Correlation never equals causality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe that one line sums up “logic 101” and\/or “statistics 101.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The example I used to hear was that there was a positive correlation between ice cream sales and drowning. As ice cream sales increase so does the number of deaths by drowning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BUT eating ice cream does not CAUSE drowning deaths — i.e. when is more ice cream sold? in the summer. When do more people go swimming? in the summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is also data out there connecting “eating cheese” and “strangulation”<\/a> — but again, eating cheese does NOT cause strangulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This concept is important – just in general – but also when talking about the rise of “streaming” and “movie theater” attendance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When going to the “movies” first became a cultural event 100ish years ago it was a much different experience. Back in that “golden era” of movie theaters folks would go as a WEEKLY “family night out” — there might have been a news reel, a cartoon, and then a feature presentation. The primary source of “news” would have still been print newspapers – and “sports” like boxing, horse racing, baseball, college football were popular – again either on the radio or attending live events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n BUT “the movies” were the bread and butter of family entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The “golden age of radio” was relatively short – from the late 1920s to the 1950’s. Radio and movies might have been in the same general “entertainment” markets but they are much different “experiences.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Visuals AND sound” tends to beat “just sound” — BUT “going to the movies” would have been an EVENT, while turning on the radio an everyday experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Television became popular in the 1950s it ended the “golden age” of radio – and also forced the “movie industry” to adapt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n e.g. hunt up some old “B” Westerns and you’ll discover that they tend to be about an hour long – and the “weekly serial” adventure\/cliff hanger shorts tend to be 20 to 45 minutes. Which sounds a LOT like “television” program lengths to the “modern audience.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n A lot of those “B” Western stars also had radio shows – and the popular show made the jump from radio to television. There was still a sizable market for both television and radio in the early days. The popular shows probably had a comic book and\/or daily newspaper comic strip as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The “point” being that folks wanted “entertainment” NOT a specific TYPE of entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Television ended the “weekly ritual” of going to the movies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The “movie industry” responded by increasing the “production value” of movies. Movies were “bigger” and “better” than television programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The “movie” advantage was still the bigger screen and the EVENT status. The product required to attract the audience into the theaters obviously changed – gimmicks like 3D, “Technicolor”, CinemaScope came and went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, the one 20th Century invention that can rival television for “cultural impact” is the automobile. I would tend to argue that the increased “mobility” automobiles allowed makes them the most influential and\/or culturally transformational. BUT the point is arguable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This “automobile” changed “dating and mating” rituals. PART of that change involved “going to the movies.” At the height there were 4,000 “drive in” movie theaters spread across the U.S. (in the 1950s). <\/p>\n\n\n\n All of those Baby-boomers doing there thing would have found the “drive in” the more economical option. The post war economic boom created “teenagers” would have had “going to the movies” as an option to “get away from parents” and be, well, “teenagers.”<\/p>\n\n\n\nMovies <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Other “family entertainment” options might have been staying home and listening to the radio. “Live theater”, and musical concerts might have been an option IF they happened to be in town. Back at that time the “Circus” coming to town would have been a much bigger deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTelevision<\/h2>\n\n\n\n