Henry Jenkins - fandom blog tasks

 Factsheet #107 - Fandom:

1) What is the definition of a fan?

While like and regularly consuming a media text makes us all "fans" of it, this is not the same as actually being a fan (capitalization intended). "True fans" possess a level of commitment to a particular media content that surpasses mere liking or affection for it. Matt Hills contends that this devotion is an integral aspect of an individual's identity, much like how gender, class, and age define who we are.

2) What the different types of fan identified in the factsheet?

• Hardcore enthusiasts see themselves as the "insiders" of their chosen media text and regard themselves as experts in that field. They invest a great deal of time and frequently money to become ardent supporters. They take great satisfaction in their length of fandom as well as the amount and calibre of knowledge they have gained during that time.
• As the name implies, newbies are fans of a particular book who are relatively new to it. They lack the ardour and depth of knowledge of hard core fans and are first perceived as the "outgroup" within fandoms.
• "Anti-fans" are those who, contrary to "true" fans, do not create a relationship with media texts with which they negatively identify; they detest or abhor the text. through attentive readings of a book, people grow emotionally attached "at a distance" (Grey) to commercials like teasers. According to Hills, the term "anti-fan" generally refers to a negative stereotype of a work of literature or a genre, such as "all horror fans must be insane" or "all chick flick watchers are dim."

3) What makes a ‘fandom’?

"Passion that binds enthusiasts in the manner of people who share a secret—this secret just happens to be shared with millions of others" is what fandoms demonstrate. Within fandoms, fans participate in specific fandom-specific activities and feel a sense of kinship with one another. Fandoms are subcultures. Fandoms can be more broadly defined, embracing entire hobbies, genres, or fashions, or they can be more tightly defined, focusing on something specific, like a single celebrity. Media critics have recently argued that fandoms can even relate to a love of consumer products or a particular brand, like Apple.

4) What is Bordieu’s argument regarding the ‘cultural capital’ of fandom?

According to Bordieu, a fan receives a form of "cultural capital" that gives them status and symbolic power, particularly within their fandom.

5) What examples of fandom are provided on pages 2 and 3 of the factsheet?

• One of the earliest examples is the fandom created around the literary detective Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fans of these books created some of the first fan fiction as early as 1887 and held public demonstrations of mourning after Holmes was “killed” off in 1893.
• For example, in the image below we see a Liverpool fan’s room with duvetcover, wallpaper, memorabilia  etc.
• True fans watch the texts over and over again and they also participate in cosplay, (dressing up as characters) and attend conventions and specialist screenings of their texts. For example midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) helped secure its cult status with students and gay and lesbian fans who would cross-dress like the characters, use props and re-enact the actions in particular scenes.

6) Why is imaginative extension and text creation a vital part of digital fandom?

Fans apply their imaginations and creativity to the original media texts. Crawford contends that this is what sets fans apart from regular customers. With the aid of digital technology, they participate in a variety of activities like "the production of websites, mods and hacks, private servers, game guides, walkthroughs and FAQs, fan fiction and forms of fan art, fan vids." Digital fandoms employ technology in a variety of ways. According to Fiske, this is the "cultural economy" of fandoms, where the goal is to express the intricate concepts and moral systems that underpin fandoms rather than to generate profit.

Henry Jenkins - degree-level reading:

1) There is an important quote on the first page: “It’s not an audience, it’s a community”. What does this mean?

This means that new digital media is less about marketing to an audience and more about connecting people. 

2) Jenkins quotes Clay Shirky in the second page of the chapter. Pick out a single sentence of the extended quote that you think is particularly relevant to our work on participatory culture and the ‘end of audience’ (clue – look towards the end!)

Everyone is a media outlet in the internet era, so there is no such thing as a passive consumer. Some refer to them as "media-actives," implying that compared to earlier generations, they are far more likely to demand the opportunity to participate in the media franchise.

3) What are the different names Jenkins discusses for these active consumers that are replacing the traditional audience?

• Media actives
• Prosumers
• Inspirational consumers
• Connectors 
• Influencers

4) On the third page of the chapter, what does Wired editor Chris Anderson suggest regarding the economic argument in favour of fan communities?

According to Anderson, it might be financially advantageous to invest in niche properties with small but devoted customer bases if you can reduce production costs and replace marketing expenses by forging a far stronger network with your target market.

5) What examples does Jenkins provide to argue that fan culture has gone mainstream?

The primary example provided is that fan culture is now ultimately dominant in the media and is no longer inherently linked to the stereotypical "geeky" fan. For instance, the creation of media texts and the direction of media content are greatly influenced by the opinions and preferences of fans.

6) Look at the quote from Andrew Blau in which he discusses the importance of grassroots creativity. Pick out a sentence from the longer quote and decide whether you agree that audiences will ‘reshape the media landscape from the bottom up’.

"A new generation of media creators and consumers is coming of age, and this could fundamentally alter the way that media is produced and consumed." I agree that because there are so many platforms for people to express their opinions about media productions, the audience now influences many of the decisions that producers make. It's almost like using Twitter as a large-scale focus group.

7) What does Jenkins suggest the new ideal consumer is?

They used to be the ones who passively consumed, watched television, and made purchases without responding. As opposed to now, when it comes to suggesting ways to make the product better, it's the individual who "talks up the programme and spreads word about the brand."

8) Why is fandom 'the future'?

Fandom is the way of the future because fans are the ones who start the "hype" about their favourite products on social media and create fanbases—groups of people—that eventually draw in more people and increase the size of the product's fan base, which increases its success.

9) What does it mean when Jenkins says we shouldn’t celebrate ‘a process that commodifies fan cultural production’?

Because fans are not compensated for their efforts, larger media companies take advantage of the products that they produce, so we shouldn't support this process.

10) Read through to the end of the chapter. What do you think the future of fandom is? Are we all fans now? Is fandom mainstream or are real fan communities still an example of a niche media audience?

As the article points out, I believe that fandom and the idea of being a fan have gained a lot of mainstream acceptance. Being a fan of something is almost a trend in many ways; for instance, more people will declare themselves fans of a media text if it gains popularity or recognition.