Henry Jenkins - fandom blog tasks

1 ) What is the definition of a fan?

Even if you are not interested in these texts it could be argued that that we are all ‘fans’ of a media text in the sense that we like them and consume them regularly, but is not the same as being a Fan (capitalisation intended) of a media text. Fans do more than just like or even love a particular media text, ‘true fans’ have a devotion that goes beyond simply consuming media texts, and is, as Matt Hills argues, part of a person’s identity in much the same way as gender, class and age define who we are.

2) What the different types of fan identified in the factsheet?
Hardcore/True Fan-Hard core fans identify themselves as the ‘insiders’ within any given fandom and

consider themselves to be aficionados of their chosen media text.

Newbie-Newbies, as the name suggests, are new fans of any given text and do not have the longevity of devotion or depth of knowledge that hard core fans have and are initially viewed as the ‘outgroup’ within fandoms.

Anti-fan-‘Anti-fans’ are those which identify themselves with media texts but negatively so; they loathe or hate the text but unlike ‘true’ fans they do not form their relationship with a text through close readings, they develop their emotional attachment ‘at a distance’ (Gray) through marketing publicity such as trailers.

3) What makes a ‘fandom’?

Fandoms are subcultures within which fans experience and share a sense of camaraderie with each other and engage in particular practices of their given fandom. Fandoms can be narrowly defined and can focus on something like an individual celebrity, or be more widely defined, encompassing entire hobbies, genres or fashions. In recent times media critics have suggested that fandoms can even be applied to the love of consumer goods or brand such as Apple. This may be stretching the definition a little, but what is true to say is that fandoms are built by audiences that are so passionate about the media texts they consume that fandoms can last for a lifetime, Hills calls this ‘enduring fandom.’

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

Fandoms elicit powerful emotions within their followers, something which Fiske refers to as ‘power blocs’ which enable audiences to ‘escape’ from ‘the mundane into the marvellous’. So why do fans become so fanatical about the media texts they consume? This is not easily explained, but Hills argues that in order to understand what motivates fans to construct fandoms we have to move away from thinking about the opinion of the fan, which would obviously take on their own bias and understanding and move toward an approach that incorporates ‘tastes, values, attachments and investments.’Clearly this level of display is not simply about preferring one team over another, it is, as Bordieu argues a kind of ‘cultural capital’ which confers a symbolic power and status for the fan, especially within the realm of their fandom.

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

1) Rituals and Participation

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.

2) Ironic Readings

Ironic readings and multiple readings of texts are also prevalent within fan cultures. Fandoms engage in philosophical debates around the texts and impose meanings which other fans can engage with.

3) Defy Critics and Institutions

Fan behaviour, especially their buying power behaviour has the ability to challenge media institutions and opinion leaders such as critics.

4) Imaginative Extension and Text Creation

Fans use the original media texts and get creative and innovative with the material. Crawford suggests that it is this which distinguishes fans from ordinary consumers.

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

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 may mean that new digital media is less about marketing to an audience and more about connecting individuals. 

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!)

"In the age of the internet, no one is a passive consumer anymore because everyone is a media outlet".

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

-media consultants 

-influencers 

-prosumers

-consumers

 

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?

he new multipliers are simply a less geeky version of the fan—fans who don’t wear rubber Spock ears, fans who didn’t live in their parents’ basement, fans who have got a life. In other words, they are fans that don’t fit the stereotypes. These writers are predicting, and documenting, a world where what we are calling “fan culture” has a real economic and cultural impact; where fan tastes are ruling at the box office (witness all of the superhero and fantasy blockbusters of recent years); where fan tastes are dominating television

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 makers and viewers are emerging which could lead to a sea change in how media is made 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 Instagram as a large-scale focus group.

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

In the past, they were the ones who passively consumed by watching television, making purchases, and remaining silent. Currently, though, it's the individuals who "talk up the programme and spread word about the brand," providing suggestions and insights on how to make the product better.

8) Why is fandom 'the future'?

The future of social media will be fandom because fans are the ones spreading the "hype" about their favourite products and forming fanbases—groups of people—that eventually appeal to a larger audience, which increases the product's fanbase and boosts 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.