Anticipating a boom in demand for HDTV programming, Optical Entertainment Network has launched its own studio, exclusively to develop High Definition content.

OEN Studios, based in Houston, will develop HD programs for OEN’s Fision IPTV service but will also sell its programming to other service providers.

“The demand for HD programming is going to grow exponentially,” said Glen Fulce, executive vice president of OEN Studios. “The price of HD television sets is dropping rapidly. It’s just like when DVD players went down to the point where everyone got one for Christmas and there was a boom in DVD-based content. There’s going to be a boom in demand for HD content as well.”

OEN Studios has 15 HD programs already in its pipeline and will have six of those ready to sell at the MIPTV International Audiovisual and Digital Content Market Conference in Cannes, France next month, Fulce said.

OEN currently operates a triple play network in the Houston area but has plans to go national with a service specifically designed for fiber to the home networks. The Fision network in Houston will provide the proving grounds for OEN Studio’s programming, Fulce said.