Fans and the construction of Cult TV

What role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans play in the construction of cult TV?

Hill (2000, p. 510) says in reference to fans having the ability to construct what we know as cult TV; “this view emphasizes and celebrates fan audience power, claiming that cult TV can be neither made nor promoted as such by the media industry, but hinges vitally on audience take-up and devotion.” However the flip side to this argument is; Can a cult TV following be influenced by the way producers promote text and persuade audience to follow? Possibly the viewer chooses to connect because the text has a detailed narrative, its creative and has continuity, which they can trust and appreciate. But if we were to look at the meaning of what a cult is, ‘that being a system of religious worship, with reference to established rites and ceremonies,’ we would then ask the question, who establishes how a fan chooses to show their affection and worship of a programme? Is it the maker or the viewer?

Hill (2004, p. 519) says, “fans of what is termed cult TV have organised themselves socially into ‘Appreciation Societies.’ This can happen long after the initial broadcast of a TV programme, indicating that a TV show may inspire a fan following over time, and gradually become a cult rather than necessarily being cult TV on its initial transmission.” Here Hill suggest that fans have the ability through their organised company create a detailed following of a popular TV programme, and through this give that programme a cult status. 

We need to be aware for a cult really to obtain this status there needs to be an established rite of following and then the maintenance of its communal distinctiveness.  Therefore a Cult TV programme really depends on this fan base to help distinguish it amongst other popular TV programming. Hill (2004, p.519) suggest this happens through fan activity, though it doesn’t have the same ability to construct cult TV as a text or intertext, fan activity has the ability to influence through producing “commentaries, fan fiction, episode guides, and production histories.” These all work together to become a schema of knowledge for the fan, which they will use to interact with the programme and establish fan culture known as ‘Fandom.’

References

• ·      Hills, M. (2004). Defining Cult TV; Texts, Inter-texts and Fan Audiences, The Television Studies Reader, in R. C. Allen & A. Hill. London and New York: Routledge.
• ·      http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cult?s=t