What
role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans play in the construction of cult TV?
How is new media central to this?
According
to Hills (2004, p510), “Cult TV can be defined through an analysis of fan
practices, and depends on fan activities”. This would mean that the fans of
cult TV eagerly show their passion and interests in their TV shows and their
opinions are accepted and applied to various parts of TV shows in many aspects.
It
is inevitable to ignore interests and participations come from fans of cult TV because
they have a strong influence in progress of cult TV, even text. The fan of cult
TV does not only pursue personal satisfaction, pleasure and enthusiasm from
their TV show. They realistically analyze it for a further advancement of it even
though it is their favorite text. As well as dispassionately, the fans protect
it from unnecessary texts and plots that may impede its flow. However, it is
fair to say that even if the fans` lifestyles and identities are considered in
cult TV, that does not mean the fans always avoids commercialism and see
themselves as ‘consumers’. Because, there is no problem for having an
acceptable limit within their own consumption of cult TV even if their TV show
is used as commercial devices. (Bills, 2004).
Nowadays,
as well as cult TV, all of new media, even News coverage, is influenced by
audience and such position of fans, called “‘grassroots’ phenomenon, assuming
that it is created by fans rather than by media producers” (Bills, 2004, p510).
Unlike
in the past, many audience and fans actively participate in and criticize programs
they have interesting and usually watching. Furthermore, most of the fans
create their own communities even markets and revitalize those by making character
merchandises, figures fan fiction and other episodes of themselves online and
in real life.
Therefore,
sometimes a number of producers of TV shows use these new features of fandom
for the purpose of advertisement for their show. For example, in Korea, I could
remember the advertisement that recruited netizen-writers took part in a drama
text directly. As producers recruit netizen-writers, they can reflect fan` opinions
and have advertising effect of their program at the same time.
Also,
nowadays, fans gather and have meetings actively in real life as well as online
to share detail ideas about texts, characters and set up a date of the main character
dying. They are too dedicated to be ignored so a production company opens a fan
meeting with their fandom and discuss about the show together.
Reference
Hills, M. (2004). Defining cult TV ; Texts, inter-txexts and fand audiences, the telelvison studies reader, in R. C. Allen &A. Hill. Lodon and New York : Routledge.
Do you think fans also shape reality TV?
ReplyDeleteI remember back in Korea, it's not a reality TV but a producer of a soap opera once accepted fans opinions, applied and changed the initial plot to the way a lot of fans want it to be. Fans' online commentaries seemed to be very powerful. So I guess there is a possibility that reality TV shows also could be shaped by fans, probably slightly, becuase it's all for the viewers and fans who are always talking about certain programs. I'm saying perhaps fans play a certain role for every genre.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I think fans affect to shape reality TV and they are more active than fans of cult TV because reality TV is directly linked to their fandom. As well as texts and plots, producer of reality TV give the fans a chance to appear on television and to take part in reality TV show that they are interested in. So the fans of reality TV will enjoy a hands-on role, managing and choosing adapted guests, and being actively involved in producing new season.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, many audition programs are broadcast live so their fans can send in vote by text messages which make up 60 percent of the result.