Reuters Gets A 'Second Life,' Opens Virtual Online News Bureau

Reuters Gets A 'Second Life,' Opens Virtual Online News Bureau

by Joe Mandese, Monday, Oct 16, 2006 6:47 AM ET

IN A CASE OF real life imitating virtual art, worldwide news service Reuters Group is opening a news bureau in Second Life, the popular Internet-based simulation game where users create their own characters and society. "Starting on Wednesday, Reuters plans to begin publishing text, photo and video news from the outside world for Second Life members and news of Second Life for real world readers who visit a Reuters news site at: http://secondlife.reuters.com ," the news service reported on its own site early Monday morning. Second Life, which as rapidly emerged as the most popular virtual reality destination on the Internet, currently has more than 900,000 members who create their own parallel universe online, building homes and buying virtual products and services using faux currency known as Linden Dollars, after the game's creator Linden Lab of San Francisco. An online exchange enables members to convert their virtual currency into real U.S. dollars. Reuters, which follows Cnet, which already operates a news service on Second Life, reported that London-based media correspondent Adam Pasick will serve as the game's virtual bureau chief, utilizing a personal avatar called "Adam Reuters." Joe Mandese is Editor of MediaPost.