To say that Second Life and all other interactive online medias frustrate me, would be an understatement. I am not even going to attempt to hide my aversion to this topic. If it hasnt already been made perfectly clear, my answer to the question of whether in-world news is necessary or not, is of course no. Nearly every beneficial quality of Second Life news coverage and reporting is already found in "Real Life." Cybergrrl Oh makes the claim that through this other medium, one can find out about great upcoming events and important news stories. Well one can also find out about such events and stories through pre-exising mediums too. Television, newspapers, magazines, and even word of mouth are the only ways in which I, along with almost everyone else I know, have always learned of events and news. I just think that technology is forcing an alternate and unnecessary reality into our lives. And in this lies the challenges of applying journalistic skills in the virtual world. An interview can be taken an enitrely different direction because the reporter cannot read facial expressions of the subject and often cannot hear the tone of voice. It is completely eradicating social communication and contact between people. I understand that one can develop a relationship in this alternate world but there is an immense difference between looking at ones computer screen and at anothers facial expressions. However there are ways in which "in-world news can supersede real world news." It is more than convienent that people from all over the world may come together in a board meeting inworld thus eliminating a trip for everyone. While Cybergrrl and 57 miles make this seem like some ground breaking development, I would ask why not just use the telephone?