BBC opens new virtual playground by Nina Gotzmannova

BBC will welcome all computer educated kids on their new virtual playground. Adventure Rock, as the name of the new project is will provide a free, safe and no-advertisement virtual world for kids. With this step BBC will join companies like Disney or Nickelodeon and offer children a ‘cool new place' to spend their afternoons. BBC created the game, because according to their research, kids don't want to be passive viewers of something, and they want to interact. They would be also able to socialize, play and learn. Another reason is that BBC makes less new programmes for children and they want to fill this gap this way. In Adventure Rock kids can explore, create, innovate and interact with each other. The game allows them to sing, dance, drawn, play games, create art and solve a mystery. The only thing that will be missing will be a chat. BBC wants to protect children and thus disable any communication between the game users and potential sexual offenders. They claim as a public broadcaster the game must be as safe as possible. The game will be also free. Unlike several similar projects, which force kids to use their parent's money to buy things in the virtual world for their virtual selves, Adventure Rock is different. BBC doesn't want to make money on this game. Every service will be absolutely free and with no advertisements. Several companies wanted to participate in the project and set their branches in the virtual world, but BBC declined. In Adventure Rock kids won't be affected by brands and products. The only question is if is not healthier for the kids to go to the real playground and there sing, play and socialize instead of sitting in front of computer screen and get involved in virtual reality…

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20071008/ten-entertainment-media-television-mipco-1dc2b55_1.html

by Nina Gotzmannova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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