MOVIES, MASS CONSUMERS, AND CRITICS: ECONOMICS AND POLITICS OF A TWO-SIDED MARKET.

Most analyses of the film market treat it as a single entity where producers make films based on average consumer interest while critics serve as forecasters or signalers of film quality to these consumers. We describe the film market as two-sided-a mass market (average consumer) side and a high quality/artistic (cineaste) side-that each influence film maker production decisions and critical reviews as critics balance the preferences of mass market consumers and their own more artistic inclination. Using 1,824 films released during 2000-2014, we examine determinants of box office revenues and critical reviews, while addressing the overlap between them. Our results indicate that consumers and critics respond differently not only to film rating but also to film budgets, story sources, genre, and political content. We then use the dichotomy between average and high quality, artistic film consumers as a basis for understanding the normative views of the film markets relative to other two-sided markets as well as the political economy of film regulation. ( JEL C30, D10, Z11) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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