OSP assessment learner response

 1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential).

WWW: Excellent knowledge of the CSP's - v. good detail.

EBI: More explicit reference to Hesmondhalgh and the actual wording of the question for Q2.

22/34 = B = Exceeds = AUPC's (C) = CP x4!!

2) Read the whole mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Identify three specific aspects from Figure 1 (the Google Home advert) that you could have mentioned in your answer (e.g. selection of image, framing and focus, colour, text etc.)

• Links Google brand to vision of ideal family life – creative play with parent; coloured pencils, paint bottle and corner of child’s picture all reinforce creativity and colour.
• Reinforces white, western, middle-class representation of family life to the exclusion of other backgrounds (race/ethnicity, sexuality, age, class). Presents the white, western ‘2.4 children’ average as desirable, aspirational lifestyle – some audiences will reject this.
• Negotiated readings could include an acceptance of a warm picture of family life – plus the potential usefulness of the speaker – despite concerns over how the device uses data and the growing power of companies such as Google and Amazon.

3) Now use the mark scheme to identify three potential points that you could have made in your essay for Question 2 (Hesmondhalgh - validity of theory/narrow range of values and ideologies).

• The ‘End of Audience’ that Clay Shirky writes about means that a wider, more diverse range of values and ideologies are now available to consumers. This would suggest Hesmondhalgh’s theory is not valid. Zendaya’s online and social media presence arguably supports this with her promotion of a liberal agenda that challenges attitudes towards race and gender in society and the media industries.
• However, The Voice has been doing this to some extent since its launch in 1982 and it has arguably become less powerful and influential in recent years. This suggests the digital revolution Clay Shirky writes about (the “billion new participants in the contemporary media ecosystem”) has not benefited The Voice in its mission to promote values and ideologies that remain outside the mainstream. Perhaps this reinforces Hesmondhalgh’s view that the media is dominated by a narrow range of values and ideologies in that The Voice has failed to really challenge the hegemonic ideology of the UK.
• As a former Disney child star, a more cynical approach to Zendaya’s online presence may suggest that she constructs her social media and online presence very carefully to create a persona that is economically successful and appealing to her target audience. If we view Zendaya’s online presence as primarily a marketing tool for her film and TV work then this would strongly reinforce Hesmondhalgh’s view that the cultural industries values profit over principle and therefore only reinforces a narrow range of values and ideologies.

4) Use your exam response, the mark scheme and any other resources you wish to use to write a detailed essay plan for Question 2. Make sure you are planning at least three well-developed paragraphs in addition to an introduction and conclusion.

Introduction: Agree with the statement to certain extent

Paragraph 1: Zendaya - Stands up for feminism, suggesting "True feminism has to be inter sectional" (bell hooks). Uses her social media to spread awareness. K.C. Undercover  - subvert stereotypes = shows women are strong. Gauntlett - Submissive women kick boxed out by new image of sassy women. 

Paragraph 2: The Voice - Double consciousness (Gilroy) - The Voice  offers range of diverse value and ideologies for Black British audiences. Gilroy would agree with Hesmondhalgh's statement - media dominated by white people. The Voice allows black people to see themselves from their own eyes.

Paragraph 3: End of audience (Shirky) - wider and diverse range of values and ideologies are available to consumers so goes against Hesmondhalgh statement - Zendaya's social media allows her to do this - uses it to promote charity, activism etc.

Conclusion: Cultural industries do have narrow ideologies - all go to promote woke agenda's - feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, charity work and racism all for popularity and getting more audience.

5) Finally, identify three key areas you plan to revise from the OSP unit (CSP aspects or theories) having looked at your feedback from this assessment.

• Applying specific theories to specific references from the CSP's.
• Applying other theorist in the 25 maker to oppose the statement  or theorist given.
• The representation and ideologies that the OSP CSP's promote.

The Sims FreePlay - Audience and Industries

 Audience

Read this App Store description and the customer reviews for The Sims FreePlay and answer the following questions:  

1) What game information is provided on this page? Pick out three elements you think are important in terms of making the game appeal to an audience.

• Pictures and videos of the actual game play.
• An introduction to what the game is about.
• Reviews from the game play.

2) How does the game information on this page reflect the strong element of participatory culture in The Sims?

There are events going on in the game, which suggest that a lot of fans of the game who will participate in these events. Fans can also visit each other as neighbours and become friends with with each other.

