Just as was the case with HD, Poland now seems to be taking the lead in the introduction of 3D services in the Central and East European region.
This week’s announcement that the production company Astro SA has launched no fewer than three channels in the format is significant on a number of levels. Besides boosting the number already available in Poland – the first regular service, known as nShow3D and operated by the DTH platform n, made its debut last December – it marks a major shift in the sourcing of 3D content, which will for the most part be produced locally by Astro SA rather than imported.
Speaking in an interview with TVN CNBC, Astro SA’s president Karolina Szymanska discussed the company’s strategy, which envisages a projected net loss of PLN4.8 million (€1.2 million) this year to be transformed into net profits of PLN9.15 million and PLN14.5 million in 2012 and 2013 respectively chiefly through TV productions.
Although the company is already well established in the production field, having made a programme named Familiada for the Polish public broadcaster TVP for 17 years, it has made something of a quantum jump by launching the three 3D channels NEXT Man 3D, NEXT Lejdis 3D and NEXT Young 3D, along with a HD service named NEXT Music HD, at the beginning of this month.
Szymanska said that the channels would be funded by a mixture of subscription fees, advertising and internet distribution and that she would be able to make the names of the cable operators that will distribute them by this autumn.
Astro SA launched a portal named OOGNET late last year that features live cams located throughout Poland and in other parts of the world. However, it will soon in addition include both 3D and HD video content.
Being the operator of the world’s first virtual 3D studio, Astro SA is also seeing a growing demand for its services, including the production of ad spots in 3D. All in all, it looks well placed to play a leading role in the rollout of 3D services in Poland over the next few years.
