What Factors Effect Student Cinema Attendance Media Essay

The main objective of this research is to determine factors that affect UEL students’ cinema-going behaviour. This report consist two main parts, Research Methodology and Finding and Analysis. At the end, a conclusion will be drawn out based on finding.

1.0 Literature Review

Cinema-going refer to an action taken by individual to visit cinema for a movie screening, as those who visit cinema are called “cinema-goers” (Lipponen et al, 2003). Many researches have been done by researchers on cinema going behaviour in some country such as Australia (Henderson, 2007), Finland, Estonia, and Portugal (Lipponen et al, 2003). These studies focus on characteristics of cinema-goers that are similar between two or more different place.

In order to determine what factors that affect cinema going behaviours, several areas of consumer behaviour have put into consideration.

Knowledge

Consumer’s knowledge refers to the amount of information that store within the memory of consumer on that particular product or services (Blackwell et al, 2001). What UEL students knew about that movie will affect their cinema-going behaviour. For examples, who is starring that movie? Who is the director? When the movie will be screen on local cinema?

Attitudes

Basically attitudes refer to what consumer prefer or like to consume. Cinema-goers usually go cinema watch movie is because of their favourite type movie screening. If that particular movie is dislike by him/her, most likely he/she won’t go cinema.

Perception

Sometimes what consumer thought about that particular goods or services might affect their purchasing decision. Example action movies might suit to boys because of fighting scene but not suit for girl as they think that fighting is not good.

2.0 Methodology

Research methods that going to apply is sampling method consist of survey throughout UEL students who study in International Business and Marketing course. Comparison between local and foreign students applied as different in background, education level, cinema censorship and perception toward a particular movie.

Non-probability sampling applied where questionnaires were distributed based on their knowledge and personality. There are several limitations and advantages (Singleton et al, 1993) by using non-probability sampling.

Limitations of non-probability sampling are unable to prevent bias of investigator on selection of participants and unable to predict the sampling error or sample precision. Advantages are less expensive and easy to collect with high respond rate.

Primary data

Questionnaire consist of 90 sets were distributed among UEL students and 80 sets responded. The questionnaire consists of 3 sections with total of 18 where most are close-ended questions (referring to Appendix 1).

Total Responded Rate = 80 / 90 * 100%

= 88.89%

Besides that, focus group and personal interview have been used to collect primary data. This method apply is because focus group provide more information compare to observation (Morgan, 1997). Besides that, result can be obtained in fast and easy way. Yet some may not be able to join in the focus group due to distance and not easy to locate the right person (Morgan, 1997). Detailed explanation on these two methods stated on Appendix 2.

Personally interview was carried out in order to obtain more accurate data beside questionnaire and focus group. Two respondents with different background and knowledge level were selected as they able to provide different answers which are not generalise. Yet limitation of personal interview is bias may occurred when selecting respondents and that respondents may not have the time for interview.

3.0 Finding and Analysis

Based on Table 1, questionnaire respondents of 80 divided into two groups, 46 local students and 34 foreign students. All those respondents are UEL students.

Question 2: What day in a week you likely will visit to cinema?

Based on the finding from questionnaire, Saturday ranked as the first choose of day to go cinema for a movie with a total of 43 (27.56%), both local and foreign, students. While Wednesday ranked as second choice of UEL students with 37 (23.72%) students. Friday and Sunday follow after second ranking. Values of percentage refer to Table 2.1. From the overall finding, we conclude that local and foreign students prefer to watch movie on weekends.

Result from focus group has found similarity to questionnaire where majority of member prefer to watch movie on Saturday and Wednesday. One of them stated that Wednesday they able to purchase the ticket using student price. The others stated Saturday is more suitable as their boyfriend/girlfriend/classmates doesn’t have any class where they usually unable to meet during weekdays.

Yet from personal interview, local respondent choose weekdays as weekends price for ticket is much expensive. Foreign respondent stated that weekends will not suitable as too crowded.

Question 3: What types of movie genre you prefer to watch at cinema?

Through questionnaire, both local and foreign students prefer to watch action movies in cinema with a total of 54 (20.69%) respondents. While comedy (46 respondents, 17.62%) and romance (30 respondents, 11.49%) following the back. Dance/musical movies found as the lowest pick (20 respondents, 7.66%) and hence being ranked as likely unwelcome movies among local and foreign students. Values of percentage can be found in Table 3.1.