3) Read a few of the user reviews. What do they suggest about the audience pleasures of the game? 

The game reviews are generally positive and talk about how good the game is, providing them with escapism. However, they do mention that some of the game has a few issues: bugs, long quests and there are too many ads in between doing different tasks etc. 

Participatory culture

Read this academic journal article - The Sims: A Participatory Culture 14 Years On. Answer the following questions:

1) What did The Sims designer Will Wright describe the game as?

Will Wright describes the game as "a train set or a doll's house where each person has their own interest and picks their own goals"

2) Why was development company Maxis initially not interested in The Sims?

They thought that as Will Wright suggested that the game as a "doll's house" and dolls are for girls, whereas the main market for video games was boys, so where not  interested to start with.

3) What is ‘modding’?

Where fans are able to modify game assets by manipulating the game code, and where they then share these modifications online with other fans.

4) How does ‘modding’ link to Henry Jenkins’ idea of ‘textual poaching’?

As the fans are making modifications to the game so are contributing as fans to the product.

5) Look specifically at p136. Note down key quotes from Jenkins, Pearce and Wright on this page.

Digital communities are "held together through the mutual production and reciprocal exchange of knowledge.  - Jenkins.

"The original Sims series has the most vibrant emergent fan culture of a single-player game in history." - Pearce

"there were already more than fifty fan websites dedicated to The Sims. Today there are thousands." - Jenkins

"We were probably responsible for the first million or so units sold but it was the community which really brought it to the next level" - Jenkins quotes Wright.

6) What examples of intertextuality are discussed in relation to The Sims? (Look for “replicating works from popular culture”)

The Sims was used to replicate and rearrange scenes and characters from different popular cultures the same fans have been performing their fandom by recycling texts and images. You could have skins depicting different characters from Star Trek, Star wars, The X-Files, and Japanese anime.

7) What is ‘transmedia storytelling’ and how does The Sims allow players to create it?

A process where the primary text encoded in an official commercial product could be dispersed over multiple media in both digital and analogue in form (Jenkins 2007) 

8) How have Sims online communities developed over the last 20 years?

That fans used to create stories of the game and starting making gamics (comics) and the fans started to create different mods which other players could use. This strengthened the fan communities over the years. Nowadays the game is outdated yet some people still play it and the modding websites still exist but are now seen as a place to preserve the game. It is a place where players can come and relax with each other.  

9) Why have conflicts sometimes developed within The Sims online communities?

There have been divisions in the community between creators and non-creators. There are some creators who want to charge for their mods whereas some want to give them for free to other fans and the game producers themselves. Fellow fans have been saying other fans are getting more recognition than others creating a hierarchy .

10) What does the writer suggest The Sims will be remembered for?

The cult following that it 'engendered' well beyond the usual lifespan of popular computer  games and for digital production it helped to pioneer one of the biggest fan and modding communities.

Read this Henry Jenkins interview with James Paul Gee, writer of Woman as Gamers: The Sims and 21st Century Learning (2010).

1) How is ‘modding’ used in The Sims?

Modding is used for emotional intelligence and social interactions. It builds artistic, technical, social and emotional skills.

2) Why does James Paul Gee see The Sims as an important game?

As The Sims is meant to be a game which is meant to take people beyond gaming. And the women play and designing is not mainstream but cutting the edge of the future.

3) What does the designer of The Sims, Will Wright, want players to do with the game?

Wright wanted his users to construct a community and build their own content around his games.

4) Do you agree with the view that The Sims is not a game – but something else entirely?

I disagree with this view and that it is a game as it provides gamers/audiences to do whatever they want to do providing them with escapism - the exact thing other games do.

5) How do you see the future of gaming? Do you agree with James Paul Gee that all games in the future will have the flexibility and interactivity of The Sims?

In my opinion I think that there will be many more game like The sims, providing the audiences with similar audience pleasure, however these will not be popular in the mainstream media as gamers prefer a game which has an objective at the end for example games with missions such as GTA. 

Industries

Regulation – PEGI

Research the following using the VSC website PEGI page - look at the videos and Q&A section.

1) How does the VSC and PEGI ratings system work and how does it link to UK law?

VSC and PEGI rate the game so it is enforceable by law to make the age rating and that no one younger than that age should be able to buy that specific game. 

