National CineMedia
Public | |
Traded as | NASDAQ: NCMI |
Industry | Motion Picture Exhibition |
Founded | 2002, Centennial, Colorado |
Headquarters | Centennial, Colorado, United States |
Key people | Andrew J. England, CEO, Director |
Website | http://www.ncm.com |
National CineMedia (NCM) is a cinema advertising company. NCM displays ads to U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology. NCM presents cinema advertising across a digital in-theater network, consisting of theaters owned by AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc., Regal Entertainment Group and other regional theater circuits.
NCM is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange as National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI).
The company is perhaps best known to the general public for its advertising preshow, FirstLook.
FirstLook
FirstLook is NCM's pre-feature programming. FirstLook consists of pre-show advertising and entertainment,[1] provided by content partners such as ABC Networks, A&E Television Networks, Amazon, Disney, Fandango, Google, Hulu, Microsoft, NBC, Nintendo and Turner Broadcasting System[2] interspersed with advertising. The program is approximately 20 minutes, and is timed to end exactly at the movie's start time, before any trailers. It is delivered via satellite, and several different versions are provided depending on the movie's MPAA rating.
If a 3D movie is showing, a special "FirstLook 3D" is shown after the original version. This consists of 3D advertisements.
If a G or PG movie is showing, a children's version of FirstLook, named "FirstLook Play", is shown in lieu of the original version. This usually is for movies directed at children with those ratings, though some PG movies may still have the regular FirstLook programming.
FirstLook is the successor to Regal's The 2wenty preshow, introduced to that chain in 2003. FirstLook carries largely that same format, the main difference being that while 2wenty was Regal-exclusive, FirstLook is fed to founding members circuits AMC, Cinemark, and Regal, as well as many NCM affiliate circuits such as Goodrich Quality Theaters, Hollywood Theaters, and Kerasotes.
Fathom Events
Fathom Events, formerly known as NCM Fathom, was a division of National CineMedia that offered alternative entertainment events in movie theaters. In December 2013, it was announced that NCM was restructuring Fathom Events as a new stand-alone entity owned by AMC, Cinemark, Regal Entertainment Group and NCM, with NCM retaining a 4% stake in the company.[3]
Past entertainment events have included:
- The Metropolitan Opera live from New York City
- Live concerts (The Black Eyed Peas, Queen, Paul Rodgers, Celine Dion, Garth Brooks, David Gilmour, Linkin Park, Kiss, Rod Stewart, Depeche Mode, Korn, Beastie Boys, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Green Day, Bon Jovi, Bowling for Soup, Brooks & Dunn, Aly & AJ, Jesse McCartney, Usher, Jimmy Buffett, Aerosmith, Yes, Meat Loaf, Godsmack, Phish, Matchbox Twenty, Prince, Kenny Chesney, Elvis Presley, Les Misérables)
- Live sporting events (Mayweather/Márquez, UFC 111, Hopkins/Jones 2, Mayweather/Mosley, UFC 115, Final Four Games of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Márquez/Díaz 2, UFC 118, Mosley/Mora, UFC 121, Mayweather/Ortiz, UFC 143, Mayweather/Cotto, UFC 154, Mayweather/Guerrero, Mayweather/Álvarez, UFC 167, Mayweather/Maidana 1, Mayweather/Maidana 2, UFC 181-185, UFC 187-UFC 189, UFC 192, Cotto/Alvarez)
- Various films courtesy of Turner Classic Movies
- Live town halls and other original programming
- Filmed Broadway Musicals (e.g. Memphis: Direct from Broadway)
- National Theatre Live: filmed plays from the National Theatre in London
- Anime films
- Children's films
NCM Digital
The NCM Digital offers 360-degree integrated marketing programs in combination with cinema, encompassing thousands of entertainment-related web sites and hundreds of mobile applications.
Firstlookonline.com is a consumer-based initiative targeting movie-going audiences with new movie content, trailers, movie showtimes and extended information.
Merger
In May 2014, Screenvision entered into a merger agreement with NCM for US$375 million.[4] The merger was blocked by the Department of Justice over anti-trust concerns, since Screenvision and NCM together would supply advertising to 34,000 of the nation's 39,000 movie theaters.[5] In March 2015, Screenvision and NCM terminated their deal and NCM paid Screenvision a $26.8 million termination payment.[6]
References
- ↑ http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=137185. Media Daily News. Sass Erik. October 6th 2010. Retrieved 27th October 2010.
- ↑ "About Us". www.ncm.com. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
- ↑ http://investor.ncm.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=816470
- ↑ "National CineMedia to buy Screenvision For $375 Million". The Wall Street Journal. May 5, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
- ↑ Schwartzel, Erich; Tadena, Nathalie (November 3, 2014). "Justice Department Sues to Block Merger of Cinema Advertising Networks". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
- ↑ Stynes, Tess (March 16, 2015). "National CineMedia, Screenvision Terminate Merger Deal". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 8, 2015.