News Analysis
DIRECTV Slinking Away From 3D Commitment
By Swanni
Washington, D.C.
(June 25, 2012)
--
When DIRECTV wants to retreat
from a failed policy, it usually does so quietly. There are no
grand pronouncements revealing a change in course triggered by
poor results.
For instance, recall how DIRECTV exited its 'Home Premiere'
partnership with the studios which promoted Video on Demand
films for the outrageous price of $30 each. Seeing that few
subscribers were willing to pay $30 for a single viewing of a
VOD movie, DIRECTV simply stopped showing them. The company
didn't issue a press release saying the idea had failed; they
just stopped it without telling anyone.
This approach to failure was on display again last week when
Consumer Reports discovered that DIRECTV
had
turned its once much-ballyhooed 3D TV channel, n3D, into a
part-time channel. The satcaster made the switch on June 1,
again without letting anyone know.
"When I recently went to check what 3D programming was on
DirecTV, I noticed something unusual in the program guide: The
n3D channel, which DirecTV launched in conjunction with
Panasonic back in 2010, had no current listings," wrote James K.
Wilcox, the author of the Consumer Report online article.
With n3D in part-time
status, the Sony/Discovery/Imax channel, 3net, is the only
full-time 3D Network left on DIRECTV. ESPN 3D is a full-time
channel, but DIRECTV has decided to run that as a part-timer as
well. (No, there was no announcement on that, either.)
This is quite a change for DIRECTV which once proclaimed that
3DTV would be the next big thing in television. The satcaster
invested considerable marketing and infrastructure dollars into
making 3D TV a hit.
But sales of 3D TV sets have been disappointing -- and 3D TV
viewing numbers have been a disaster. While precise ratings are
unavailable, it appears that most 3DTV set owners never get
around to actually watching 3D for a variety of reasons, from
those uncomfortable glasses to limited content to, in some
cases, headache and nausea-inducing experiences. (Yes, people
get sick watching 3D TV. Physically sick.)
Rather than keeping their eye on building its HD channel lineup,
DIRECTV decided a few years ago to focus on 3D. It's now clear
that that was a big mistake, even if DIRECTV will never
acknowledge it.
The satcaster, of course, will air the 2012 Summer Olympics in
3D. (The advertising sponsorships have already been signed, you
understand.) But I suspect that after the Olympics, the
satcaster will continue to shrink away from its 3D commitment,
albeit quietly.
Comment on this article below.
