Media News - Wednesday, November 05, 2008

CNN debuts hologram reporters

Broadcaster CNN has pulled out all the stops in its coverage of the US election by using Star Wars-style holograms to interview journalists. On the program The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, journalist Jessica Yellin appeared to be projected onto the floor as she was interviewed by the show's host. Newspaper USA Today reported the news channel used 20 computers and 44 cameras in remote locations to record 360-degree imaging data of the interviewee which is then transmitted and processed by another system in New York. CNN senior vice president David Bohrman said TV screens allowed interview subjects to see Mr Blitzer and screens in the main studio allowed him to see interviewees. No actual holograms are projected into the studio, however. Instead, the holographic images are added into the broadcast similar to the use of a 'green screen' for special effects in movies. In Hollywood, actors play out scenes in front of 'green screens' which are then digitally removed to add background action or other effects. CNN has also used a hologram of the Washington Capitol Building, which presents how power is changing in the US congress. Mr Bohrman told USA Today he had dreamed about using the effect made famous in Star Wars but until recently TV networks did not have computers capable of achieving it in real time. CNN was not the only network using cutting edge technology in its election broadcasts with ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News also using high tech touch screens, allowing presenters to analyse detailed results in real time. (Brisbane Times)

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