MORRISTOWN, N.J.—Aug 2, 2007
MJR Theatres Signs Deployment and Pre-Show Programming Deal with AccessIT
Bigger Picture Customer Leveraging Technology for Additional Programming Opportunities, AccessIT Surpasses 3,500 Screens Committed For Deployment Program
Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. ("AccessIT") (NASDAQ:AIXD) today announced that independent exhibitor MJR Theatres (“MJR”) (www.mjrtheatres.com) will be the twelfth chain to convert 116 megaplex screens in seven locations to Digital Cinema using AccessIT’s Theatre Command Center™ software and pre-show programming and Christie DLP Cinema® projectors.
MJR is already a customer of AccessIT’s Advertising & Creative Services division and the company’s alternative content services division, The Bigger Picture. The newly signed agreement will enable MJR to enhance the quality with an integrated pre-show programming to its audiences through Christie DLP Cinema® projectors, as well as to continue broadening its alternative content offerings from its current faith-based programs to Kidtoons, Animé, Bigger Concerts®, and other new channels as they become available.
Mike Mihalich, President & CEO of MJR, said: “Becoming an all digital cinema circuit will be an exciting change for MJR. We look forward to improving our picture quality through the digital systems AccessIT and Christie will install, and to integrating our pre-show programming into them, simplifying our playlists. The opportunity to expand our programming with alternative content will also be a positive change – we have already seen how broadening our offerings brings more and different people to the theatre.”
Chuck Goldwater, President of AccessIT’s Media Services Group, commented: “MJR is an outstanding and highly regarded independent theatre chain, which will leverage digital cinema to its greatest potential. We are excited to see them integrate AccessIT’s PreFlix screen advertising, Bigger Picture and Christie/AIX solutions to provide the best in theatre-going experiences to their customers.”
Craig Sholder, Vice-President of Entertainment Solutions, Christie USA, added: "These are exciting times for Digital Cinema as it continues to gain worldwide acceptance. Recognizing the strategic importance of Digital Cinema, MJR stands alongside those exhibitors who share similar forward-thinking insight and entrepreneurialism. We are proud that MJR chose AccessIT's plan that exclusively uses the Christie CP2000 DLP Cinema® projector for their transition into digital. Taking inspiration from their slogan, "It's more fun at MJR", the superior quality and variety that digitally equipped presentations can offer will further enhance the MJR movie-going experience."
AccessIT Digital Cinema is the industry-leading deployment program for Digital Cinema that provides the funding, operations and administration for the company's studio-supported 4,000-screen Digital Cinema rollout plan supported by major studios and independent distributors, among others -- and exhibitors who receive turnkey, Digital Cinema systems in conformance with DCI specifications, including AccessIT’s unique Library Management Server® and Theatre Command Center® software, Christie DLP Cinema® projectors and Doremi’s DCP2000 JPEG server. To date, AccessIT has contracted to install more than 3,500 systems in forty-one states and has completed the rollout of more than 2,800 screens with exhibitors including Showplace Cinemas, Marquee Cinemas, Neighborhood Cinema Group, Celebration! Cinema, Cinema West, Cinetopia, Emagine, UltraStar, Galaxy, Rave and Carmike Cinemas and AccessIT’s own Pavilion Digital Showcase Cinema.