By Jessica Reed
In a very avant-garde move, Reuters has just introduced the concept of "accredited virtual reporters":
Reuters has opened a virtual news agency in the Second Life online world. The bureau will be staffed by Reuters media correspondent Adam Pasick who will report on the lives and business dealings of Second Life's residents. An avatar resembling Mr Pasick, called Adam Reuters in the game, has been created to act as a virtual reporter in the world for the news agency.
Is the gap separating "real life" and virtual events slowly disappearing? With a strong one-million members community, the world of Second Life is certainly worth reporting about, not only as a "online phenomenon" where people can make thousands of dollars a week trading virtual goods, but because an increasing number of real-life summits, conferences or public radio shows (Boston Globe article) are now taking place live on the website.
Is Second Life truly revolutionnary, or just a game benefiting from a terrific netbuzz? It's hard to tell, but the presence of online-reporters in virtual worlds might be the beginning of an important trend. As someone point it out in this Metafilter comment: "The BBC has four entire sims rented... about $800/mo worth. That's pocket change for them, but it gives them a fairly large presence, and ability to advertise to/interact with a lot of people in a way they couldn't before."
Are you a second life user, and would you attend an openDemocracy virtual event there?
Picture via pathfinderlinden's FlickR account.
