A past that never was: historical poaching in Game of Thrones fans’ Tumblr practices

This article explores the textual and historical poaching practices by Tumblr fans of the novels A Song of Ice and Fire and the television adaption Game of Thrones, a pseudo-historical fantasy series. Fans critique both the text (novels and TV show) and other fans’ interpretations of the text, as well as parallel real-world history with the world and characters of the series. Tensions arise around the “historical accuracy” of the novels and show, along with the role that dominant narratives and cultural norms play in interpreting a past that never was through the lens of a real-world past. Fantasy and history intersect in layered ways and are used by fans to support a variety of textual points of view. Issues of violence, presentism, colonialism, gender, and “historical truths” are argued in relation to the ahistoricism or historicism of the novels/show.     

Team identification and sports fandom as predictors of fan aggression: The moderating role of ageing

In the current study, the explored the moderating role of ageing in the relationship between team identification/fandom and fan aggression. The authors used an online panel-based survey that offered access to a realworld population of sports fans. Participants were 740 fans of Israeli professional basketball. Results from structural equation modelling demonstrated that older fans reported higher levels of mere sports fandom and lower levels of self-reported aggression and acceptance of aggression. Moreover, age moderated the relationships between team identification (or fandom) and self-reported aggression, such that team identification (or fandom) was more strongly associated with selfreported fan aggression among younger fans than among older fans. The moderating role of age in the relationships between team identification (or fandom) and perceptions of appropriateness of aggression was not supported. The findings contribute to our theoretical understanding of the role of ageing in the relationship between fan identification and fan aggression. Based on these findings, the authors assert that managers might particularly benefit from leveraging the potential, but often neglected, segment of senior fans, since older fans can play a key role in reducing the level of aggression during competitive sports events. Suggestions for future research are also discussed.     

迷研究理论初探

本研究对近年欧美传播学速研究(fan studies)理论加以梳理,以国内粉丝-玉米为案例,检视西方理论是否适用于中国实践,以填补国内传播学主动受众研究中,速研究的空白。研究发现,国内速群以网络为平台,跨媒介追踪偶像文本,投射自我于偶像文本,展现了主动受众的媒介使用行为。     

Fandom as symbolic patronage: expanding understanding of fan relationships with industry through the Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign

Conversations surrounding relationships between media fans and media industries frequently categorize fans according to their degree of industrial incorporation or resistance, for instance, as either “affirmational” fans who uncritically celebrate media on industrial terms or “transformational” fans who engage in critical and non-sanctioned forms of participation. Drawing on interviews with participants in the Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign, this article connects rhetoric used by these fans to longstanding issues around patronage in fine arts, arguing these historical discourses provide a way to deepen our understanding of how fan audiences relate to media industry interests. The complex, asymmetrical relations that exist between patrons and artists they sponsor offer a valuable model for a type of fandom experience that does not fit neatly into the existing typology.     

What makes people watch online TV clips? An empirical investigation of survey data and viewing logs

With the decline in traditional television (TV) viewership, broadcasters are distributing TV clips online, i.e., brief, edited versions of full-length TV shows, as an alternative revenue source. Yet, there are challenges in gaining viewership of this new format, with a lack of understanding and research on what drives such viewing behavior. To fill this gap, this study draws on the theory of consumption values to develop a model explaining the decision factors that can predict online TV clip viewing behavior. We tested the model through a quantitative analysis of survey and archival (viewing logs) data from 398 viewers from a major provider of TV clips. The results indicate that, in addition to convenience and enjoyment, fandom and social viewing are unique factors predicting watching frequency and mediated by the continuance intention to watch online TV clips. Our study contributes to our understanding of the use of this new digital content format by integrating and extending concepts from the theory of consumption values. It also offers insights into how digital content providers can tap online TV clips as a revenue source.     

试析西方“迷研究”的三次浪潮和新的发展方向

随着中国选秀节目的盛行,粉丝这个词家喻户晓,随之而来的是对迷文化的研究,但目前我国相关研究仍停留在现象陈述和简单分析的层面,而迷研究起源于西方,因此详细考察西方的相关研究就显得十分重要了。