Integrating Head Mounted Displays into Live Broadcasting Workflows: Implications and Possibilities from an Industry Perspective

This paper explores the integration of mixed-reality (MR) head-mounted-display (HMD) solutions within the live broadcasting industry. Extended reality (XR) technologies have been incorporated into virtual production workflows, but HMDs have seen limited use in live broadcasting. Central to the live broadcast workflow is the control room or gallery. At the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) 2023, industry professionals experienced a technical demonstration using HMDs to display a virtual gallery, followed by semi-structured interviews to gather feedback. Here, we show that the thematic analysis of these interviews revealed recurring themes such as the integration of XR in broadcast processes, environmental impact, challenges and limitations, future potential, and specific applications in broadcasting. The main result indicates that while there is significant interest and potential for XR technologies in broadcasting, several barriers, such as user comfort and practicality, need to be addressed. These findings highlight that XR technologies can enhance production workflows and sustainability in broadcasting, although their full integration requires overcoming current limitations. This study provides a foundation for further exploration of XR applications in broadcasting, suggesting directions for future research on the scalability and long-term impacts of these technologies.