Focus group show same result where majority of them are like to watch action movie. Reasons are have different kind of feeling, more excited, sound system made it more real, love to watch martial arts and so on. One of them stated that romance movies are suitable to watch together with their spouse. None of them prefer to watch dance/musical movies at cinema.

Personal interview indicated that action movies are their first choice if they wish go cinema. One of respondents says that dance/musical movies are not worth to watch at cinema. Hence conclusion is movie genre can affect UEL student cinema-going behaviour where the movie must in the preference of them.

Question 4: What language of movie that you preferred to watch?

Based on the result of questionnaire, both local and foreign students prefer to watch English language movies (68 respondents, 57.63%). Chinese language movies are the second higher (38 respondents, 32.2%). Certain respondents have chosen other languages such as Japanese, Korean, and Hindu.

From focus group, all respondents choose English language movies. Reasons are they want to improve/strengthen their language in English, much better compare with other types, learn the way they speak and etc.

Result from personal interview also supporting finding in questionnaire as they found that their spoken language in English is bad and want to improve by learning how they speak. Local respondent stated that English movies are much more excited that other language movie.

Question 5: Usually you go to cinema with whom?

From questionnaire’s result, we found that majority of local and foreign UEL students go cinema with their friends (75 respondents, 64.66%). Spouse (22 respondents, 18.97%) and family (13 respondents, 11.21%) following after friends. This situation occurred as majority of respondents prefer to watch action movies and their girlfriend unwilling to follow them.

Focus group’s respondents also providing similar answer as questionnaire where they feel that a group of friends go for movie watching is part of their entertainment, fulfil their social needs as illustrated in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (refer to Appendix 3).

Result from personal interview show different respond. Local respondent spend much of the time watch movies with his girlfriend while foreign respondent prefer to watch movies with friends as his spouse didn’t follow him come here to study.

Question 8: Based on your last cinema going experience, please the following statement.

(1 – Very Poor, 2 – Poor, 3 – Fair, 4 – Good, 5 – Very Good)

Respondents in questionnaire choose that environment on previous visiting to cinema are good. Majority of local and foreign students (46 respondents which is the highest among three factors, 57.5%) are satisfied with the environment such as seats, screening, sound system and others. This shows that student’s satisfaction on cinema’s environment can be important factor in affecting cinema-going behaviour.

At the same time, focus group provide more reasons to support result in questionnaire as all respondents are satisfied with overall environment during last visit to cinema. One of the respondents stated that every single cinema company is competing with each other by providing better environment and services especially Golden Screen Cinema (GSC). The others say they will visit the same cinema again in the future because that particular cinema can satisfied them.

Respondents in personal interview stated that environment play less role when determine cinema-going where location is the most important. Even the closer cinema to his house didn’t provide good environment, he will insist to go there.

Question 9: How do you become aware of the new movies screening in the local cinema?

Through questionnaire, we can see that majority of local and foreign UEL students become aware of new movies and obtain their information through newspaper and friend’s recommendations (both with the same respondents’ rate of 49, 24.87%). Besides that, online website (36 respondents, 18.27%) is another place where they can get new movies information from.

Focus group’s respondents also stated that they usually obtain information from their friends or through newspaper. Seldom watch movie trailer before going to cinema and watch that particular movie. Online website usually used for e-reservation purpose only.

Personal interview also found that local and foreign UEL students also obtain their information by friend’s recommendation and newspaper. Respondents stated that movies that rated best or good by friends should be fine with them. Therefore they will go cinema and watch that movies. We able to conclude that friend’s influence can affect their cinema-going behaviour.

Question 10: Please indicate what reasons that discourage you from going cinema.

Result from questionnaire show that location (53 respondents, 42.06%) is the main factor that affects their cinema-going behaviour, both local and foreign students. Ticket price ranked as second factor with 28 respondents and 22.22% while public transportation (21 respondents, 16.67%) follows at the back. Those respondents choose others provide reason such as environment and availability of new movies in that cinema.

In contrast focus group provides different answer from questionnaire where majority of respondents stated that location is not their concern. They stated that environment is their main concern of going cinema even that cinema located far from their living place. Minority say that public transportation must available as they don’t have own transportation.

But personal interview show that location is their main concern as they need to travel with their own transport. Sometime traffic is too crowded until they feel tired if that cinema located far from their house. Environment will fall under consideration when going cinema.

Question 12: Does the availability of movie viewing alternative such as DVD/VCD/Online streaming discourage you from going cinema?

