Speaker Kevin McCarthy gave the American public a never-before-seen view of the House late last week: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s joint speech shown in virtual reality.
It marks the first use of a VR camera in congressional history and offers an “unprecedented view” of the chamber, McCarthy said in a statement. The camera was placed in the middle aisle during the April 27 address, defaulting to a frontal view of a member sitting several rows back. But the YouTube footage offers a 360-degree, interactive experience, allowing viewers to look around as members sitting around the camera check their phones, snap pictures and whisper. to their neighbors during the address.
McCarthy and House Republicans ended proxy voting and reopened the Capitol for tours since the House was impeached in the 118th Congress. Now, they see the addition of virtual reality as a step to open Congress to the American people.
VR is intended to supplement, not replace, current coverage. The broadcast from C-SPAN, the nonprofit that airs House and Senate proceedings, for example, shows a clearer view of Yoon, interspersed with wide-framed camera shots. and breads of individual members.
But VR, at the very least, could “give Americans a new, expanded view of the interior of the room,” a Republican House aide said in response to questions about the new camera.