Why do TV documentaries always show flying avatars?

Following the BBC Newsnight piece about Second Life on Wednesday night, I started thinking about how SL is portrayed in the media, and how this impacts on how SL is perceived in business.

As I have said earlier in this blog, a challenge for business is to dispel the idea that SL is "just a game". Unfortunately, when TV presenters put together a piece about SL, the immediate response it to show the more exotic avatars (after all, a key element if SL is your avatar) and then show the presenter's avatar flying over the virtual world. So, the memorable feature of SL is that you are able to fly! (Which is a shame, because anyone who visits SL knows that the only way to travel is to Teleport!)

(Photo courtesy of the BBC)

This is a pity, as some of the more useful concepts in SL are the ability to interact with people regardless of location; the ability to interact with 3D objects; the new ways of presenting information.... the list goes on.

Instead of just flying over anonymous buildings in SL, why not visit the Cybrary and see how librarians from around the world are getting together to share ideas? Or visit one of Aimee Webber's beautifully rendered locations; Or show one of the science exhibits that allows you to climb around a caffeine molecule?

Next time I'm in SL I will take some photos to brighten up this post!.