A number of news sites and presences have popped up around virtual worlds -- not virtual versions of real-world news bureaus, but news bureaus established to report on happenings within the online world itself. Now news giant CNN has launched a Second Life hub, as it explains:

There, CNN will look to those most familiar with the virtual world -- the Second Life residents themselves -- to determine what constitutes news "in-world."

Developer Linden Labs opened Second Life to the public in 2003. According to its Web site, Second Life is inhabited by millions of "residents" from around the globe. However, traffic at any given time hovers around the 40,000 users. Photo See the many views of Second Life. »

Just as CNN asks its real-life audience to submit I-Reports -- user-generated content submitted from cell phones, computers, cameras and other equipment for broadcast and online reports -- the network is encouraging residents of Second Life to share their own "SL I-Reports" about events occurring within the virtual world.

"The thing we most hope to gain by having a CNN presence in Second Life is to learn about virtual worlds and understand what news is most interesting and valuable to their residents," said Susan Grant, executive vice president of CNN News Services.

The Second Life hub will apparently work just like its real-world one, where SL users can submit video and tips on what they find newsworthy in-world.

[Via CNN.com]