DIGITAL FANDOM New Media Studies PAUL BOOTHLibrary of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Booth, Paul. Diget fandom: new media studies / Paul Booth. em. — (Digital formations; v. 68) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Digital media—Social aspects. 2. Fans (Persons)—Psychology. 3. Online social networks—Social aspects. 4. Technological innovations—Social aspects. I. Title. HM851.B675 303.48'33—dc22 2010014256 ISBN 978-1-4331-1071-9 (hardcover), ISBN 978-1-4331-1070-2 (paperback) ISSN 1526-3169 Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the “Deutsche Nationalbibliografie”; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de/. Cover design by Sarah McNabb / FamousA‘terIDie.com The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council of Library Resources. © 2010 Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York 29 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY 10006 www.peterlang.com All rights reserved. Reprint or reproduction, even partially, in all forms such as microfilm, xerography, microfiche, microcard, and offset strictly prohibited. Printed in the United States of Americae TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables Acknowledgment: Introduction: New Media Studies. Summary... Chapter One: The Arg Metaphor. Alternate (7) Reality (2) Games (?): Rewriting Media Studies ... Why Fans? Fans Are Well-Researched.. Fans Are Well-Integrated Everyone Is a Fan Digital Fandom: New Media Studies Digital Fandom Web Commons Digi-Gratis Economy .... Digital Fandom, the Web Commons, and the Digi-Gratis Economy in Practice .... Chapter Two: al Fandom between Work and Text... Rewriting the Media Text: Digital Fandom A Fan’s “Work” Is Never Done ........ Blog Intra-Text estos The Blog: A Critical Understanding The Blog in Theory .. Roland Barthes’ “From Work To Text Theoretical Shifts... The Blog Needs New Scholarsh