Core Post #3
Jenkins raises some very relevant questions regarding media industries, political economies, and public interests/consumers. I find this compelling and quite exciting seeing as he raised these questions 17 years ago and how we may answer them today. For instance, his question regarding subscription based models is glaringly apparent today. Where the idea of “micropayments” may have been unclear in terms of how prominent that mode of payment would become then, now we can see it is currently dominating the media industry. I think it’s safe to say Netflix is responsible for, orat least had a great role in, this. Film studios, magazines, television networks, game developers, even pornography have all made the shift to subscription based pricing. In addition to this cutting out the proverbial “middle man” where profit margins can be expanded in this direct to consumer model, it also reshapes the culture of consumption/participation. Indulgence has always been a central tenet of American (capitalistic) culture, but with this mode of distribution and consumption indulgence feels exacerbated. “Binging” is the culture now. Uninhibited, unfiltered, and unlimited is the culture of media consumption today. This leads to Jenkins’ other question: Will fan communities become the new beneficiaries of audience measurement. Yes. Fan communities are rewarded for their constant participation in media. This is evident in Marvel’s exclusive trailer releases at Comic Con. The Game of Thrones fan base was so livid about the series finale that HBO is considering shooting an alternative ending. A person who runs a popular fan account on Twitter for Beyonce was interviewed in a magazine! Overindulgence, unwavering loyalty, and constant engagement is rewarded in media culture today. There are some issues and some positives to this but what is unclear is what does this mean for our media culture in another 20 years?
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