Responding in Media Culture Engagement in “mediascapes” as activities (Abercrombie & Longhurst, 1998) Markers of class, race, and gender become less important than lifestyle or appearing “cool.” focus on the “project of the self” constructed through appearing to be “cool.” world becomes as “object of spectacle”: experiences are treated as part of seeing and being seen. “possessive gaze” that focuses on surface images and brands associated with “coolness.”

Mediascapes and the Imagination Blur of distinction between fiction and real “Reality” television shows Duo-documentary Media as resource for the imagination Audiences as constructing modes of escape/day dreams/alternative identities/spectacle Identification with media stars Intertextuality--links between film, magazine, TV interviews, advertisements, and stars

Audience as Community Communities defined symbolically Vs. communities as local/spatial Creating imagined communities Television and evangelical communities Talk radio and conservative communities Chat rooms and fan communities Issues of lived-world political activity

Everyday uses of the media/computers Degree of active/attention engagement vs. passive background noise Television or radio on in the background Ritual participation with media Television news as nightly ritual celebration of virtual link to “community” Social uses of media Viewing in order to share experience with others Acquiring media knowledge to be an “insider”

Participation in social events Social events: sports, concerts, festivals, fairs, rallies, conventions, charity events Shaped by media promotion/coverage Commercialization of events Participants as crowd members Celebration of beliefs/values Queen’s pagents in summer festivals Small-town Minnesota at Minnesota State Fair

Sites for Studies Television viewing Internet chat rooms Fan club activities (soap opera/Star Trek) Magazine responses (Sports Illustrated) Media events (Super Bowl, rock concerts) Audience parodies

Student Studies X-Files Internet Fan Club Adolescent females: 90210/Melrose Place Males relatives’ television baseball games We-Fest country-western music festival Mixed-gender group: Waiting to Exhale Soap opera college viewing group

Immersing in Worlds Observing social behaviors: See “Students as Ethnographers,” English Journal,Sept Note-taking, journal writing, photos Inferring cultural meanings/patterns See Fieldworking, Sunstein & Chiseri-Strater Cool Places: Geographies of Youth Cultures Problem of a lack of public space Privitization/commercialism of space Malls as controlled/”safe” spaces

Fan Hierarchies Knowledge about show/text Level of participation Access to actors/production people Leaders Use of venues

Soap Opera Fans Informing Sharing information Speculating What may or should happen Criticizing Lack of realism Ideological objections Rewriting Creating alternative plots

Media Drenching and Being a Viking Football Fan Spectacle/Narcissism Increased visibility/knowledge through performance Display of logos, photos, clothes, etc. Need for increased football on TV Interaction in everyday life/discussion Performance of identity as Viking fan Attachment to team Knowledge about team

Music Assignment Music tastes/preferences and identity as a music fan of a certain genre/singer Readings: autobiography and music Identify the genre characteristics How genre appeals to certain audiences Share your fan experiences Specific emotional/musical appeal Particular connection to group/singer Autobiographical connections to identity as a fan of a particular genre/group/singer