3D Story So Far: No News, Good News - Simon Applebaum - MediaBizBloggers

More than a month into the era of threedimensional television services what do we knowTwo things for sure First whether it39s the World Cup soccer tournament or Home Run Derby coverage on ESPN or the programming on n3D DirecTV39s selforganized channel most ordinary folks and TV critics like what they39re watching They get the depth perspective 3D can offer and they conclude the pictures take them up close and personalThen there39s what isn39t circulating lots of anecdotes about viewers going daffy with eyesight or headache issues from either the 3D presentations or the glasses used to watch them That was the big fear going inso many people would get eye or head problems so soon into 3D39s national rollout that the general public would conclude it39s not worth the trouble to get 3DHD sets There goes the medium going the way of the Edsel undermined quick by health issuesPerhaps because such incidents are not happening the advocates and supporters of 3D can take a deep breath of relief Go for itand realize something else when you doSomething else we39re not getting yet is how many people have bought 3D sets at Best Buy and other stores since ESPN 3D opened this era in June No one has released figures about set sales or whether the pace of set sales has increased since that first World Cup soccer match from South Africa in 3D DirecTV has not offered comment on how many of its customers are tuning in its threechannel 3D package highlighted by n3D Ditto ESPN releasing stats on World Cup or Home Run Derby 3D viewershipIn a way you can understand the lack of stats Initial stats on a project often signal whether expectations have been accomplished or fallen short or raise doubts about the venture39s viability in the long run And when what39s at stake here is 3D as mass attraction matching or exceeding what highdefinition services are doing no one wants to jump the gun and risk a medium on one set of numbersBut sooner or later some source must disclose how 3D is making out and the implications of that Whoever the source is the initial disclosure must be as extensive and taking a cue from the medium itself full of depth We must see the impact ESPN DirecTV and the work of other service providers makes on set sales and viewership We also must keep in mind that this isn39t a sprint race to mass acceptance This is a marathon The initial stats while important should be held with a grain that there39s a big public education process to go through and more 3D services to comeHighdefinition TV came of age when the mix of education and enough programming to judge the medium39s viability clicked Let39s give 3D the same opportunity to reach that point and workSimon Applebaum is producerhost of Tomorrow Will Be Televised the Internet radiopodcastdistributed series covering the TV scene The program runs live MondaysFridays at 3 pm Eastern time noon Pacific time on wwwblogtalkradiocom with replays at wwwblogtalkradiocomsimonapple04 Tomorrow is also available on podcast details at wwwsonibytecom and is a featured podcast on TiVo Teachers and schools can use the program free of charge through wwwciconlineorgpodcasts Have a question or reaction Reach out to simonapple04yahoocomRead all Simonamp8217s MediaBizBloggers commentaries at Tomorrow Will Be Televised MediaBizBloggersCheck us out on Facebook at MediaBizBloggerscomFollow our Twitter updates MediaBizBlogger

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3D Story So Far: No News, Good News - Simon Applebaum - MediaBizBloggers

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3D Story So Far: No News, Good News - Simon Applebaum - MediaBizBloggers

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