The Second Life Avatars of Helen Thomas and Bob Schieffer
Fresh from the talented fingers of renowned avatar customizer Haver Cole, here's the Second Life personae of veteran journalists Helen Thomas and Bob Schieffer. They'll be appearing with me in SL next week (April 6) when they participate in a Q&A session in-world. In the real world, they'll be based at Washington State University, where the seasoned journalists will receive 2009 Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Awards from the communications department. (Also named after the legendary broadcaster.) They're also participating in a day-long program, Reporting in Virtual Spaces, along with CNN's Lila King, award-winning machinima reportor Draxtor Despres, SL founder Philip Rosedale, Club Penguin co-founder Lane Merrifield, Erica Driver of Think Balm, and myself.
I'm honored in a dazed sort of way to share the stage with a woman who's been grilling US Presidents since Kennedy, and a news anchor who moderated one of the Obama/McCain debates. Then again, I wonder if they ever imagined their journalistic activity would include speaking into an immersive 3D world. Or for that matter, that they would share something in common with Justin Timberlake. (Haver also created the popstar's official avatar, when he made a brief appearance in SL.)
The program is sponsored by WSU's Edward R. Murrow College of Communication and the McCormick Foundation. To request a reservation to the Thomas/Schieffer in-world event, send an Instant Message in SL to Washington State University's avatar-based representative, Paley Westinghouse.