Mad Men

Television, the internet and fandom influences.

Television is commonly perceived to be of low artistic value. In the past the novel, photography and cinema all went through phases where they were not valued highly. However this negative attitude towards television is beginning to change. Television studies emerged in the 1970s and 80s.(MBC online) TV fan activity has also flourished, due in large part to the internet. This essay intends to show how fan activity on the internet has helped the television series rise to prominence.

Television drama is universally prevalent. Milly Buonanno proposes that narrative is one of the main tools we use to make sense of our world. Cognitively it allows our mind to structure and order our experiences. This narrative system prevents confusion and anarchy. It also gives us the ability to create fictional narratives and to suspend disbelief when hearing them. Without this ability our lives would consist of a dull recounting of everyday routines. (2008) The popularity of the story could be due to a human function that is necessary to our survival.

We have never before experienced such a great amount of drama as part of everyday life as from the twentieth century onwards. Nearly every home has a television, often more than one. Television is usually watched at home thereby creating a blending between fictional narrative and everyday life. Buonanno (2008) observes that

"It is clearly one of the unique characteristics of advanced industrial societies that drama as an experience is now an intrinsic part of everyday life, at a quantitative level which is so very much greater than any precedent as to seem a fundamental qualitative change." (78)

Television drama is interacting with society in the twenty first century in greater numbers and more varied forms. The increased access to and use of the internet has expanded the link between fictional narrative and everyday life. One example of this is the television show Madmen (2009). Fans can log onto the official AMC website for the show (online) to join the talk forum, enter competitions, play games, read interviews and blogs, create avatars, download wallpapers and screensavers, download music and video through iphone or itunes applications and join social networking sites for the show such as twitter and facebook.

Certainly this activity has contributed to the shows popularity. In the U.S.A the season three finale of Madmen (2009) aired on November 8 attracted ratings of 2.3 million viewers. This was a 33% increase from the season two finale. (Reuters online)

Fans have created their own blogs and forums to chat with each other about the show. Livejounal.com (online) is a community where fans share fan fiction, graphics, take part in competitions and chat. On Hollywood.com (online) fans create sites dedicated to stars of Madmen (2009). Two examples are January Jones Source (online) and Jon Hamm Center Photos (online). They are quite extensive sites with categories for photos, news, video, interviews, gossip and fashion.

On Youtube.com (online) fans post videos of their favourite scenes from the TV show. They make edited scenes with dialogue and music or compilations of scenes by topic or character. They also post video of fan parties and public screenings of the show. There are hair, fashion and make-up tutorials if you want to look like the Madmen characters. Once they are in costume some fans post videos of themselves acting as various characters. There are also reviews, interviews, blogs and comedy skits. Some of these were well made and interesting.

Some of these videos appeared to have a high production quality even though they weren’t commercially made. They were in the categories of comedy skits, fan fiction, TV scenes, blogs and TV reviews. These Youtube members request subscription to view their videos. These videos could possibly be fan activity that generates an income. They could also be made by groups of people e.g. journalists, actors, screenwriters and directors etc, hoping their videos will lead to a career.

Linda Shupack (Senior Vice President of marketing at AMC) stated in an interview (online) that AMC are pleased with all the internet activity regarding Madmen and that they want “the conversation to continue.”(2009) There were some problems with the social networking site ‘twitter’ in August 2008 when some fans were ‘tweeting’ fan fiction as Madmen cast members. AMC began to take action regarding copyright but dropped it on advice from their Web marketing group. They realised they would have to approach fan activity with a new attitude, embracing them as “ambassadors for the show.”(Silicon Valley Insider online) The internet provides enormous avenues for free promotion and hype relating to commodities. Laws relating to copyright on the internet are going to be tested more frequently as fan activity increases. The decision on boundaries regarding copyright is a difficult problem.

In conclusion television is beginning to be taken more seriously as a cultural form. Fan activity has grown and diversified largely due to the internet. As a result of their activity fans help to build hype around television shows. Some fans use their activity to enhance their careers. Many marketing companies are beginning to realise the positive benefits of fan activity especially in regards to social media. The potential for new ideas created by the interaction between television and the internet is enormous. Television will continue to make a valuable contribution to culture in the twenty first century.

Works Cited

Books

Buonanno, Milly. The Age of Television: Experiences and Theories. Bristol: Intellect Books. 2008.

Internet Documents

Hibberd, James. “Mad Men premiere sets ratings record.” Reuters.com. 17 Aug. 2009. 24 Nov. 2009. http://www.reuters.com/

Hollywood.com page. 25 Nov. 2009. http://januaryjones.hollywood.com/index.html

Hollywood.com page. 25 Nov. 2009. http://www.jonhammcenter.com/gallery/index.php

Learmonth, Michael. “Twitter, AMC, Wise Up, Restore Mad Men Accounts.” Silicon Valley Insider page. 26 Aug. 2008. 25 Nov. 2009. http://www.businessinsider.com/2008/8/twitter-amc-wise-up-restore-mad-men-

Livejournal page. 25 Nov. 2009. http://community.livejournal.com/madmen_graphics/?skip=20

Madmen Page. 24 Nov. 2009. http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/

Museum of Broadcast Communications page. 24 Nov. 2009. http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=televisionst

Youtube Videos

Youtube.com page. 25 Nov. 2009.

Mad Men Smoke gets in your eyes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o82Az6qd5M0&feature=related

Joan Hollaway – Fever http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvAlSuqo174&feature=related

Mad Men - "How Can It Feel This Wrong?" - Music Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS6LQIirub8&feature=related

Madmen Jon Hamm Meditations in an Emergency http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNXGu_9CKoU&feature=channel

Madmen un pc moments http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me9V37FPNe8&feature=related

Madmen Premiere Party http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB0pXYKkPPY&feature=related

How to create a madmen hairstyle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpa9Y-WWXmM

What I wore TV Madmen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0DWGO3T7k0

Roger Whelp Madmen audition as Roger Sterling http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDEOhTfp_is&feature=related

Paul Levinson talks about Madmen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5KIGI_IIGc&feature=related

Joan Hollaway explains all http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHUZlqRYEcs&feature=related

MadWomen http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCasualMafia#p/c/C8B26371DB90E3FC/10/jeKPWcmdXdg

Television Programs

Madmen. Seasons One, Two and Three. Writer. Matthew Weiner. Performers. Jon Hamm. January Jones. AMC Network. 2007-2009.

Interviews

Shupack, Linda. “Selling Mad Men.” Forbes.com.Video Network. 14 Aug. 2009. 25 Nov. 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I83czWP2uA0

Illustrations

Madmen Stillness. 25 Nov. 2009. http://community.livejournal.com/madmen_stills/

Madmen Graphics. 25 Nov. 2009. http://community.livejournal.com/madmen_graphics/?skip=20