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hbgator

Fri 12 May, 2006


BBC to air festival in online world Second Life

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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.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
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The three-dimensional online world,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> operated by San Francisco-based Linden Lab,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> is filled with thousands of people who interact,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> buy property and create their own customised avatars,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> which are graphic representations of the users.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
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Second Life's virtual residents will be able to watch artists including Pink,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> Snow Patrol and The Streets or listen to them on a radio that plays within the game.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
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In the real world,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> the UK public broadcaster's festival is taking place in Dundee,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> Scotland.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
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<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>"There's a sort of festival area with huge video screens,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> where residents will be able to travel over and watch the festival,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>"<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> said Radio 1 spokesman Jamie Austin.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> <b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>"The avatars will also have a dance tent,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> and they're hoping to be able to put footage from Second Life on the screens at the concert.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
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Second Life,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> the subject of a recent Business Week cover story,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> 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,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> which is convertible into U.S.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> dollars.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
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The BBC has been moving aggressively into new media,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> launching blogs,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> podcasts and making much of its content available online.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> Austin said the broadcaster sees the Second Life simulcast as a way to connect with a new,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> young audience.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
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Second Life is free for basic users.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> A premium subscription with more advanced features starts at <b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>$9.95 a month.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>