~Audiences In Media~

Media audiences have changed over the years and makes me question how I used to interact with other audience members. In previous years my level of interaction was limited. I was isolated in terms of the shows and movies I liked, enjoying things such as anime and shows considered as “kids cartoons” whilst others around me began watching drama’s etc. It wasn’t until I was exposed to the internet and social media that I really began communicating and sharing with others that were viewing the same things as me. It was pockets of groups where you had the freedom to explore with one another. Six plus years of exposure to online communities changed the way I interacted with others online and I can truly say that I never had any problems.

Fandom culture at the time of my introduction has since drastically changed bringing forth an era of ‘Anti’s’, Groups of fans who are aggressively against happenings that don’t fit their personal interests, more so in regards to ‘shippings’. A weblog post by Sean Z (2018) brought forth the notion that, “Antis appear to be a response to, among other factors, changes in how fans interact online” and because of this the once ‘fandom code’ myself and other has shifted from “don’t like, don’t read”, has been replaced with “discourse,” death threats, and violence.”

Z refers to in his post to the fandom discourse for the Netflix’s original remake, DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender. Voltron hit Netflix in 2016 and naturally myself, a being a bit of a nerd, was immediately drawn to it. The show embodied themes that at the time and to this day I enjoy yet my love for the show that built over its first few seasons was bitterly destroyed due to the amount of hate myself and many others encountered almost daily.

By it’s third to forth season the show had picked up popularity and naturally its audience changed. Once a place of pleasant conversations with fellow watchers became a nightmarish war zone. Strangers fighting each other, deaths threats to anyone with opposing opinions, to voice actors! I went from hosting streams of the newest seasons to no longer having the patience to do so as each season the audience seemed to grow harsher, crueller to point of having to outline strict rules for the live chats. I gave up and retreated back into my bubble of isolation, no longer feeling the energy and excitement for a show I had once held dear, the very thought of having to deal with other fans was simply exhausting.

I’ve learnt two very important factors from my experience within this fandom. First, being a part of an online community is enriching but also dangerous. Conflict is unavoidable. And secondly. The change in how media audiences interact with content and others can alter your own experiences with the content you consume.

Referencing

• Sean, Z 2018 Toxic Fandom: When Critism and Entilement Go Too Far, geekdad; weblog post, 3 October, viewed 19 March 2019, <https://geekdad.com/2018/10/toxic-fandom-when-criticism-and-entitlement-go-too-far/>