BBC to air festival in online world Second Life

By Adam Pasick

LONDON (Reuters) – The BBC plans to rock in virtual reality
on Saturday with a simulcast of its Radio 1 Big Weekend Music
Festival inside the popular online game Second Life.

The three-dimensional online world, operated by San
Francisco-based Linden Lab, is filled with thousands of people
who interact, buy property and create their own customised
avatars, which are graphic representations of the users.

Second Life’s virtual residents will be able to watch
artists including Pink, Snow Patrol and The Streets or listen
to them on a radio that plays within the game.

In the real world, the UK public broadcaster’s festival is
taking place in Dundee, Scotland.

“There’s a sort of festival area with huge video screens,
where residents will be able to travel over and watch the
festival,” said Radio 1 spokesman Jamie Austin. “The avatars
will also have a dance tent, and they’re hoping to be able to
put footage from Second Life on the screens at the concert.

Second Life, the subject of a recent Business Week cover
story, has spawned a booming virtual economy as residents buy
and sell items and speculate on in-game real estate with Second
Life’s own currency, which is convertible into U.S. dollars.

The BBC has been moving aggressively into new media,
launching blogs, podcasts and making much of its content
available online. Austin said the broadcaster sees the Second
Life simulcast as a way to connect with a new, young audience.

Second Life is free for basic users. A premium subscription
with more advanced features starts at $9.95 a month.