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The beginning of the end for NuMetro in Kenya
Rank: Elder Joined: 9/15/2006 Posts: 3,901
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The day I last watched a movie in Sarit Centre where the screen was out of focus and sound unclear saw me bid 'adios' to Fox Theatres. I was not selling short - the color, ambience, surround at Numetro theatres had me snookered. And it looked as good a business as any, what with the media store, many theatres in mall locations etc. But you definitely could not write off Fox Theatres, owned by Popat family of the Simba Colt/Bavaria fame, who also own the whole 20th Century building plus constructing hotel in Westlands, and the rights to all 20th Century Fox movies in East Africa. They are paid royalties if their movies are shown in the region. Several years later, Numetro sold as a going concern to Silverbird. But the CEO Antony Ward is at war with Silverbird, and an expensive battle it will be. He used Nigerians' $3m to buy the theatres from Numetro (his previous employer). But Silverbird wants their money back as they were not alloted their shares, and prohibited Antony Ward from using their name. --'Numetro' has closed its media store at Junction, now occupied by Text Book Centre --Most employees of media stores have now moved to TBC and elsewhere --'Numetro' is left with only 2 theatres Westgate and Village --Shelves in media store at Westgate quickly becoming empty as stock runs out or is reclaimed And the end of the court dispute is not in sight.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 4/16/2010 Posts: 906 Location: Nairobi
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Same discussions doing the rounds on the Kenyan skunkworks. DVD pirates were a disruptive force that needed to be adjusted to. Western movies and series have now been commoditized. Some media houses like Citizen and NTV adapted to the trend and went local, Asian and South American, which is the only premium content left. Those like KTN, Nu Metro and Silverbird continued showing akina 'Prison Break' and 'Shrek' which are available on the streets for up to 40 bob, so that's the playground they are competing in, and they are being beaten up badly
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Rank: Member Joined: 3/24/2010 Posts: 677 Location: Nairobi
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Yes the 50bob dvds can be blamed but when numetro/silverbird start charging 600 bob for a movie even those of us who actually enjoy going to the theatres fall prey to the 50dvds. This was actually a case with me and my friends. The last movie we went to at westgate in 2008. Since then we have been making those stalls people very rich
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Rank: Elder Joined: 7/26/2007 Posts: 6,514
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I took my 2 kids for a movie to Westgate, and the tickets came to 1800/= plus for three of us. Add to that some soft drinks, popcorn, share a chocolate...and we are looking at maybe 2500/=. For a movie? Get serious, I saw the Sony shop in Sarit sell dvd players for that price! I think these cinema companies are just killing themselves...even my 6 year old told me "Dad, tickets are very expensive!". Business opportunities are like buses,there's always another one coming
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Rank: Elder Joined: 5/27/2008 Posts: 3,760
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Last Christmas I got myself an LCD TV and a home theatre. What I now need is a popcorn machine...
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Rank: Member Joined: 5/7/2010 Posts: 282 Location: Nairobi
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GG, you don't need to buy a popcorn making machine. My kids make very fresh popcorns using (a) sufuria(s).
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 11/1/2008 Posts: 834
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 4/16/2010 Posts: 906 Location: Nairobi
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Silverbird Westgate has closed officially today. Story on izvipi.com. I believe only an online model can compete with the pirates
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Rank: Elder Joined: 7/23/2008 Posts: 3,017
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muganda wrote:The day I last watched a movie in Sarit Centre where the screen was out of focus and sound unclear saw me bid 'adios' to Fox Theatres. I was not selling short - the color, ambience, surround at Numetro theatres had me snookered. And it looked as good a business as any, what with the media store, many theatres in mall locations etc. But you definitely could not write off Fox Theatres, owned by Popat family of the Simba Colt/Bavaria fame, who also own the whole 20th Century building plus constructing hotel in Westlands, and the rights to all 20th Century Fox movies in East Africa. They are paid royalties if their movies are shown in the region. Several years later, Numetro sold as a going concern to Silverbird. But the CEO Antony Ward is at war with Silverbird, and an expensive battle it will be. He used Nigerians' $3m to buy the theatres from Numetro (his previous employer). But Silverbird wants their money back as they were not alloted their shares, and prohibited Antony Ward from using their name. --'Numetro' has closed its media store at Junction, now occupied by Text Book Centre --Most employees of media stores have now moved to TBC and elsewhere --'Numetro' is left with only 2 theatres Westgate and Village --Shelves in media store at Westgate quickly becoming empty as stock runs out or is reclaimed And the end of the court dispute is not in sight. I think I missed the story in the papers so I was wondering how you got all this information. "The purpose of bureaucracy is to compensate for incompetence and lack of discipline." James Collins
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Rank: Elder Joined: 9/15/2006 Posts: 3,901
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@Obi 1 you missed clearly displayed link in the story: Antony Ward is at war with SilverbirdConfirmed, only 'Numetro' village last vestige standing, and not very flattering tributes... * Staff salaries not up to date * Antony Ward and companion/co-manager nowhere in sight * Claims that things went downhill after Johnnic Communications, SA, left the scene * Management buyout ochestrated on claims that business not profitable yet bought by claimants People talk of the price of the movies, but I wager it would be difficult to get a first date, just by inviting them to you diggs to watch a 2nd rate DVD. There is a place for the theatres at a fair price. BUT the empire, keels on its toes...
