U.S. CINEMA EARNINGS BREAK RECORDS

North American box office earnings hit a record high in 2007 - despite the Hollywood writers strike and ongoing economic concerns. In the U.S. and Canada, theatres took in more than $9.6 billion (GBP4.8 billion), climbing 5.4 per cent from the previous year (06), due in part to increased ticket prices throughout the continent. Dan Glickman, a chairman for the Motion Picture Association Of America (MPAA), says, "Once again, diverse, quality films and the timeless allure of the movie house proved a winning combination with consumers around the world." Worldwide ticket sales also rose, taking in an all-time high of $26.7 billion (GBP13.4 billion) - up 4.7 per cent on 2006.