dump months

Article summary

Before the era of streaming television, the dump months were two periods of the year when there have been lowered commercial and critical expectations for most new theatrical releases from American filmmakers and distributors. During these periods domestic audiences are smaller than the rest of the year, so no tentpole movies are released. January and February are usually most commonly described this way, with August and September sometimes included. Releases during those times primarily include films that would have been released at other times of year had they performed better at test screenings, films with less prominent stars, genre films (particularly horror), movies that cannot be easily marketed and films intended for a teenage audience, which has fewer entertainment options outside the home. Several factors combine to create the dump months, most of them circumstances particular to the United States and Canada, the primary market for most major Hollywood releases. Both periods immediately follow the times of year in which the distributors concentrate films they expect to be the biggest critical or commercial successes, periods of increased spending on entertainment generally. While this often means that moviegoers have less disposable income afterward, economics alone does not explain the dump months.…

Key claims

1. population: 41 percent — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. release date: 1991 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
3. release date: 2014 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
4. release date: 1987 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
5. release date: 2013 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
6. release date: 2000 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
7. release date: 1921 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
8. release date: 1940 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
9. release date: 2014 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the population is "41 percent". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the release date is "1991". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. The record states that the release date is "2014". What evidence would count against this claim?
5. The record states that the release date is "1987". What evidence would count against this claim?
6. The record states that the release date is "2013". What evidence would count against this claim?
7. The record states that the release date is "2000". What evidence would count against this claim?
8. The record states that the release date is "1921". What evidence would count against this claim?
9. The record states that the release date is "1940". What evidence would count against this claim?
10. The record states that the release date is "2014". What evidence would count against this claim?
11. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
12. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1375716394