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Rank: Elder Joined: 9/25/2009 Posts: 4,534 Location: Windhoek/Nairobbery
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I was at one of their cinemas at westgate...to my suprise it was only the two of us in the entire cinema and it was a Friday...i almost ran out....LMAO...
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Rank: Elder Joined: 11/28/2006 Posts: 1,799
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the deal wrote:I was at one of their cinemas at westgate...to my suprise it was only the two of us in the entire cinema and it was a Friday...i almost ran out....LMAO... The deal... how could you let an opportunity for muclimbano go like that....
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 3/25/2011 Posts: 946
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Rank: Elder Joined: 9/25/2009 Posts: 4,534 Location: Windhoek/Nairobbery
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Rank: Elder Joined: 3/2/2007 Posts: 8,776 Location: Cameroon
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Gordon Gekko wrote:Last Christmas I got myself an LCD TV and a home theatre. What I now need is a popcorn machine... hehehe this economic sabotage TULIA.........UFUNZWE!
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Rank: Elder Joined: 9/15/2006 Posts: 3,901
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'Kenya cinema had reached a stage where it did not make business sense to run it any more, because the number of patrons coming in was not meeting the Operations cost'
Maureen Nyajong, Marketing Manager, Fox Theatres Soon after Fox Drive In, Thika Road and Fox Cinema Theatre, Kisumu closed Now only 4 cinema locations left in Kenya. People only go to watch movies for the experience with friends/dating. Otherwise they get DVD, torrents, off the streets, video lib, and watch at home, can watch alone etc... Death of cinema in Kenyahttp://www.youtube.com/v/DKF0ciuUWD4
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 4/16/2010 Posts: 906 Location: Nairobi
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Why can't any of the cinema halls swallow their pride and show premium local content? Acts like Redykyulass and Churchill have no trouble filling up same number of seats for weekly shows at 500 per person. The money is not the issue here if you ask me. It is the content. Foreign content is no longer premium due to pirating
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 6/8/2007 Posts: 675
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Wow - that is sad. I remember the days when we would line up on Saturdays for movie tickets to Spiderman 2 and the like. Numetro got too expensive though - I've enjoyed a few movies there but the cost has been prohibitive to many. I noticed the change in the Junction but just thought it was the bookstore that closed. That was a good business, and my feeling is that it should have worked if they did not sell tickets for 600+. Form is temporary, class is permanent
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 4/16/2010 Posts: 906 Location: Nairobi
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@anasazi ticket prices of 500 bob do not seem to deter audiences from filling up the seats at Churchill live. Neither did they seem to deter people from attending Redykyulass a decade ago. Premium local content is key if you ask me.
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 7/8/2008 Posts: 947
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@muganda I went to Fox theatre sarit and the picture and sound were horrible. I promptly wrote an email to fox theater stating that was my last time. Surprisingly enough i got a reply from their marketing manager and a technical manager. Their customer service to email complaints is prompt. Nonetheless I was not going back on my promise so I said goodbye to Fox.
Well nu metro/ silverbird also took a turn for the worse and i could not see the value i was getting for the 600sh tickets and eventually stopped going.
There is room for cinemas but the fox and silver bird are not in tune with the public sentiments.
They should invest in marketing an experience and not movies since we can get that much cheaper. Campaigning to the government to stop pirated DVDs will not go very far in bringing customers back to their movie halls.
Cinemas should also invest in local movies. For example there is a group showing movies at Ngong race course every 2 tuesday of the month called screen on the greens. They charge 500sh and place get packed. They can even show Oga block busters, have theme nights like blast to the 80s, old horror movies, rambo 123, especially with remake and old movies about to be launched and sell the tickets cheaply.
That might just get me back to their movie halls.
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The beginning of the end for NuMetro in Kenya
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