Based on questionnaire result, we may conclude that majority of the respondents will not be discouraged to go cinema even there is availability of movie viewing alternative. The result accumulated with 43 respondents or 53.75% of total respondents.

Focus group show supportive result where all respondents choose that movie viewing alternative will not be the factor from discouraging them from going cinema. Respondents say that watching movie at cinema will have different feeling from watching VCD/DVD at home. Besides that environment in cinema can allow couple to strengthen their relation according to respondent.

Moreover personal interview show the similar result as questionnaire and focus group. Both local and foreign students will not bought VCD/DVD/Online streaming as they want to be the first person to watch the movie in cinema. Besides that, if the movie is good then they can recommend to their friends.

4.0 Conclusion

When preparing the report, comparison is made between local students and foreign students. Through the research, we can conclude that both local and foreign UEL students prefer to watch movies with their friends. Besides that, majority of them go to cinema based on their satisfaction on several areas such as environment, sound system, screen and etc. Yet local students obtain their information for that particular movie through their friend’s recommendation while foreign students prefer to get information through newspaper.

However, this research topic required a deeper analysis to a wider range of factors and keeps up to date where human behaviour will change from time-to-time.

(2,057 words)

5.0 Appendixes

Survey form sample (Appendix 1)

University of East London

Stamford College Petaling Jaya

Lot 7A, Jalan 223, Seksyen 14, 46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel: (+603) 79563188 Website: www.stamford.edu.my

Dear Sir/Madam,

A research has been conducted in order to determine what factors that affect UEL students’ cinema-going behaviour. Therefore survey form was distributed among UEL students. Information will be used for education and research purpose only. All information disclosed in this survey form will not be distributed or re-used by third party. Please kindly answer ALL questions listed in the survey form.

Thank you.

Section A: Demographic (Please read the question carefully and place “√” on those answer that most appropriate)

Gender: Male Female

Age: Below 20 21 – 23 24 – 26

27 – 29 Above 30

Nationality: Malaysian China Indonesian

Others: _______________

Race: Malay Chinese Indian

Others: _______________

Marital status: Single Married Divorced

Highest education level:

Primary school Secondary school A Level

College University

*UEL ID: ____________________ (Year ___ Semester ___)

* Field indicated to fill in for future data keeping.

Section B:

How often do you visit cinema?

Everyday 3 – 4 times per week Once a month

Once per week Never visit (Go to Section C)

What day in a week you likely will visit to cinema?

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Thursday Friday Saturday

Sunday

What types of genre you prefer to watch at cinema? (Continued Pg 3)

Animation 3D

Horror Romance

Action Comedy

Sci-Fi Dance/Musical

What language of movie that you preferred to watch?

English Chinese Tamil Others: ______________

Do you prefer to watch movie similar to drama? (eg, High School Musical1, 2 and 3)

Yes No

Usually you go to cinema with whom? (Can choose more than one answer)

Family Friends Spouse Alone

How much are you prepared to spend to purchase a cinema ticket?

RM 5 – RM 10 RM 11 – RM 16 RM 17 – RM 22 Above RM 22

Based on your last cinema going experience, please rate every statements stated below:

Lighting

Lighting(1 – Very poor, 2 – Poor, 3 – Fair, 4 – Good, 5 – Very good)

← 1 2 3 4 5 →

Clear screen

Clear screen

← 1 2 3 4 5 →

Air condition

Air condition

← 1 2 3 4 5 →

Seats setting

Seats setting

← 1 2 3 4 5 →

Sound system

Sound system

← 1 2 3 4 5 →

How do you become aware of the new movies screening in the local cinema? (Continue Section C)

Magazines Friends’ recommendation Online website

Newspaper Cinema centre Broadcasting

Section C:

Please indicate what reasons that discourage you from going cinema (Can choose more than one answer).

Price Cinema location Public transportation Promotion

Other (Please specify: _________________________________________________)

Please rank the following cinema companies from most popular to not popular based on your opinions. (1 – Most popular, 2 – Popular, 3 – Fair, 4 – Less popular, 5 – Not popular)

GSC TGV Cathay Cineplex MBO Lotus Five Star

Does the availability of movie viewing alternative such as DVD/VCD/Online streaming discourage you from going cinema?

Yes No

Thank you for helping in this survey.

Appendix 2

Focus Group Discussion

This group consists of seven members, both local and foreign UEL students. Their personal information was not collected as each person prefer to remain anonymous in this research. Below is the result from the discussion:

Usually you prefer to watch movies on which day? Why?

Wednesday.

