Last week, the Reuters news agency added a rather unique bureau to its worldwide operations — in a virtual world. The new bureau is in Linden Lab’s popular Second Life simulation game. Second Life is sort of a MMORPG version of The Sims, where you can create an avatar to represent your virtual self and then interact with others in a variety of ways, all in an online community. You can buy and sell items (up to and including land) using a virtual currency, and add funds from your real accounts. It’s basically like a game of virtual Life.
Reuters will have journalists reporting and writing financial and cultural stories within and about Second Life as part of the London-based company’s strategy to reach new audiences with the latest digital technologies.
“In ‘Second Life,’ we’re making Reuters part of a new generation,” Reuters Chief Executive Tom Glocer said in a statement. “We’re playing an active role in this community by bringing the outside world into ‘Second Life’ and vice versa.”
Second Life has been growing exponentially in popularity, and there are more and more companies trying to reach its customers, including other media companies such as CNN and the BBC. It’s neat to see media companies embracing new outlets like this; like any new market, it’s a good idea to get there first. I wonder if WPNI would consider setting up shop there?
none