PBS has entered the childrens’ virtual world space with its own subscription-based “online neighborhood.” Dubbed PBS Kids Play, the site is ad-free and is aimed at ages 3 to 6. It’s currently in beta. PBS is offering free trials and claims to offer a pre-school and kindergarten curriculum along with PBS characters such as Curious George and Bob the Builder. The free trails will end before spring. Subscription fees are $9.95 a month, or $79 a year, while local PBS TV affiliates will be able to provide discounts or free access for donors, USAT reports. While charging for such web services are a new thing for PBS, which doesn’t run traditional ads on its network, it does feature messages from “sponsors.” PaymentGuy thinks I’d say it’s not much of a virtual worlds play. It’s just a portal to a collection of educational mini-games with, it seems, no interaction between users. From the USAT article: “In development since 2006, Kids Play! is not a social networking site. There’s ‘no chat between kids or to kids,’ says Benjamin Grimley, PBS’ senior director of interactive businesses. “=’Everything we’re doing is centered on safety.’”
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