2) Click on the PEGI Rating tab in the top menu. What are the age ratings and what content guidance do they include?

There is PEGI 3,7,12,16 and 18. The content includes that games might apply to young audiences such as 3/7 as they might not understand the concept of other games or might not appeal to them so easier games would have this rating. Games which have violence and profanity would be 16, 18 would include all the above including sex and nudity. 

3) What is the PEGI process for rating a game? 

1. The developer declares in detail what is in the game.
2. Evidence is given to PEGI with video footage and a copy of the game.
3. The footage is examined.
4. The game is tested to see if the declarations were correctly done.
5. The examination takes around 4-10 days. The developer is given a formal license, detailing the rating symbols and the content labels displayed.

The ‘Freemium’ gaming model

Read this Lifewire feature on freemium gaming and answer the following questions:

1) How does the freemium model work?

The producers make the core product free so the players can play it but other added on packages which might make gameplay more interesting or more functionable would have a charge. 

2) Why do some gamers believe freemium is ruining games?

Some games are pay to win which is annoying for the players as they can only progress in the game if they pay, which frustrates the players.  

3) What are the positives of the freemium model for gaming?

Having the choice of trying a game for free and allows the players work in the game to get in-game currency and then purchase the premium model packs using that in-game currency. This keeps loyal costumers.

Now read this Business Insider feature on freemium gaming and multiplayer games. Answer the following questions:

1) Note the key statistics in the first paragraph.

• Freemium apps contribute to 70-80% of the $10 billion or more in IOS revenue each year.  

2) Why does the freemium model incentivise game developers to create better and longer games?

It offers the core product to the audience for free and then optionally charges the audiences for free 

3) What does the article suggest regarding the possibilities and risks to the freemium model in future?

• That if the company didn't have enough money to monetise then it would be difficult to improve the game experience.
• That traditional console game could be splitting their products between single-player games which would cost a "flat fee", multiplayer games, which are free-to-play. 

Read this New York Times feature on freemium gaming and answer the following questions:

1) Why did Temple Run use the freemium model?

After a while, the game had lost interest so the producers put it on freemium and also put it on a website called free app a day, which resulted in a spike of people downloading the game. It has topped 40 million downloads and 13 million people a day play it.

2) The bigger gaming studios like Electronic Arts used to avoid the freemium model. Why are they now embracing it?

They saw the success that The Sims Freeplay had brought them

3) Why does Peter Farago suggest independent game makers benefit more from the freemium model than the major publishers like EA?

As it is free and easier to make so economically beneficial. 

Electronic Arts

Read this Pocket Gamer interview with EA’s Amanda Schofield, Senior Producer on The Sims FreePlay at EA's Melbourne-based Firemonkeys studio. Answer the following questions:

1) How has The Sims FreePlay evolved since launch?

Its gone from a small game where you could control 16 sims, have a pet dog and have a career to now doing anything you could, such as having children, getting married, having different pets etc. And they never thought hundreds of people would still be playing 5 years later.

2) Why does Amanda Schofield suggest ‘games aren’t products any more’?

As they are partnerships with players as producers have to rely on the audiences as they might not get something right so the audience can have an input.

3) What does she say about The Sims gaming community?

They always reach out to the producers and tell them when they want something to help the development of the game.

4) How has EA kept the game fresh and maintained the active player base?

When they find a system that excites the players, then they try to build on that section more. They add more tools to give freedom to the players.

5) How many times has the game been installed and how much game time in years have players spent playing the game? These could be great introductory statistics in an exam essay on this topic.

• 200 million installs on the game.
• 78,000 of amount of game time in years.

Finally, read this blog on how EA is ruining the franchise (or not) due to its downloadable content. Answer the following questions:

1) What audience pleasures for The Sims are discussed at the beginning of the blog?

It is described as a roller-coaster of emotions and that players can experiment in the game providing them with escapism and Blumler and Katz: Uses and gratifications.

2) What examples of downloadable content are presented?

Different expansion packs such as new gameplay features, house and clothes updates and different furniture options.

3) How did Electronic Arts enrage The Sims online communities with expansion packs and DLC?

They made an expansion pack which was $9.99 but fans made a petition for the pack to be free for them to use and that the $9.99 should go towards an animal shelter instead.

4) What innovations have appeared in various versions of The Sims over the years?

