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The decree’s regulations ban various practices, such as block booking (bundling multiple films into a single theater license), circuit dealing (entering into one license that covered all theaters in a circuit) resale price maintenance (setting minimum prices on movie tickets) or overboard clearances (exclusive film licenses for specific geographic areas). As a result, distributors looking to “clear” high-revenue areas of major metropolitan areas had to redouble their selling efforts, though in recent years the system of clearances has started to erode.

“Much has changed in the motion picture industry since that time,” Delrahim said in a statement. “It is high time that these and other legacy judgments are examined to determine whether they still serve to protect competition. Today, we take an important step forward in the process of reviewing the Paramount Decrees.”