In this work I refer to the text “Everyday Fandom: Fan Clubs, Blogging, and the Quotidian Rythmus of the Internet” by Paul Théberge, which I have read. I chose this article because, I wanted to find about the phenomena why people get so attracted to the sides and the economic role at the back.
Théberg describes in his article several fan sites and he also did a an historical research for example when it comes to the developmet of fandom.

From the beginning on the internet was used for exchanging information. The use of internet because of social reasons is increasing now. With the rise from the internet, fan clubs rise as well. The Internet is a place where you can connect with other people, who have the same interests, but you not only get connected with the people you also get connected with the artists. Fan clubs have taken a new dynamic. This fan club are at the one hand side a new “community” where you can share interests and where you get a sense of identity and belonging and on the other hand side a marketing opportunity and therefore an opportunity to make profit.(membership fees, “special offers” etc.) The mainstream industry is desperate to find more ways to make profit from the fansides

The fandom has come up with the rise of the star system and the formation of the star in persona. The rise of the star system is normally associated with the film industry during the early years of the twentieth century. Another main aspect in the history of fandom is the appearance of the first fan magazine in 1910. The film magazines started to print endless stories about the artists to create a relationship between the fan and the artist and to enhance the sense of intimacy between star and fan. Since the boom of the World Wide Web in the late 1990s, the degree to which conventional fan- clubs shifted to the Web was incredible. Since the middle of the 19th century it’s normal for stars to have their own website. This websites are run by the artists, their management and their record companies. This websites offer commodities focused on the star. This “special limited” offers, which cost way more than the other products, should invite the fan as a collector, to by this stuff. “Websites enhance the ability to profit from merchandizing schemes, because they make the products available everywhere and on a continuous basis.”( Théberge, p. 494). The fan forum is as well a possibility for fans to exchange their experience e.g. from the concerts and the feeling of togetherness gets enhanced. The Fan forum places a responsibility to the artists, who is the fans ideal.
There is also a fundamental tension between the interests of fans and the demands of commerce. For example discussions between the fans and the artist have been carried over into live performance contexts, (e.g.“Lilith fair”). This textual representation of themselves enhances their engagement with the band and with the event. Even while their tour several artists keep in contact with their friends through emailing, sending them links etc.
Fans get attracted to the membership by different promises like they will for example get palaces at first row during concerts and other benefits .“This emphasis on fans as consumers extends also to the ways in which the artists` involvement in charitable work is portrayed on many sites.” (Théberge, p. 496) Charitable work is upgrading their image.
The use of the internet as a personal public journal/ diary, blog has become popular in the last years. Around blogging you mostly find academic topics.

I, for my part think, as far as I can tell, that Théberge did a pretty good job by writing this article, he is explaining the coherences among artists and fans, among the interests of fans and the demands of the commerce, always keeping a eye on the economic idea at the back. I think, that on the one hand side its good for people to share their interests, to gain the feeling of togetherness and have an idol, as long as this behaves like one, but on the other hand side I recon that this pages can be danger as far as it can become a real dept trap aswell. Before I forget, according to MTV Europe the man with the best webside is Moby. Moby embodied all the fans requirements of a star. He `s not “only” star, he also acts like a fan. More important he performs what it means to be a star. This changing between star and fan identity, teaches the fans the ideal fan and at the same way endears him to his fans.

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