Gamertell

With virtually everybody logging in and taking up residence in 3D virtual reality sites like Second Life it’s only natural that the media outlets like CNN want a piece of the action. Since Second Life developers opened the virtual community to the public in 2003, its inhabitants have grown by the millions and traffic on the site has more than 40,000 users logged in at any given time.

CNN is officially opening an I-Report hub in Second Life, a three-dimensional virtual world created entirely by its residents. The hub will be run in the same fashion as CNN’s real life news room featuring an I-Hub that allows the viewers, or in this case Second Life residents, to contribute any news happening in their area. Users can contribute by taking snapshots or video of the event and submit it to CNN. For example, if a user sees a fellow resident being attacked by a green dragon, they can take a snap shot of the screen, record a video or even write a report of the event and submit it to CNN.

“The thing we most hope to gain by having a CNN presence in Second Life is to learn about virtual worlds and understand what news is most interesting and valuable to their residents,” said Susan Grant, executive vice president of CNN News Services. “We looked at what are people doing (in Second Life) that is meaningful to what we do. I love that we don’t have to take things from the real world and force them in.”

Second Life contributions to the I-Hub will be selected by the CNN I-Report producers who will in turn post them back into Second Life for residents to view throughout the virtual world. Those taking a break from the virtual world can read Second Life news events on CNN’s I-Report Blog where they can not only view the story but discuss the topic in real life.

CNN held its first in-world training session for the news desk Tuesday (November 13, 2007) at the I-Report Hub. Contributors can visit the hub to meet resident reporters, visiting or special appearances by CNN news anchors and correspondents. Potential reporters can visit the I-Report kiosks to access free gear and tools they can use to gather or view in-world user generated news.

This is still a new move for CNN. While most news organizations (including mine) are experiencing budget cuts and minimizing staff, CNN is expanding virtually. The only difference is that unlike news service organizations such as Reuters, who embeds a real reporter in the online virtual world last year, CNN will rely on Second Life “residents” to do all the legwork and produce what they consider news.

Those users participating as reporters can take advantage of CNN’s journalism school which will offer guidance to contributing journalists via weekly “news meetings” directed by actual CNN.com staffers.

Read [Media Week] Also Read [CNN Edition] Site [Second Life]

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