Cummings, Nicholas Michael2009-04-172009-04-172008-07https://hdl.handle.net/1794/898741 p. A THESIS Presented to the School of Journalism and Communication and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, 2008. A print copy of this title is available through the UO Libraries under the call number: SCA Archiv Cummings 2008As modem culture begins to embrace the Internet as a social medium, new programs such as Linden Lab's Second Life raise questions about what an audience can expect from new interactive media. By utilizing the media studies theory of Uses and Gratifications, this paper analyzes media coverage of Second Life over six years, from its earliest roots to its modem state as an interactive virtual world.en-USVirtual realityShared virtual environmentsSecond Life (Game)Thesis