CNN and Magnopus have launched the latest in virtual reality (VR) experiences in the form of CNN VR onto the Oculus store.
Announced back in March of last year, the CNN VR application invites viewers directly into the newsroom of the future, getting closer than ever before to the stories that are being delivered. Viewers will have the power to “go there” into the heart of the story and become fully immersed in 360-degree news coverage.
The CNN VR application gives viewers the power of being the “producer” of their own show, allowing them to have full control of the experience. After a tutorial that is voiced by CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, users can choose what news they want to view from the latest breaking stories or jump right into 360-degree videos. This will transport a user to immersive original 360-degree videos from CNN journalists around the world, connecting them to the news as close as possible without actually being there. All of the content is delivered in 4K resolution and encoded by Pixvana to ensure a smooth viewing experience.
CNN have been involved with VR for some time now, having created a number of news stories in 360-degree video. These include the Syrian civil war, showcasing the devastation of Aleppo, a collaboration with NextVR to live stream the Democratic presidential debate, along with the US Inauguration. The application will also include an CNN ticker scroll and social integration with the CNN Twitter accounts allowing viewers to get up-to-the-minute breaking news alerts throughout the experience.
With the release of the CNN VR application, the news channel hopes to bring viewers more detail rich stories all within the comfort of their own home. With continued development in better technology, including cameras and displays, the VR newsroom experience is sure to develop even further into the future. Currently the CNN VR application is only available for the Oculus Rift via the Oculus Store but this is sure to reach out to other platforms in time, depending on the success of the Oculus release.
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