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US: Cinema chains face antitrust investigations at home too

By  |  December 20, 2015

The Justice Department and several states are investigating purported antitrust violations by the country’s biggest movie theater chains, according to securities filings and the Ohio attorney general.

AMC and Cinemark acknowledged investigative demands by the government in recent SEC quarterly filings.

Last month, AMC also acknowledged similar requests from Ohio, Florida, Kansas, New York, Texas, Washington and the District of Columbia.

The government wants documents related to potentially anticompetitive conduct, “including film clearances and participation in certain joint ventures,” AMC said in a Nov. 4 SEC filing. The company said it may receive similar requests from other jurisdictions.

“The Company does not believe it has violated federal or state antitrust laws and is cooperating with the relevant governmental authorities,” AMC said in the SEC filing.

Full content: WCBE

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