• Virtual families
• Multi generational legacies
• You were able to travel between different neighborhoods

5) In your opinion, do expansion packs like these exploit a loyal audience or is it simply EA responding to customer demand?

I think they exploit fans as they give the game for free but make it limited so audiences cannot do a lot for things, making these packs makes the audiences feel "special" so they buy them. This causes them to get addicted to these pack as they keep paying for them which lets EA to keep getting money from the fans.

The Sims FreePlay - Language & Representation

 Language / Gameplay analysis

Watch The Sims: FreePlay trailer and answer the following questions:

1) What elements of gameplay are shown?

Building a house, socialising and romance is emphasised a lot through being able to get married and having children.

2) What audience is the trailer targeting?

As all videogames do this targets boys as usual, however the gameplay and the game allows you to do would appeal to a female audience such as building your dream home and having your own family which correlates with feminist traits. This would also apply to the aspirers psychographics and perhaps the C1 demographics.

3) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer?

• Personal Identity - The audience might be able to relate with certain characters, perhaps the job that that character is doing or the lifestyle they have. They might make a home which is similar to their home. They might design the character to look like themselves.
• Personal Relationships - The audience might create certain bonds with the characters they've made and want to take care of them as they are real people. They might take care of the town or the babies as their own.
• Diversion - The game provides a platform for the audience where they can do things that they never imagined and 
• Surveillance - Might give an insight to younger people how when you're older, that you are much more independent and have to look after your home, get a job and even have your own family.

Now watch this walk-through of the beginning of The Sims FreePlay and answer the following questions: 

1) How is the game constructed?

The game is constructed to allow the audience to build there own town giving them a responsibility to look after it and to look after the citizens. It gives the audience complete control allowing them to do what they want.

2) What audience is this game targeting?

The game is targeting audiences from the aspirers and explorers psychographics giving them and opportunity to live a life which would seem unlivable and idealistic for them, allowing them to try out new jobs and task that life throws at you. This would also appeal to a youth female audience as it goes along with feminist traits of designing your ideal home and having your own family.

3) What audience pleasures does the game provide?

It allows the audience to live their American dream, having the best life you could possibly have, giving them the ideal lifestyle in this sand box genre. 

4) How does the game encourage in-app purchases?

It gives the audience to get special edition things in the game and to speed up the rate of production such as a house or for extra added on things in the game.

Representations

Re-watch some of the expansion pack trailers and answer the following questions:

1) How do the expansion pack (DLC) trailers reinforce or challenge dominant ideologies?

Reinforces dominant ideologies of capitalism through education showing the teens working on homework. It also show how you could become a teenage idol or a pop-star, reflecting capitalism again suggesting how everything (in this case the teen sim) is commodified. It also shows women buying clothes in a shop suggesting capitalistic ideologies again suggesting that if you work and earn money, then you have the freedom to spend it on what you need and want.

2) What stereotypes have you identified in The Sims FreePlay?

Reinforces stereotypes of teenagers of education as there is a new school edition and shows a clip of a teen struggling with homework. It also reinforces the typical teen romance showing 2 teens kissing. It also shows how every teenager wants to be a modern pop-star, known to all people in their generation. It also reinforce women having to dress and look a certain way (Mulvey - male gaze and van Zoonen - sex sells)and how women are materialistic as there is an expansion pack which is showing women buying clothes. There is also a man who is in this shop who looks like he has been portrayed as gay. This is due to how he dressed and standing in very feminised way - a metrosexual man. This is reinforcing the stereotype of that only gay men take part in fashion. 

3) What media theories can you apply to representations in The Sims FreePlay?

• bell hooks - the men in the game have the more powerful roles in the game which links towards patriarchal society and how bell hooks suggests that they are more dominant in society.
• Gauntlett - he suggests that identity is fluid an so can change. The players can control the characters identity on how they want it to be, seen through sandbox genre element.
• Gilroy - double consciousness in term of sexuality, the homosexual audience are seeing something portrayed of them which they don't see, when majority of media is depicting heterosexual relationships and is mainly run by heterosexual people.
• Hall - the game suggests that is a mirror reality but doesn't represent ages correctly, can also be applied to gender.
• Gramsci - consumerism -the more you buy, the happier you are. This is shown in the penthouse clip.
• van Zoonen - shows how gender is constructed through the different things done with the characters. Shown in the DLC pack showing how women are linked to materialistic attitudes and how the are expected to dress and look a certain way.

