French pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus will close its 3D channel on January 24 due to a lack of interest from viewers.
News website Rapid TV News reports that Canal Plus said viewers equipped with 3D televisions tended to watch the format for just a few minutes before switching over to standard or high-definition coverage. The broadcaster also cited a lack of dedicated 3D programmes and slow sales of 3D televisions as reasons behind its closure of the channel.
Canal Plus said that it could re-launch the channel by the end of 2012 or the start of 2013 if viewers showed a greater appetite for the format. The channel was launched in June 2010 to coincide with the start of the Fifa World Cup. Since March 2011, one film and one football match have been broadcast on the channel per month.