TVNZ taps into the world of virtual reality with appointment of 'future director'

Thursday, 16 May 2019

TVNZ has appointed its first 'future director' with expertise in virtual and augmented reality, Aliesha Staples, to its board.

The state-owned broadcaster had no immediate comment on whether Staples' appointment might mean it was preparing to get more involved in producing VR and AR content.

But chairman Dame Walsh said it signalled TVNZ's belief in 'the value of diverse new perspectives and commitment to actively explore new content and technology opportunities'.

TVNZ has dipped its toes into virtual reality previously, creating a 'VR experience' to market the 25th anniversary of Shortland Street in 2017.

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Staples' company Staples VR was involved in that project and also helped develop a fire-resistant 360-degree camera for the Escape My House campaign developed for New Zealand Fire and Emergency by TVNZ and advertising company FCB.

Staples VR had also produced 'immersive experiences' for Warner Brothers, Paramount and Disney, TVNZ said in a statement.

Staples was named 'young achiever of the year' at the High Tech awards in 2017 and 2018.

She will participate in TVNZ board meetings but will not have voting rights.

TVNZ chairman Dame Therese Walsh said Staples was working 'at the forefront of the immersive digital world'.

'The work she's doing is leading to exciting innovations in a range of tech-focused sectors, including the media industry,' she said.