ABSTRACT
Over the years, a number of researchers have discussed the possibility of using VR for news production and consumption. Early on, Biocca and Levy described a news system in which the viewer could potentially control a robot placed in the remote location, while viewing from the robot’s vision in a 360-degree display (Hirose et al. 1993). Upon discussing such a system, Biocca and Levy argued that it would be impractical as a model for mass broadcast telepresence, since such a system would need to have a full 360 display with which a mass audience could simultaneously interact. Pavlik (2003) also described a similar news system, the Cyclops, a motorised robot with a 360-degree camera developed by Shree Nayar and colleagues (Chemel et al. 1999; Schempf et al. 1999). Contrary to the pessimism of Biocca and Levy, Pavlik argued that such a system could be an asset for journalists reporting crises, conflict situations from the field and other live events. This was very much Minsky’s idea of a safe interface to a remote environment. Recent 360 video products show that Pavlik’s vision is beginning to materialise, while Biocca and Levy’s concerns can be overcome. One example of uses of immersive technologies for reporting from remote locations is the ABC, PBS, USA Today, C-Span, Fox News, NBC and RYOT’s coverage of the US Presidential inauguration in 2017 using 360 video, where all the different news organisations promised to help audiences experience the event as if they were there. The solution was to have live 360-video feed where the “interaction” was limited to be able to pan the scene at will. Yet could this function as a full application of the potential of immersive technologies to journalism?
