• Reuters, Monday, February 26, 2007 10:45 AM

Media giant CBS Corp. has put $7 million behind Electric Sheep Co., the digital content developer best known for its work in the virtual world Second Life. Electric Sheep creates 3D model properties in the popular online role-playing game, in which users create avatars, or alternate personalities. CBS has commissioned Electric Sheep for a series of projects, including virtual sectors devoted to Star Trek, and Showtime's popular show "The L-World."

"We believe that all these virtual worlds represent next-generation communications platforms," said CBS Interactive President Quincy Smith. "We see virtual worlds at a very early stage right now," Verbeck added. "Perhaps like the Web in 1993."

Corporate interest in Second Life has ramped up significantly in the last six months. Marketers, ad agencies, news organizations, even celebrities have created avatars in what has become an experiment in the real-world merits of a thriving virtual economy. Reuters is an Electric Sheep client; the company constructed its virtual office in Second Life. Other big media companies like Time Warner's AOL, GE's NBC Universal and Viacom Inc. are clients, too.

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