Representation reading

Read this Forbes article on gender and racism in The Sims franchise and answer the following questions:

1) How realistic does The Sims intend to be?

 The producers suggest that want to be less realistic and be more believable.

2) How has The Sims tried to create more realistic representations of ethnicity?

They have tried to add certain details with the ethnicities without trying to be too stereotypical. 

3) How has The Sims responded to racism and sexism in society?

The characters in the game will not discriminate each other based on their ethnicities or each other in their sexes, and the game allows them to have interracial and same-sex marriages.

4) What is The Sims perspective on gender fluidity and identity?

When creating a Sim, you only get 2 options, male or female. The producers look at their own diversity on their company and try to reflect that. They suggest that it is a topic which comes up a lot and that they will be looking into it, but it is not something that they are "supporting" at this time.

5) How does The Sims reinforce the dominant capitalist ideologies of American culture?

It promotes goal-orientated, currency-driven quest ideologies, helping you to economically fulfil your life, linking towards capitalism. It also reflects the American Dream with buying a house, and having the money to have freedom.  

Read this New Normative feature on LGBTQ representation in The Sims franchise (the website link no longer works but that will take you to the text of the article - you'll need your Greenford Google login to access). Answer the following questions:

1) How did same-sex relationships unexpectedly help the original Sims game to be a success?

The game was being exhibited at an expo when an attendee was playing a wedding scenario where a same-sex couple shared a kiss. This was never seen before and attracted a lot of attention from LGBTQ+ gamers, the wider audience at the expo, and other attendees who saw this as an opportunity to for new property.

2) How is sexuality now represented in The Sims?

If a sim gets engaged to another sim of the same-sex twice, or to the opposite sex twice, this becomes the normalised and natural preference for the sim. Although at first, marriage was not allowed to take place between sims of the the same-sex, they were referred to as "roommates" 

3) Why have fans praised the inclusion of LGBTQ relationships in The Sims franchise?

It helped fans to learn about sexual preferences and same-sex relationships in a safe way or even for the first time. Also at this time, people were trying to fight for gay rights and that this game allowed people to have the freedom that they wanted.

4) Why did the Sims run into regulatory difficulties with American regulator the ESRB? How did EA respond?

The game was given an "M-rating" as it included a same-sex relationships, previously given a "T-rating". The fans contacted the team to tell them how much they loved the update and how they feared that it would disappear. EA felt the same way. EA then convinced ESRB to change the rating back to "T-rating".

5) How is sexuality represented in the wider videogames industry today?

The gaming industry is becoming more accepting to the LGBTQ+ community. Games such as "Fable" allow gay and lesbian relationships and "The Last of Us Part II" made a lesbian kiss.

Reality, postmodernism and The Sims

Read this Paste Magazine feature on reality and The Sims franchise. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article suggest about the representation of real life in The Sims 4?

That  it is too realistic and doesn't provide escapism like the other Sims games did, its just about how life would be when you're an adult and shows the stress of this. 

2) What audience pleasures did the writer previously find in The Sims franchise?

The writer talks a lot about escapism and how the other games had different expansions of the map with different supernatural worlds. 

3) Why the does the writer mention an example of a washer and dryer as additional DLC?

The writer suggested that they didn't bother buying the DLC as they never used a washer and dryer in real life, why would they use it in a game. They didn't want to add an additional chore for the sim to do to add to its life.

4) In your opinion, has The Sims made an error in trying to make the franchise too realistic?

I think that they have made an error by making it too realistic as the whole point of the game was to provide a platform for the audience to live life like they never have done before. By making it too real, it just feels like a normal life for the audience, allowing them to do nothing new and do the same things they already do in real life.

5) How does this representation of reality link to Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality - the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed?

Baudrillard suggests that we perceive the fake as more real than the actual real reality. The Sims shows hyperreality as it allows the audience to live through a constructed fake game about living life, portraying how real life is when it is not.

The Sims FreePlay social media analysis

Analyse The Sims FreePlay Facebook page and Twitter feed and answer the following questions:

1) What is the purpose of The Sims FreePlay social media channels?

It provides a platform for the producers to promote their new updates to the game and make their players aware of these additions. It also allows audience interaction with the producers and with each other.

2) Choose three posts (from either Twitter or Facebook) and make a note of what they are and how they encourage audience interaction or response.

