newsmakers

newsmakers

Arts top movies in spending study

WASHINGTON

The National Endowment for the Arts has released a new study showing that although more Americans regularly go to the movies, they spend more money on the performing arts in terms of ticket revenue.

The performing arts are generating billions in revenue, falling in between sports events and the movies as a measure of their economic value, according to the study released Thursday.

The most-recent estimates from 2009 show Americans spent $14.5 billion on tickets for the performing arts. As a comparison, that’s $6 billion less than Americans spent on sports admissions but $4 billion more than they spent on movie tickets.

More people are attending movies but are willing to pay more for theater, concerts and other performances, generating more revenue in ticket sales for the arts.

Jackson doctor might seek delay

LOS ANGELES

Lawyers for Michael Jackson’s doctor told a judge Friday they may need a delay in his upcoming trial because prosecutors have disclosed new witnesses with surprising scientific theories the defense did not anticipate.

Attorneys Edward Chernoff and J. Michael Flanagan argued that the new evidence against Dr. Conrad Murray should be barred from the trial because it arrived too late.

Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said that would be absurd and called the situation the defense team’s own fault for refusing to delay the trial when he and the judge suggested it.

Among the new expert opinions proposed by prosecutors is that Jackson could not have caused his own death by swallowing the powerful anesthetic propofol because it is not absorbed through the intestines.

Associated Press