Please, we want cheaper tickets

A few days ago, many of the Spanish’s cinemas celebrated la Fiesta del Cine. During three days, the spectators could watch any film for only 2,90 €, instead of the nearly 10 €  that you have to pay normally. To take benefit of this initiative is very easy: you must visit their website, get a credential and show it when you go the cinema. During those three days, many of the cinemas decide to join this offer, because they know that thousands of people will go.

This time I couldn’t go because of work, but I did go in October. A friend told me about this option and I went with my wife and two friends. It was a Monday and I remember that we had to queue up about 45 minutes. Once we go out of the cinema, the queue was terrible and, probably, most of the people didn’t get in.

On previous days, la ‘Fiesta del Cine’ did a good promotion on Twitter and they created a lot of interest. I think everybody was aware about this initiative and whoever has been, knows that it is a great opportunity to watch films at an incredible price.

  

Once the ‘Fiesta del Cine’ was over, I heard one of the people in charge said that it was a real hit and that a lot of spectators had gone to the cinema during the three days. Then is when I thought: “Of course a lot of people went, for that prize people don’t mind paying”.

I know I don’t have all the information and I imagine that the maintenance of a cinema it is not cheap. I understand you have to pay the workers and a lot of thing I can not even think of. However, I also know that a lot of people don’t go to the cinema because they are not going to pay nearly 10 € for their ticket. For a couple, it is 20 €, and if you have children even more. Obviously, if you buy popcorn, chocolates or sweets, the price increases a lot.

What I do know, is that people expend their money when they think is worth it. What happens if you pay the 10 euros and the film is rubbish? Next time, you will think about t. As I wrote before, I know I don’t have all the elements to judge, but I can assure a few things. The cinemas have more people when the tickets are cheaper, of course they don’t collect the same amount of money for one ticket but maybe they don’t lose as much as they would have thought of.

I think this is the third time this initiative has gone on. More than 2 million people went to the cinema during those three days. I am tired of seeing offers in Atrapalo, Lets Bonus, Offerum and others with tickets at half prize. A lot of cinemas have two days of the spectator and the ticket is a lot cheaper. I can understand that the tickets on the weekend are more expensive, but I think it is an error that there are so expensive. A lot of people don’t go to the cinema because of the price they have to pay. In the other hand, the cinemas are full when the ticket is cheap. Why not decrease the price of the tickets? Everybody will be happy about it.

Journalists, stand up for yourselves!

I remember when I began working as a journalist. In the year 2000 I started working for Blanc i Blau, a newspaper that no longer exists but where I learnt many things. Obviously, I worked hard and many hours for not much money but I was younger and I wanted to do my best. Honestly, I think I did even though the newspaper finally closed.

In Catalonia there are thousands of journalists. Of course, there are a lot of young boys and girls who want to start their careers and they do all the efforts that are necessary. I understand because in these difficult days it is normal that you try to do your best to obtain a profit in the future.

However, what I dislike a lot is that people work for free. Nowadays you can find a lot of media with young people that don’t earn any money for their job. The other day somebody showed me an offer of a radio that even asked the journalists to pay 100 € to work for a program. Are we crazy?

Being a journalist was something that people just to admire in the past. However, I think it has changed and a lot of people think that is a job full of lies. I also think that journalists are the first who are destroying the good name of this job.

It is absolutely terrible that people work for free. I think you have to stand for yourself and give value to your profession. We already have too many people working that don’t have the education or come from other fields.

I understand these young people who are starting but we have to stand up for ourselves, we need that journalism turns again into a respectable profession and the first who have to believe and try hard are all the people that work in media or press departments.