Will the London Olympics boost 3D TV sales in the UK?
Last week, the BBC announced that it will broadcast some live coverage of the London 2012 Olympics in 3D, which had the industry smiling again. I've got a few thoughts on the subject, but first, the announcement, which uses an interesting choice of words: "trial," as in "on"?
15.02.2012 —The BBC today announced it will broadcast some live 3D coverage to homes across the UK as part of a 3D trial during the London 2012 Olympic Games. The trial coverage will be broadcast via the BBC’s HD Channel and will include:
The Opening Ceremony
The Closing Ceremony
The Men’s 100m final
A highlights package at the end of each day
The free-to-air broadcast of these events in 3D will be available to anyone who has access to a 3D TV set and to HD Channels, regardless of which digital TV provider they use.
This is one of a small number of 3D TV editorial experiments the BBC is currently undertaking, on behalf of licence payers. The BBC broadcast in 3D for the first time last year when it showed the Men’s and Ladies’ Finals of the 2011 Wimbledon Championships via the BBC’s HD Channel. A number of other trials are also underway.
Kim Shillinglaw, Head of BBC 3D, says: “We have always said we believe some of 2012 should be captured in 3D, and we’re delighted to confirm our offer to audiences in the UK, providing them with a new way of getting close to some of the key moments from the London 2012 Olympic Games.”
As the UK’s host nation broadcaster for the London 2012 Olympic Games the BBC has pledged to bring live sport from every venue where it’s happening. This will be the BBC’s most comprehensive broadcast of the Olympics; with coverage across BBC One, BBC Three, BBC Sport website (with up to 24 live video streams), BBC Red Button, BBC Radio 5 live and BBC Mobile.
The schedule for TV and BBC Red Button has yet to be confirmed and will be released nearer to the Games, though viewers can already ready start planning their online viewing via the BBC Sport online guide at: bbc.co.uk/olympics
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Of course, the operative word here is "some," and the determining factor will probably boil down to, what else? Money. If the global economy improves, if 3D TV manufacturers stuff cotton in their cheeks and make consumers an offer they can't refuse, maybe people will invest in the new technology. Maybe they'll also buy glasses. Maybe pigs will fly.
But you do have to wonder how and why an industry that's been gasping for breath since it was unveiled as a home theater consumer option found a willing caregiver across the Atlantic, when in the U.S. no one seems willing to hook up life support.
