mo., 399,178; Los Angeles, 1,504,277; Manchester, N. H., 77,685; 292,942 ; Milwaukee, 587,472 ; Minneapolis, 492,370; Mobile, 78,720; New Orleans, 494,537; New York, 7,454,995; Norfolk, 144,332; Philadelphia, 1,931,334; Pittsburgh, 671,659; Portland, Me., 73,643; Portland, Ore., 305,394; Richmond, 193,042; St. Louis 816,048; San Francisco, 634,536; Savannah, 95,996; Scranton, 140,404; Seattle, 368,302, and Washington, D. C, 663,091. During 1946 alone the motion picture theatre admission price index was considerably less than comparative indexes. In this year's period salaries and wages increased 9.4 per cent; retail prices showed the greatest gain by climbing 20.7 per cent, while admission prices increased only 6.6 per cent. These 1946 increases are included in the tabulation of the 1941-46 indexes and in the graph above. Adult Admission Prices Increased 49.2 Per Cent A further examination of the admission price index reveals that prices for adults increased 49.2 per cent — from an index of 109.9 to 164.0— from January. 1941, through December, 1946. while children's admission prices for the same period increased 52.9 per cent from 105.4 to 161.2. In the year 1946 adult admissions increased 6.8 per cent, with the index rising (.Continued on following page) MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 19, 1947 13