JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA: Chile’s state-run network, TVN, will test 3DTV for the first time using the World Cup feed. TVN has carried the World Cup since 1970 and is doing it in HD for the first time this year. The 3D test is planned for today.
“We are going to do tests with today’s Italy-Slovakia match and if the test runs fine we hope to broadcast 3D for the first time in Chile during the knock-out stages,” TVN’s executive sports producer, Michael Boys, said. “If everything goes smoothly we will broadcast a couple of matches in 3D direct to home viewers and also to cinemas.”
Boys was interviewed for the daily newsletter published by World Cup host broadcaster HBS.
“This is the very first time we have broadcast a World Cup in HD, people have been buying HDTV sets just to receive our coverage of the World Cup,” he said.
TVN is broadcasting 33 games and pay-walling the rest, but the Chilean team’s success is leading to greater demand, he said. The production crew also increased its focus on the team.
“We hired an OB van that has followed them at their hotel and training camp,” Boys said. “We have been breaking records so far, the two Chilean matches took nearly a 90 percent market share. With the next game, Chile-Spain, we will probably break those records. That is also taking into account that the games have been on in the morning and early afternoon in Chile.”
Chile is ranked at the top of its group of four teams, ahead of Spain, Switzerland and Honduras.
-- Deborah D. McAdams
