The network created augmented reality features and graphics to tell the story of the composition of the House of Representatives and the Senate and the balance of power: the two most important stories of the midterm exams.
ABC Newspresented a new studio prior to coverage of the 2018 U.S. legislative elections, which made an impact and conveyed legitimacy during the coverage of that nation's midterm exams.
On the Tuesday night of November 6th, the viewers of ABC Newswere able to see graphics that highlighted blue or red chairs inside the camera as election results were determined in real time, reflecting ongoing gains and losses for either party. A true showcase of technology-driven innovation, intrinsic to the environment that impacted the way in which the information of the moment was conveyed in the political history of the American nation.
"It's the most ambitious set we've ever undertaken, even for a presidential election," said Marc Burstein, Senior Executive Producer for ABC News.
"The study and use of augmented reality were designed to improve our history information, about who will control the balance of power in Congress and what it will mean for the nation's leadership. President Trump made this midterm election a referendum on his presidency and the risks couldn't be higher," Burstein said.
This update of the news program was also carried out, linking the new multi-platforms by which the hearings also followed with details of the election.
The technological adaptation was such, that at various points throughout the broadcast, viewers were able to witness a graphic of the Capitol building and updated information about the House of Representatives and the Senate. This graphic emerged from the floor of the studio stage, replacing the slogan "Your Voice, Your Vote," which was also drawn virtually, within the circle of the stage. In addition to this, the viewer was able to see how the ensemble rotated as the panel moved towards a different story.
Augmented reality gave ABC the opportunity to display editorial information and election results in real time "in a fresh, dynamic and engaging way," added Hal Aronow-Theil, creative director of ABC News.
Towards the top of the studio, the tickers showed the results of the race for the Senate and House of Representatives, throughout the night, so it was considered almost impossible for any spectator to have missed out on the details of what was happening.
However, this was not the first time that ABC News used Augmented Reality to improve its broadcast. In February, on Good Morning America GMA used the technology during a segmentwith ABC News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton.
This time, a segment was recorded in the morning that documented the stories of two women who suffered heart attacks triggered by a rare disease called Spontaneous Coronary Dissection (or "SCAD").
Dr. Ashtonexplained how SCAD has become a major cause of heart attacks for women younger than 50, and used the 3D AR human model called "Gemma" to demonstrate the difference between heart attacks caused by coronary heart disease and heart attacks caused by SCAD.
With information from:
