Henry Jenkins: Fandom

• Applies particularly to the range and diversity of representations offered by long-form TV drama to 'textual poachers' who wish to use these products to create their own culture, for example via fan sites.
• Long-form dramas may achieve cult status, adding to their values for fans.
• This optimistic view of the power of audiences may underestimate the power of the oligarchy (a small group in control) of media conglomerates to shape and control television content.

Jenkins believes that fans play a key rile in the media. This is because the fans pay attention to media related content, often with complete focused attention, they engage and use this media to spread/distribute their views/news about an artist/TV show they like and at the same time create a fan community. They comment and share what they want their idols or favourite shows to do in the future which helps producers. Fans can also interpret/construct the meaning of different media products.

His theory involves a key phrase which is 'textual poaching' (audiences taking a media product and remaking or reworking it to create their own meaning).

'If it doesn't spread, it's dead'