Sky News Arabia, a joint venture between UK-based Sky and the Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation that broadcasts to the Middle East and North Africa, is upgrading their news studios that will, among other things, cover news using virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), according to a report by The National.
“These changes will help to bring the news to life, making our content more visually compelling and reflective of the fact that our viewers are increasingly consuming news online and want more live news coverage as it happens,” said Sky News Arabia’s head of news, Hani Abuayyash, in a statement.
Sky News Arabia will be launching and refreshing two shows using their VR/AR studios. The first is a refreshed version of their long-running “Timeline” show, which reviews the day’s news using “the latest virtual reality technologies.” The second is a sports show titled “Mala’eb,” which will use AR to bring viewers in-depth coverage of sporting events. “The changes follow a record of impressive growth and will further cement Sky News Arabia’s position as the leading news channel in the UAE and one of the most-viewed channels in the Arab world,” the broadcaster said in The National’s report.
The implementation of VR/AR technologies can revitalize television broadcasting by providing new ways for audiences to engage with content, as well as innovative opportunities to use the medium in order to cover stories.
