The TV Zone

Question: What happens if next week's election is dull and obvious by (say) 11 a.m. and the networks have to pretend that there's actual DRAMA going on out there for the next ten hours or so?

Answer: Entertain us!

And that's what CNN has in store. Though it probably won't get a HUGE road test on Tuesday, the network has plans for its first-ever use of hologram technology.

Howzit work? Well, Wolf's in NYC, and Candy Crowley's at Obama headquarters, and Wolf decides to see Candy face to face; she says "beam me up, Wolfie" and a second later, she's virtually standing next to Wolfie, err, Wolf.

Here's the relevant graf from the recent press release:

"Adding to what promises to be one of the most technologically advanced events in CNN’s 28-year history, CNN will enhance interviews with remote correspondents and guests using hologram projection. The network has built sets powered by hologram technology at both campaign headquarters making it possible to project three-dimensional images into the Election Center. From the New York set, anchors will exhibit more natural conversations with newsmakers and CNN correspondents in the field by interacting in real time with their 3-D virtual images."

Oh yes, you're thinking, Wolf could even beam up a president-elect (but he has to be careful because you all remember what happened in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," when Captain Sisko ordered Chief O'Brien to beam up Odo, and poor Odo didn't quite make it...)

Why hasn't CNN done this before? My hunch - other than what happened to Odo, it IS tricky technology. You can't jar anything, and the set has to be very still; if Wolf sneezes, then the hologram will dissolve into a billion pixels...Candy or the Prez-elect will not like that.