BBC to end 3D TV experiment with ‘Doctor Who’ special later this year
For the past two years the BBC has been experimenting with 3D television, but the technology hasn't quite caught on the way the corporation would've hoped. Because of this, 3D programming will be put on hiatus at the end of this year …
Context & Ripple Effects
BBC's two-year 3D programming trial is ending in the same year that ESPN said it would end its 3D broadcasts. The move adds a major public broadcaster to the evidence that television 3D has not secured sufficient audience uptake, despite Sony's earlier push behind 3D TV.
The decision is especially notable because BBC is using a Doctor Who special as the experiment's final program, rather than extending the format around one of its best-known franchises.
First-order effects
- BBC will stop commissioning or scheduling 3D programming after the Doctor Who special, ending the format's immediate role in its output.
- Producers and technical partners serving BBC's 3D productions lose a broadcaster customer just as ESPN withdraws from 3D broadcasting.
Second-order effects
- Other broadcasters considering 3D face a weaker case for investing in dedicated production and transmission workflows when both BBC and ESPN are stepping back.
- TV makers and content partners lose a source of flagship broadcast programming that could have encouraged viewers to use 3D-capable sets.
Third-order effects
- If broadcaster retrenchment continues, 3D TV risks becoming a hardware feature without a dependable programming pipeline, making future media-format launches more dependent on proven viewing demand before broadcasters commit.
The trend: The 3D television push is shifting from a broadcaster-led programming bet toward retreat as major networks find limited audience adoption insufficient to support dedicated output.