Promotion.

Student price.

Not so crowded as weekends.

Friday.

No class on Friday for most of the students.

Can spend more time with girlfriend/boyfriend.

Saturday.

Weekends’ price cheaper than weekdays.

Usually not class for their spouse.

What movies genre that you always watch at cinema?

Action movies

Romance movies (usually with spouse)

3D movies yet due to newly introduce therefore seldom watch by students.

Horror movies

What type of movies language that you prefer to watch at cinema? Why?

English.

Strengthen their language.

Improve their speaking skill.

More better if compare with other language

Adopt the correct way to speak English.

Forced by lecturer to watch English movies.

Usually you go to cinema with whom? Why?

Friends.

Part of their life.

To entertain friends because they ask for a movie.

Can share opinions after watching movies.

Spouse.

Being forced.

Improve relationship.

Do you satisfied with last experience to cinema in term of seat, sound system, and screen? Will you go to that particular cinema again?

Satisfied with those three factors. Yes because GSC provide the best environment to their customers.

Satisfied. Now every cinema companies are competing in term of environment in order to booths up their sales. Willing to visit that cinema again.

How do you become aware of new movies screening in cinema?

Newspaper.

Online website (usually for reserve purpose)

Friend’s recommendation

Does public transportation affect your cinema-going behaviour?

No. Usually have own transportation.

Major concern when don’t have own transportation.

Does location will affect your cinema-going behaviour?

Yes. Sometime that cinema is located far away from their house.

Stuck in traffic jam will feel exhausted and eliminate the mood to watch movie.

Usually price will discourage you from going cinema?

No. As long the price is within reasonable price range.

No. To enjoy different feeling.

Yes. Not affordable to purchase expensive ticket.

Does alternative of movie viewing such as DVD or online streaming will discourage you from going cinema?

No. That kind of feeling which obtained through watching at cinema is different from watching movie at home.

No. Able to have more private space with spouse.

Personal Interview

Respondents’ personal information:

L: Local student (1116421)

F: Foreign student (1116608)

Date: 12 April 2010

Duration: 45 minutes

Can you tell me in which day of a week that you always go watch movies?

L: I always watch movies on weekends especially on Saturday because I able to save cost compare to weekdays.

F: Prefer to watch on weekdays oh because I can use my student card to get student price on Wednesday.

Then what movies genre that you always watch at cinema?

L: Action movies will be my first choose because the way they fight make me feel excited.

F: Action movies. I don’t like to watch dance/musical movies because is very boring and not attractive to me.

What language movies that you always watch at cinema?

L: English movies. More excited and adventure compare to other type of language.

F: English movies because I am weak in speaking English when communicating with friends or lecturer. So I want to learn how to speak English.

You usually go to cinema with whom?

L: Friends. To entertain them. But majority of the time will go on date with girlfriend as normal day is study day and unable to spend more time with her.

F: Friends. No choice because my boyfriend is not with me at Malaysia.

Do environment factors affect your cinema going behaviour? Factors such as seat, sound system and screen.

L: Of course not. Fuel price becoming more expensive than before so nearest cinema will be my choice.

F: No. As long that I able to be with my friends, other factors will not be my concern.

How you get your information about new movies at cinema?

L: Through my friends and sometime from newspaper.

F: Friends’ recommendation and newspaper. Usually online website was used to book ticket only.

Does distance from your house to cinema is another factor discouraging you from going cinema?

L: Yes. More nearest to my house, more likely I will choose that cinema.

F: Yes. Sometime when the traffic is crowded then I might late for that movie.

Then how about public transportation?

L: No. Usually I will drive my car.

F: No. My friends will come and fetch me.

Will you pay high price for a movie?

L: Depend on what movie. If that movie is my favourite then I won’t mind spending high price but must be reasonable.

F: Usually won’t because I have limited budget to spend on every week.

Will you buy DVD or go online to watch movie instead of going cinema?

L: No. That kind of excitement cannot found if watch at home. (Some reasons have been removed due to personal reason)

F: No. As long I can be with my friend, I can go watch movie even I watch that movie for more than two times.

Appendix 3

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, introduced by Abraham Maslow, a famous psychologist, divine into five areas: Physiological Needs, Security Needs, Social Needs, Esteem Needs, Self-actualisation needs. In Social Needs stage, human want to have a sense of belonging, being love or loving. Involved in relationship such as friendship, romance, families can help human being to fulfil their needs for companionship and acceptance (Maslow, 1970).