editorial
What's in a Name?
The Music Operators of America [MOA] re-
cently conducted a survey of its members. In that
survey, members were polled as to their individual
preferences of three proposed new names for the
association. The new names proposed, here in
order of member popularity, were as follows:
Music and Amusement Operators of America
Amusement and Music Operators of America
Association of Coin Operated Industries
Other
.
While the outcome of the poll still hangs in the
balance, the name yet to be decided, we would like
to propse an "Other" name for the MOA.
It is the intention of the MOA to select a name
that doesn't tend to exclude game operators. The
current name, Music Operators of America, would
tend to imply that the association is made up solely
of jukebox operators. The discriminatory nature of
the association's present name is in fact what's
necessitating the proposed change. The MOA
recognizes the tremendous boost the game business
gave to the industry a few years ago, and because
games are still dominating the market, MOA wants
to include the game operators somehow in its title.
The name Play Meter suggested in the poll and
suggests again now exludes the word Music [as well
;
as the word Games for that matter]. The distinction
between a jukebox and a pinball is after all no
greater than the distinction between a video game
and a wall game or the distinction between a pool
table and a foosball table. Sure, you don't have to
change records every week on a pinball, but think
of how many times you have to move that pinball
around during the year while your jukebox just sits
there. All we're saying here is that we don't see any
reason why any distinction should be made in the
title of the industry's association. Jukeboxes,
pinballs and pool tables are all amusement devices.
Why not simply Amusement Operators of
America [AOA]?
It is a name that is all inclusive and should
please every operator regardless of the type of
equipment he happens to operate. This name, to us,
is the one that makes the most sense. To try to
distinguish or separate an association's membership
in its title is frivolous. To be entirely fair the
association would have to call itself the Music,
Pinball, Pool Table, Video, Foosball, Shuffle Alley
and so on Operators of America [MPPTVFSASOO].
Such a name would be foolish indeed. Why not
just make the name plain, simple and fair:
Amusement Operators of America?
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