Are Streaming Services Killing our Theaters? An Update on the Movie Industry and on Rialto Cinemas

For the past 20 years, Ky Boyd has owned and operated Rialto Cinemas in Sonoma County.  Currently located at 6868 McKinley Street in Sebastopol, Rialto Cinemas is Sonoma County's premiere movie theatre for independent, foreign, classic and major Hollywood films.  Since opening in January, 2000, the theatre has been voted Sonoma County's favorite movie theatr for each of the past fourteen years by readers of the North Bay Bohemian.  Just this year Ky, as proprietor of Rialto Cinemas, received the 2015 Sebastopol Commmunity Award for Business of the Year. In 2001, the theatre won an Indy Award for bringing diversity in arts and culture to Sonoma County.  That was the first time the award was given to a Sonoma County movie theatre.  In 2005, the theatre received an award for innovative use of Media and Technology from the Sonoma County Mayor's Council on the employment of people with disabilities for its partnership with Community Resources for Independence in hosting a screening of the documentary MURDERBALL for which 180 tickets were distributed free of charge to disabled persons.  In June, 2007, Ky acquired the Elmwood Theatre in Berkeley, a three screen theatre in the Elmwood District of Berkeley at the intersection of College Avenue and Ashby.  In July 2009, Ky acquired the Cerrito Theatre, a two screen theatre on San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito - the Cerrito serves food, beer and wine in addition to screening first-run films.  In December 2015 Rialto Cinemas in Sebastopol began offering food, beer and wine, allowing patrons to watch, eat and enjoy - watch great movies, eat a delicious selection of food, and enjoy local beer and wine.

A native of Great Falls, Montana, Ky received a Bachelors degree in Business Management from the University of Montana in 1986 and a Master of Arts degree in Arts Administration from the Univeristy of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in 1991.  He makes his home in Santa Rosa with his husband and their always-hungry cat, Alia.