• On the Facebook page they have posted a post saying they updated a bug in the game and ask the audience to reach out if they need any help etc. encouraging the audience to respond to them.
• On there Twitter page there is a post asking a question with a poll to vote allowing the audience to interact.
• On the Facebook page there is a post saying to watch a trailer and comment there telling them to write there thoughts of this clip.

3) Scroll down the Facebook feed briefly. How many requests for new content can you find from players? Why is this such as an important part of the appeal for The Sims FreePlay?

There are loads of comments asking for updates e.g. different body shapes, forest themed housing etc. in almost every post. This is an important appeal for the game as it is a sandbox genre game providing escapism for the players allowing them to live life like they never have before.

4) What tweets can you find in the Twitter feed that refer to additional content or other revenue streams for EA?

They are adding new content such as new map expansions and new styles of house designing and including neighbors where players can be neighbors with each other.

Extension: Postmodernism academic reading

If you're interested (or planning on studying Media or Cultural Studies at university), read this highly academic and challenging summary of hyperreality, implosion and postmodern theory from the University of Chicago. Consider how these approaches apply to the digital media landscape we’ve been studying and in particular the videogame industry and franchises like The Sims. For example, linking to our work on postmodernism and The Sims, how could The Sims FreePlay's social media presence be an example of Baudrillard’s hyperreality and simulacra?

Henry Jenkins - fandom

 Factsheet #107 - Fandom

1) What is the definition of a fan?

Groups of people who consume a type of media product which they love and have devotion for the product and becomes part of the persons identity as suggested by Matt Hills: class, age, gender.

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

• Consumer
• Fan
• Cultist
• Enthusiast
• Petty producer

According to Abercrombie and Longhurst there are different level if fans due to their emotional commitment to that product and their levels of passion and involvement.  

3) What makes a ‘fandom’?

The passion between different enthusiasts who share different things about the product like a secret. They encompass different things like hobbies, genres and fashion to do with the product. Fiske refers to these emotions as 'power blocs' which allows them to 'escape' from the 'mundane to the marvelous'.

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

It 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?

• Rituals and participation - Fans who watch the product over and over again and go into cosplays.
• Ironic readings - Fans engage in philosophical debates and see what other meanings could be imposed in the text. e.g. if Frodo and Sam were in a homosexual relationship.
• Defy critics and institutions - Fans drive the popularity of the show and can go against production companies e.g . Family Guy was shelved but came back due to fans.
• Imaginative Extension and Text Creation - Fans who engage in creative forms by making websites, game guides, hacks, mods, private servers etc. Digital fandoms also include fans writing out their own short stories e.g. stories showing that Harry and Hermione should've been together.

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

It drives the popularity of the product gaining attention and a bigger fanbase, it also might influence the producers to what to do with the product, therefore making the audiences more happy, and therefore making more 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?

An audience might refer to a group of people who like a product but passively consume it, however a community actively engages with the product and with other fans.

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!)

"Some are calling them 'prosumers', suggesting that as consumers produce and circulate media, they are blurring the line between amateur and professional, some are calling them 'inspirational consumers' or 'connectors' or 'influencers' suggesting that some people play a more active role than others in shaping media flows and creating new values." 

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

Inspirational consumer, connectors and 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?

That companies can invest into niche communities with small population but with huge commitment which makes economic sense as as you can lower cost production and replace marketing costs by building a much stronger network with your desired consumers.

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

He suggests that fan tastes are ruling the box office and dominating television. Fan practices shape the gaming industry e.g. moders are being recruited by the companies and that these people will play a greater role in the future. More than of halve of teenagers could be seen are creative producers, 33% of teens share what they create online with others, 19% remixed online creations into new mixes.

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’.

"This bottom up energy will generate enormous creativity, but will also tear apart some of the categories that organise the lives and work of media makers". I agree that audiences will reshape the media landscape as more consumers are starting to produce their own products and changing the way of distribution and production.

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

Talks up the program and spreads words about the brand.

8) Why is fandom 'the future'?

They are becoming more mainstream and are starting to hold more power. 

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

As it is a an idea branched a main companies idea so it has, in some terms been stolen and unrightfully changed and could breach copyright laws, but the fan still gets profit from it.

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?

I think we are all fans in some way, but there are some fans who are extreme, but being a fan is definitely mainstream and will continue to be.