POL 128 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Block Booking, Price Discrimination, Air Conditioning

• School: Ryerson University
• Department: Politics and Public Administration
• Course: POL 128
• Professor: Joseph Zboralski

Document Summary

The main point to understand was that during the studio era, there were 8 corporations that dominated the distribution, production and exhibiton of the films. Oligopoly is where a few corporations dominated an industry. The american film industry had a system in place that made sure that its major participants made large pofits, while maintaining high barriers to entry to keep away potential competitors. The major participants are paramount pictures, loew"s inc, 20th century fox, warner. Bros and radio keith orpheum, universal and columbia, It was not hollywood production that gave them their power, but it was thei worldwide distribution networks that gave them a large cost advantage, - oligopoly control through ownership of production, distribution and exhibition represented the full grown hollywood studio system. - the first dozen of years were the years that were easy to go into and out of this industry. - neither patent problems nor cost created long run barriers to entry in any sector.