John Fithian, President & CEO, NATO to deliver conference keynote address at Cinema India Expo 2012

Nearly 9000 single theatre and 1500 multiplex screens are anticipated to migrate to digital in a year from the show date. Also, Hollywood in India will soon be all-digital. The tremendous business opportunity as India transforms to ‘All Digital’, translates at Cinema India as it builds the momentum to enhance the cine viewing experience to state-of-the-art.

Fithian, who assumed the post of President and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) in January 2000, has in his twelve years in office, helped guide movie theatre owners through recent challenges facing the exhibition industry, including technological developments such as digital cinema, movie theft, and government oversight of the movie rating system, preservation of the theatrical release window, and relationships with the creative, production and distribution communities. He serves as the chief public spokesperson for theatre owners before public officials and the press. Recognizing the rapid globalization of the exhibition industry, Fithian has worked to improve coordination and communication between domestic theatre owners and international cinema operators.

Accepting the invitation to be the keynote speaker at Cinema India Expo 2012, John Fithian said, “Cinema operators in India and North America should work more closely together to take advantage of the movie offerings of both cultures. Bollywood movies have grown significantly in North America in recent years. Last year the IFFA awards were held in Toronto for the first time. Our exhibitors in the United States and Canada are seeing growing ticket sales for movies that are Hindi, Punjabi and Tamil, as the quality of the movies and the actors' performances continue to improve. Piracy is a big problem as Bollywood movies open well but receipts drop rapidly because of the ease with which consumers can obtain counterfeit movies. At the same time, Indian cinemas and their patrons benefit from both Bollywood and Hollywood movies.”

“Exhibitors in India confront many of the same challenges as their colleagues in North America, such as piracy and the complicated transition from film to digital projection technologies. Our two industries have much to learn from each other, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be with you in Mumbai,” he added.

Prior to joining NATO full-time, Fithian served throughout the 1990s as NATO’s Washington counsel at the Washington, D.C.-based law firm Patton Boggs LLP.  In addition to NATO, Fithian represented many other trade associations, as well as professional athlete unions, telecommunications companies, nonprofit organizations, publishers and advertisers.
With offices in Washington, D.C., and North Hollywood, California, NATO is the world’s largest trade association for cinema owners representing more than 30,000 movie screens in 30 states, additional cinemas in 50 countries worldwide.

About Diversified Communications:

Cinema India is organised by Diversified Communications India, part of the Diversified Group, USA, with assets in media and entertainment arenas, which include in the US-Digital Entertainment Expo and DAM conferences featuring the DAMMY awards, and the House of Worship Executive Marketplace. In India -the PALM and Musician Expo featuring the IRAA awards, Studio Systems broadcast magazine and Pro Sound Systems pro audio magazine.