At the Virtual Worlds Forum in London, film producer and politician Lord David Puttnam said that virtual worlds are changing the face of broadcasting, and that the TV industry needs to adapt to meet the growing need virtual worlds have fostered among viewers for ongoing engagement and interaction.

Specifically, as reported by the Guardian's Jemima Kiss, Puttnam said that broadcasters have historically marginalized the MMO industry, but that its impact on the ways in which people relate to their media should not be underestimated. today opened the Virtual Worlds Forum in London by saying that broadcast "is only half an industry", and needs to do more to match viewers' default expectation for interaction.

He spoke highly of the creative potential in online worlds, saying, "People have always tried to create imaginary or visionary worlds to inspire and educate those with less imagination, and now we can build more immersive and compelling worlds than ever before."

He did acknowledge that there will probably be couch potato types who aren't seeking interactivity, and raised some of the issues plaguing virtual worlds -- such as security, privacy, and the "Internet addiction" concept, but said that the perception of such negative issues hasn't been debated constructively, and may be over-hyped.

Puttnam said the biggest priority for the industry now must be children's safety. "Sites like Habbo Hotel and the BBC's Adventure Rock have the highest respect for children's safety and privacy, but is this enough to shelter children from inappropriate speech and to hide email addresses?" He asked, encouraging virtual worlds builders to focus on creating products that encourage real world skills, rather than "a space that encourages children to spend money."

He added, "We have to ensure that virtual worlds are a place that offers people meaning, and greater agency in their education and working lives. At their very best, human being are essentially social beings and it is our job to nurture that."

[Via The Guardian]