Milan, 21 October 2009
PRESS RELEASE
Acceleration in the increase of Europe’s digital screens:
they now number 2,602, with a 70% rise in the first six months of 2009
Europe’s digital screens are continuing to
increase in number, in fact they are accelerating: the survey carried
out every six months by MEDIA Salles shows that as at 30 June 2009 the
number of digital projectors fitted with DLP Cinema or 4K technology
had risen to 2,602, with a growth rate of 70% compared to 1st January
of the same year. A decidedly significant increase when considering
that in the first six month of 2009 alone, the growth rate for the whole
of 2008 (+71%) was almost equalled. In absolute terms this year digital
systems have been installed at a rate of almost 180 a month, whilst
in 2008 the corresponding figure was a little over 50. The number of
screens fitted with digital projection technology has thus grown to
around 7.5% of total screen numbers in Europe – Russia included.
The spread of digital projectors throughout Europe does, however, remain
patchy, confirming once again that in all aspects of their cinema industries
– infrastructures and cinema-going styles – each European
market has its own characteristics.
Widespread growth but at different
rates
Compared to the growth rate in the first half of 2009 – 70% as
has already been said – clear differences are to be seen. Croatia,
Estonia, Slovenia, Malta, Iceland and Latvia remain immobile, whilst
Luxemburg (+5%), Bulgaria (+12%), Belgium (+16%), Portugal (+16%), Norway
(+21%) and Ireland (+24%) stop well below the average, as does one of
the biggest markets on the continent in terms of admissions, Germany,
which sees an increase of 28% in its digital equipment.
Slightly below or above average come the Netherlands (+38%), another
of the major European markets, i.e. the United Kingdom (+43%), as well
as Switzerland (+46%), Denmark (+50%), Austria (+52%), Poland (+55%),
Turkey (+65%), Romania (+71%), Russia (+ 79%) and Greece (+88%). A leap
forward is to be seen instead on three of the largest markets in terms
of audiences: Italy (+129%), France (+136%), Spain (+224%) and smaller
countries such as Finland (+125%), Sweden (+150%), Hungary (+186%) and
the surprising Czech Republic (+1,150%) which has grown from 2 to 25
digital screens in just six months.
The incidence of digital in screens
as a whole is also patchy
There are also quite distinct differences regarding the degree to which
digital technology has penetrated each country’s overall number
of cinemas. At the head of the list comes Luxemburg where as many as
85% of cinemas have adopted the new technology. Compared to the European
average of 7.5%, large differences are to be seen in Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria and Romania, countries where digital records an incidence slightly
above or below 20%. Iceland and Norway stand at around 15%, whilst the
United Kingdom is at around 12%, France around 11% and Portugal and
Russia around 9%. Finland, Poland, Slovenia and Switzerland are in line
with the average for the continent. Amongst the territories coming below
this average are Italy (5%), Spain and Germany (4%).
Growth is affected by 3D but not
only
The engine of growth in this acceleration, which took place in the first
half of 2009, is certainly 3D cinema: the American industry has substantially
respected the calendar of releases announced, audiences have proved
receptive and willing to pay more for a ticket to take advantage of
the novelty, exhibitors have decided to invest in the technology that
enables them to offer the new type of product. The incidence of screens
equipped with a 3D system with respect to the overall number of digital
screens has risen more or less everywhere to reach 55% in Europe overall.
Alongside this phenomenon, however, comes the launch or continuation
of conversions to digital in whole chains and – often - whole
complexes (this is the case of the CGR in France), or the appearance
of digital on markets that have been totally lacking in this technology
up to the present.
In the first half of 2009 the “new enrolments” have been
Cyprus (1 screen), Lithuania (4), the Serb Republic (2), Slovakia (4).
Thus, the total of Europe’s digitalized countries now amounts
to 34.
© Copyright MEDIA Salles
* This table slightly modifies the one published by MEDIA Salles on
21 October 2009,
during the European Workshop “The Digital Cinema Revolution”,
held in Rome.
For comparison, see the table herebelow, showing
the situation as at 1st January 2009-11-12
© Copyright MEDIA Salles
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Email: infocinema@mediasalles.it
Website: www.mediasalles.it
MEDIA Salles, a project operating
within the framework of the European Union's MEDIA Programme,
with the support of the Italian Government, fosters
theatrical distribution of European audiovisual products, both by high
profile campaigns involving Europe's cinema exhibitors and by initiatives
to raise the visibility of European productions with industry players
and potential audiences, creating specialized information channels on
a global scale. Thus the current initiatives from MEDIA Salles dovetail
in a program with a triple focus – training, promotion and information
– and maximum combined effect.
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