HI if any prince fans want to help me with my dissertation it would be greatly appreciated. If you do please answer these questions thanks!

How do you feel the media does represent fans?

Do you feel that fans are often misrepresented in the media?

How do you feel about the idea that the media seems to view most fans as obsessional?

Do you feel that the media encourages obsessive behaviour among fans?

How do you feel the media does represent fans?

That depends on where they are coming from. If it's a respected music publication then more often than not they are music fans who are obsessed with music and write reviews/articles for the love of it and because they have a genuine interest in music. Compare that with, say, MTV where the presenter doesn't give a monkey's about music, but wants to be in front of a camera because they want to show their ex-boyfriend that they made it and they're famous now. They could be presenting the world's most dangerous sheep and it would make no difference.

A lot of the media is out of touch with fans. Some daily newspapers have "Entertainment columns" and the writers of these are more interested in what Aguilera was wearing at the last awards night than what new song and collaboration may be up her sleeve. I want to know about what musical news is going on with my favourite artists and not who they shagged/where they ate a kebab/where their new house is.


Do you feel that fans are often misrepresented in the media?

Absolutely. The media seems to think that the only relevant music is the lastest boyband or fame academy/pop idol/american idol loser. What happened to SONGWRITERS, MUSICIANS, BANDS that were formed by choice and actually KNEW EACH OTHER before their first tour?? Our peers that rate albums seem to be coming from a biased area. Why if you're particular favourite music is hip hop are you rating the latest white stripes album? If you're a Damien Rice fan then why are you giving Metallica 2 stars. (I appreciate that people can be into more than one form of music, I'm singling out those who obviously aren't).


Do you feel that the media encourages obsessive behaviour among fans?

Put it this way....

"Sarah" works for a daily newspaper in the showbiz news column. One tuesday she has no "news" to report (i.e. no new tours/albums/singles). Sarah doesn't want to get fired. Sarah contacts a photographer who has pictures of Tom Jones getting jiggy with a woman in Blackpool. She decides to do a spread in her section. Everyday in Sarah's section, there is a box at the bottom of the column asking those of you who "have a story about a celeb!" to contact the office on a phone number. The media are ENCOURAGING, by PAYING fans for stories about celebs, obsessive behaviour.

The daily dose of what Ronan Keating had for breakfast becomes an addictive soap opera for teen fans (and adults fall into this trap too) and if they miss a day they get worried that they have "missed something." This is obsessive behaviour.