Popcorn Story a Lot of Hot Air

It must have been a slow news day for three weeks.

That’s how long the public was bombarded with “news” about popcorn, popping oil and cholesterol, thanks to a press effort by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. When the dust settled and the Center’s scrutiny turned to breakfast muffins, the public was left even more confused about what was once America’s favorite movie-time snack.

The Times covered the Center’s story a total of five times--once on the front page of Metro, three times on the front page of Calendar and once on the front page of Life & Style. Three of the stories were so-called “news” articles, the other two were commentaries. It is with the final commentary, “Choose Your Oil” (Calendar, May 26), by David Kronke, that theater owners are finally saying, “Enough.”

Kronke’s snide review of local theaters’ popcorn by “eight upstanding citizens . . . with nothing better to do . . . “ was unnecessarily mean-spirited. Considering that, on a daily basis, the Los Angeles Times provides estimable coverage to all other facets of the industry, this piece stood out as containing more superfluous fat than even the largest tub of popcorn.

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Where was this same kind of mega-press coverage in 1990, when AMC Theatres converted its popping oil used in more than 50 theaters in California, Arizona, Washington and Colorado to 100% canola oil? A press release sent out at the time garnered not one drop of ink. The entertainment reporters said it was a food issue, and food reporters claimed it was an entertainment industry issue. Curiously, today, it’s both--and more.

Where was the mega-press coverage when these same theaters went smoke-free last year? The Times eked out only one paragraph on this newsworthy event when AMC established a smoke-free policy. Obviously, AMC Theatres does not arrange for a healthful environment and customer conveniences based on the amount of media coverage we hope we can garner. If that were the case, moviegoers would be sitting on benches instead of in extra-wide, padded, reclining seats with cup-holder armrests.

AMC Theatres is constantly re-evaluating and initiating new customer conveniences. When presented with the information about cholesterol-causing saturated fats in the late 1980s, AMC began actively searching for a healthier replacement popping oil. The entire theater chain tested a number of lower-fat oils. When we asked for feedback from our patrons, in many instances, customers wanted theaters to keep using coconut oil.

In the West, however, customers overwhelmingly asked for a low-fat alternative that tasted good. We eventually chose low-in-saturated-fat, 100% canola oil in the states of California, Arizona, Washington and Colorado. AMC’s message about its long-time use of canola oil was lost, or worse, misconstrued as being motivated by the recently released study.

The effects of this mix-up were that customers stopped buying popcorn. The ongoing coverage of the issue did not help clarify or educate consumers. Some of it may have been entertaining, but it was at the expense of movie theaters. And, at the expense of other, more valid news stories that were shoved aside in favor of yet another angle on popcorn and popping oil.

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Because Kronke displays an unfamiliarity with the economics of theater management, (suggesting that his next “investigative” piece focus on the price of popcorn), we’d like him to know that revenues from movie theaters’ concession stands contribute a great deal to the enjoyment of the movie-watching experience. The extra-wide aisles, the clean-up crews that remove empty cups and wrappers between screenings, the excellent sound systems, the wide-screen presentations, the professionalism of the box office and management--all are supported with revenue from concessions.

AMC Theatres has made a substantial investment in Los Angeles. We employ hundreds of full-and part-time employees, sponsor local sports teams, run public service announcements and invest in Southern California real estate. We deserve to have our side of the popcorn controversy covered fairly and accurately.

We hope that the popcorn issue is now put to rest, but if it is not, we hope that future coverage is professional and not the sum experiences of “eight . . . citizens . . . with nothing better to do.”