What role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans play in the construction of cult tv? How is new media central to this?
Hills (2004) has three differing definitions he uses to explore how cult tv is formed. One of these is "Cult TV can be defined through an analysis of fan practices, and depends on fan activities." This definition of cult tv states that fans play the most important role in making a tv program into 'cult tv', starting with just a grassroots, generally avid, appreciation among a small group of people. Hills (2004) suggests that cult tv fans display signs of fandom that are not seen in your everyday, casual tv watcher, and, as a community, they form networks of interlinking texts; of programs, films, books, comics and other materials, that all interelate. Fans of cult tv also "have played a part in generically re-organising TV programs into the catergory of 'cult'" (Hills, 2004).
New media is central to this in a number of ways. Appreciation Societies, for instance, which are formed around cult tv shows, are a visible way for television media to report on this growing phenomenom. These appreciation societies often have conventions, which are organised on the internet. The internet has revolutionised the cult tv community, leading to more engagement in fan activity, and accessibility to any new fans (Hills, 2004). The internet is a place for cult tv fans to post fan fiction, discuss episodes and characters, and share commentaries and production histories with other like-minded fans.
References
Hills, M. (2004). Defining Cult TV; Texts, Intertexts and Fan Audiences, The Television Studies Reader, in R.C. Allen & A. Hill. London and New York: Routledge.
Very well written, new media seems to provide numerous ways by which cult tv can be distributed in a sense to other fans whom share a similar fascination for a tv show.Being a fan of quite a few shows similar to Buffy, I think this has in many ways helped increase the fan base of many similar cult tv shows.
ReplyDeleteGood summary of Hill, but Hills being written in 2004 is probably a bit dated in terms of its discussion of fan culture and new media ('appreciation' society seems like such a dated term to use). It could have made interesting reading if you'd taken this further and looked on the web to see what type of fan activities are occuring - maybe providing a brief discussion on these.
ReplyDeleteVery good point Sara,
ReplyDeleteIsn’t it surprising to know how actively devoted fans are involved in forming cult TV culture including other fan media culture. And producers of the TV programmes develop shows given the expectations of the audience.
It will be almost impossible to imagine that the cult TV exists without the Internet. The Internet has definitely played a very important role in developing cult TV shows.