§ 75C-3. Blind bidding prohibited. - North Carolina Statutes

§75C‑3.  Blind bidding prohibited.

(a)        Blind bidding for afirst run motion picture is hereby  prohibited within the State. No bids shallbe returnable, no negotiations for the exhibition or licensing of a first runmotion picture shall take place, and no license agreement or any of its termsshall be agreed to for the first run exhibition of any motion picture withinthe State before the motion picture has been trade screened within the State.

(b)        A distributor shallinclude in each invitation to bid for the first run exhibition of any motionpicture within the State the date, time and place of the trade screening of themotion picture within the State.

(c)        A distributor shallprovide reasonable and uniform notice to exhibitors within the State of alltrade screenings within the State of motion pictures he is distributing. Suchnotice may be provided by  mail or by publication in a trade magazine or otherpublication having general circulation among exhibitors within the State.

(d)        No exhibitor maybid, negotiate, or offer terms for the licensing or exhibition of a motionpicture that has been trade screened in accordance with the provisions of G.S.75C‑3 herein, unless said exhibitor or his agent has attended the tradescreening.

The provisions of this subdivision(d) are subject to waiver by the distributor of a motion picture upon notice ofsuch waiver to an exhibitor prior to the trade screening.

(e)        Any purportedwaiver of the requirements of subdivisions (a) through (c) of this sectionshall be void and unenforceable. (1979, c. 463, s. 1.)