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Reuters has become the first earthbound news agency to open a virtual news bureau with a real bureau chief, in Second Life. Guardian columnist Richard Wray’s avatar (Boosey Hazlehurst) interviews Mr Reuters. In real life Mr. Reuters is London-based media reporter Adam Pasick who notes “It may sound strange, but being a reporter in Second Life isn’t that different from the real world.”
Adam Reuters: a woman named Anshe Chung has become SL’s most successful businesswoman by buying large parcels of land and developing them into themed communities. For example there are virtual suburbs for german and japanese speakers. By most accounts she’s earning a few hundred thousand (US) dollars in real money. Sounds like a good business to me. There’s also a bank that offers 44% interest rates – but you’ll have to check out my story for that one.
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
Not to be left out, the US Congress has launched a probe into how virtual assets and incomes should be taxed. Of course they’ll have to thoroughly investigate all the sex that goes on in Second Life. Republicans are said to be lining up for the committee.