Number of Frequent Young Moviegoers Plummets

The number of frequent moviegoers in the all-important 18-24 age group plunged an unprecedented 21% in 2013, according to MPAA annual statistics released Tuesday at Cinemacon, while attendance in the 12-17 age bracket also saw a precipitous drop off, falling almost 15%.

Variety reports frequent filmgoers from 12-24 are likely spending much of their previous moviegoing time watching a variety of other screens.

But Chris Dodd, head of the Motion Picture Assn. of America, sought to reassure theater owners that technology is no foe to the movie industry.

“We need to keep exploring fresh ways of leveraging our new technology to drive traffic to your theaters,” Dodd insisted during his keynote address delivered Tuesday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

“We can embrace technology, and use it to complement our offerings,” Dodd added.

In support of technology, the MPAA revealed that those who generally go to the movies more own more mobile devices — 74% of frequent moviegoers have at least four tech gadgets.

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