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LONDON (Reuters)
- Ananova, a green-haired, wide-eyed 28-year-old with a mid-Atlantic
accent and somewhat odd expressions,
becomes the world's first virtual newscaster
on Wednesday when she reads her debut bulletin
on the Internet.
The animated ``cyberbabe's'' two-minute news updates are designed to appeal
to web surfers who want an almost human touch and to
lure them onto her site, ananova.com, for all their news, searches
and online shopping needs.
Her creator and guardian, Britain's Press
Association news agency, says she has been designed to be highly attractive
to women as well as men.
This could spark jealousy from the British
newspapers who own PA but have their own rival online sites, so
it is just as well the agency is set to sell
its whole New Media division that bears her name to the
highest bidder next month.
When this was first announced in February, PA said comparable companies
were worth 20 to 100 times their annual revenues
-- putting a theoretical price tag of up to
440 million pounds ($700 million) on Ananova Ltd.
After a dive in Internet stock prices which
has slimmed such revenue multiples, Ananova
might be tempted to scowl or curl her digital
lip -- something she has learnt but won't be allowed
to do while reading the news.
But Robert Simpson, PA's head who has moved over
to be chief executive of Ananova, told Reuters that market
turbulence had not upset talks with soon-to-be-shortlisted
prospective buyers, whom he declined to name.
``This hasn't entered into the discussions at all,'' he said after a news
conference Tuesday where the virtual star made her
public debut.
PricewaterhouseCoopers, advising on the sale, said it did not expect the
market's falls to influence the final price, which analysts expect to be
based on a multiple at the low end of the range.
Most of the proceeds will go to PA shareholders.
Trinity Mirror Plc, United News & Media Plc, News International and
Associated Newspapers together own 70 percent.
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Ananova Ltd hopes to make its money through advertising -- the news bulletins
will include commercial breaks -- and e-commerce.
It said its frontwoman -- who will soon face Vandrea, a rival based on
a real newsreader on Britain's Channel 5 TV -- had attracted huge numbers
of fans since her image was released two months ago and had already received
proposals of marriage.
``Just because I am good-looking some people think I am a bimbo,''
Ananova told the news conference. ``I want to be
judged on what I do and not on my looks.''
She is unlikely to grow any older, but may in time
gain virtual colleagues, a family or a ``Kenanova'' male companion
and will get gradually more sophisticated, the company said.
Wednesday, she will greet visitors to the Web site and read them a two-minute
general news update, using the limited range of facial
expressions -- a widening of the eyes, a superficial-looking
smile -- that she has so far acquired.
Her speech writers attach tags to various words to
help the computer animation program -- provided by Scotland's Digital
Animations -- know when she should smile or look serious.
As technology improves, people will be able
to talk to her rather than type in their requests and get personalized
news bulletins, shopping help and other services read to them, on the Net,
by mobile phone, or on interactive TV.
``It is important Ananova becomes someone you warm
to, and trust to carry out transactions on your behalf,'' said publishing
director Mark Hird.
Not everyone has fallen in love with the woman who claims to go the gym,
ski in the Alps and love The Simpsons, Oasis, Mozart and cricket.
``Are people so pathetic they have to make
a relationship with an animated puppet?'' one journalist asked.
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ひとくちメモ
mid-Atlantic accent: 英米中間の発音
somewhat odd expressions: 幾分変わった表情
the world's first virtual newscaster: 世界初のコンピューター人間のニュースキャスター
reads her debut bulletin: 彼女のデビューとなる最初のニュース速報を読む
to lure them onto her site: サーファーを彼女のサイトに誘い込む
her creator and guardian: 彼女の製作元であり後見人
spark jealousy: 妬みを呼ぶ
so it is just as well ... : 従って〜なのはかえって良い
set to sell its whole New Media division that bears her name: 彼女の名前を冠したニューメディア部門全体を売り出す段取りが整っている
the highest bidder: 最も高額に値を付けた者(会社)
worth 20 to 100 times their annual revenues: 年間収入の２０〜１００倍の値打ちがある
putting a theoretical price tag: 理論上の値を付けて
a dive in Internet stock prices: インターネット関連の株価の暴落
slimmed such revenue multiples: そんな収入(倍数)を縮小した
scowl: しかめ面をする
something she has learnt but won't be allowed to do while reading the news:
知ってもニュースを読んでいる間は許されない事
moved over to be chief executive: 最高責任者に移って着た
market turbulence: 市場の波乱
soon-to-be-shortlisted prospective buyers: 近く行われる最終選抜に残りそうなバイヤー
made her public debut: 公にデビューした
based on a multiple at the low end of the range: 変動幅の最低値に基づいて
proceeds: 収益
bimbo: 外見だけの腰軽女
I want to be judged on what I do and not on my looks: 外見ではなく、行動で判断して欲しい
may in time gain virtual colleagues: やがて同じような仲間ができるかも知れない
using the limited range of facial expressions: 限られた範囲の顔の表情を駆使して
a superficial-looking smile: いかにもうわべだけのような笑顔
attach tags to various words to help the computer animation program: 単語の最初や後にタグを付けて、アニメーション・プログラムがうまく作動させる
as technology improves: 技術が進歩するにつれて
Ananova becomes someone you warm to, and trust to carry out transactions
on your behalf: アナノバが好きになって、信頼して自分の代わりに取引を行ってくれる人物になる
pathetic: 情けない
make a relationship with: 関係を持つ |
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