NBC ‘Rethinks Media” with Second Life (and more)

The media and blogosphere is abuzz this week over iVillage’s foray into Second Life with their new Girls Night Out initiative.  According to the Girls Night Out blog, the event will be held every two weeks and will showcase existing SL locations, SL women and sub-cultures within Second Life.  The inaugral event is to be held this Thursday, December 14 at 6 p.m. Second Life time. 

iVillage, which was purchased by NBC in March, notes that at least half the residents of Second Life are women and that women spend more time in Second Life than men.  This suggests their move into Second Life is a natural fit.

But far more interesting is the bigger picture. Bob Wright, NBC chief executive has indicated that iVillage is slated to become the cornerstone of the GE-controlled group’s online activities.  The iVillage web site is being completely redesigned and relaunched – and iVillage is going to be more closely tied to NBC television programming.  In fact Wright is indicating there will be far more “editorial combinations” of content across NBCs programming.  As part of the new branding campaign, a new daily talk show, iVillage Live will be simultaneously broadcast on NBC Universal local stations, BRAVO, and at ivillagelive.com.  I suspect the big-screen TV in the new Second Life iVillage Loft will also be tuned into the show.

Girls Night Out may signal NBC’s plan to seriously explore tying television programming to immersive environments like MTV has done with its Virtual Laguna Beach.  If iVillage is to be the cornerstone of NBC’s online activities, Girls Night Out may be just the beginning of new content categories for the conglomerate, leveraging virtual environments. 

Wright also indicated NBC would be looking  at acquiring some marketing services companies.  Hmmm. I am pondering if one of them just might be a virtual world services company.

For more information about iVillage's brand campaign see the GE web site.

iVillage Loft is on Sheep Island in Second Life at:  41/156/25.

 

December 13, 2006