LONDON—The BBC has launched its own virtual reality studio.
BBC VR Hub will spearhead the BBC's VR production and explore how it can create real audience impact.
According to a blog post by Zillah Watson, head of content commissioning, VR Hub, it will "act as a hub internally, working closely with our programme makers and digital experts."
Watson continued, "Our research shows that for as long as the quantity of high-quality content remains low, and the experience remains cumbersome, mainstream audiences won’t use VR. That’s why we’re focussing on a small number of high impact pieces that have broad, mainstream appeal."
"We want to excite audiences by creating the most enthralling experiences imaginable using the power of VR. We believe the BBC can bring a unique perspective to VR. We can bring all of this to bear in the creation of VR. Having cracked every new content delivery mechanism since radio in 1922, we are excited about the potential of VR and the ways in which it could enrich the lives of our audiences."
To coincide with the announcement, the BBC has released its VR experience Home - A A VR Spacewalk for the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift. It marks the first time the Corporation has launched a VR experience for the HTC Vive.
Tom Burton, head of interactive and virtual reality for BBC Studios and director of Home - A VR Spacewalk, said: “Home represents the very best of the BBC, bringing brilliant creative together with cutting edge technologies to create an experience you wouldn’t get anywhere else. Making this experience available to those who have the devices will give people a taste of what it must be like to visit the International Space Station and walk in space for real.”
This story first appeared on TVT's sister publication TVB Europe.
