Satellite TV broadcaster Sky News will establish a news outpost in Second Life next month, becoming the first TV news channel to create a permanent presence in the virtual world.

The 24-hour news channel is building a Second Life replica of the Sky News Centre to give residents a behind-the-scenes, interactive look at its newsroom, according to Brand Republic.

Visitors to the virtual studio will be able to sit in presenters’ chairs, read the autocue and visit the gallery. This complements Sky News Online adding a live feed for users to view its news centre, Brand Republic says.

Other planned interactive features include letting visitors create news reports, upload news pictures and video clips and interact with Sky News presenters and reporters.

This is also what’s in store for Second Life users:

[…] Residents will be able enter virtual rooms to engage with news events. By recreating news stories, such as crime scenes and natural disasters, in a 3D space, Sky News aims to provide a richer experience and deeper understanding of issues. Sky’s editors and correspondents will provide exclusive talks to Second Lifers on major home and foreign stories.

The first interactive session will come from Sky News’ political editor, Adam Boulton, inviting an avatar audience in Second Life to put questions to his guests live on air.

Sky’s Second Life presence is being built by UK-based Second Life builder Rivers Run Red.

See also Sky’s press release.

[Update May 30] I didn’t watch Sky News on Sunday, but Ian Hughes did and wrote a great account.

Sky posted their own news report about the event and developer Rivers Run Red posted this machinima video to YouTube: