CHINA’S film watchdog indicated plans to cap movie ticket prices in a move to create more access to cinemas.

    The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) may impose a price cap on tickets and may require theaters to show more half-price screenings, according to a Xinhua report earlier this week.

    The report didn’t say when regulators plan to implement pricing changes or offer additional details, adding that SARFT plans to issue pricing guidelines for theaters this year.

    The move would be an attempt to make moviegoing more affordable to the general public, the report said. Complaints about high movie ticket prices have grown over the past year. The cost of a movie ticket in China can range from 20 yuan (US$3.17) to 100 yuan — depending on location. The average price in 2010 was around 40.40 yuan, according to the most recent data from media research firm EntGroup.

    Xinhua reported that the average movie ticket price in 2010 was US$5.30, in comparison to an US$8 ticket price in the United States. Prices in China represent a heavier burden on consumers, who earn less in monthly household income, the report said.

    SARFT estimates that China’s box-office revenue from 2011 rose 18 percent to about 12 billion yuan, from 10.17 billion yuan in 2010.(SD-Agencies)