Cinemas up to around 1957 showed one of several News Reels, including:  Pathe News, British Movietone News and Paramount News

The Neath Empire showed Paramount News, which they shared with the Windsor and Gnoll cinemas.   A member of the projection team walked with the can of film to each cinema so that the news could be screened in turn.

The Paramount Newsreel began operation in 1927 and distributed roughly two movie theater issues per week until their closing in 1957. Movie theaters across the country would run these issues, usually on 35mm nitrate film stock. The Paramount News weekly issues typically ran from seven to nine minutes, with the average story running from forty to ninety seconds. At first, the newsreels ran silent, its action only listed via a title card. By the early 1930s, sound had been introduced to Paramount News, and a handful of voice over talent had been hired to now narrate the events over the filmed action (see below). Bill Slater (1903-1965) was the narrator for Paramount News for many years.

And a flash from the past.....