CBS Invests in Virtual World Content Developer

One of the biggest U.S. radio and television networks CBS announced that it will invest in Electric Sheep Co., the content developer of virtual worlds. The officials from CBS have mentioned that the company looks forward to expand significantly its activity.

The company is to participate in a seven million dollars financing round.

One of Electric Sheep's projects is Second Life, a virtual world. The residents of Second life can explore, meet other residents, participate in various activities, and purchase items and services.

Today the clients of Electric Sheep are: AOL, owned by Time Warner Inc. and NBC and Viacom Inc., owned by General Electric. The Chief Executive of Electric Sheep, Sibley Verbeck, said that Electric Sheep will help entertainment companies to bring their audience into various virtual worlds. He also said that Electric Sheep will provide more entertainment features for the target audience.

Verbeck said that today virtual worlds represent quite a new phenomenon which can be compared to the Web in 1993. He mentioned that Electric Sheep plans to use the money, that CBS is going to invest, to create virtual worlds for mainstream consumption.

CBS hired Electric Sheep to work on several projects, including the development of "The L-Word in Second Life". The company also shot a commercial inside Second Life with the goal of promoting its show "Two and a Half Men."

Electric Sheep is working on a Star-Track-themed area in Second Life, this being another project the company develops for CBS.

In a phone interview Quincy Smith, the Interactive President of CBS, stated they believe that today all virtual worlds represent communication platforms of next generation.

The interest in virtual worlds has significantly increased in recent months. Various companies are looking forward to market their products and promote their brands via Internet. This is why marketers test new technologies that can help to reach the target audience. This mainly refers to users who shift their attention from TV to Internet.

The company will also work for corporate clients. It will provide information on various features of the virtual worlds that might come in use for marketers.

Today Electric Sheep is a company that is viewed as a great platform for promoting products and brands within virtual worlds, thus it represents a key to success of an on-line business.
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