CNN Joins Reuters in Second Life

It’s been kind of an up-and-down week for Second Life’s public image.

On one hand, the Wall Street Journal fell prey to the same sophistry that blames SL for not being the marketing paradise some starry-eyed but misguided cheerleaders claimed last year it would become. The daily business newspaper published an article on Tuesday that took the requisite swipe at SL in a story about marketers looking to expand their reach in all the new virtual worlds.

On the other, CNN announced it will open a news bureau within SL, similar to the one Reuters launched in 2006. Unlike Reuters, it will not staff the bureau with a virtual reporter but will rely on residents to supply the content. (Payment not discussed.)

The new bureau’s location wasn’t disclosed, and it won’t open until Nov. 5. In the meantime, if you want to see what Reuters has done, visit Reuters Island. While you’re there, admire the artistry and effort that went into building the sim, and despair for the lack of people enjoying it. And if you’re a marketer, remember, the motto of Second Life is “Your World, Your Imagination,” not “If You Build It, They Will Come.”