Week 7 Class and Reading Reflection

The week seven reading, Negotiating Participatory Culture in the New Media Environment: Auran and the Trainz Online Community by John Banks, was close to being a transcript of the lecture. It examined participatory culture in the new media environment and the relations that are arising between producers, consumers and media technologies by drawing upon Banks’ Trainz/Auran experience. Banks details a National Model Railroad Association convention (I must put it on my list of things to do [sarcasm]) and says “you could almost smell the rich tapestry and fabric of materials, practices, skills and knowledge that held this participatory culture event together. The strange mixture of commerce and hobbyist passion, energy and enthusiasm is very much at the core of participatory culture”. The reading highlights the blurring of boundaries between the commercial and the fan. It presents the question of whether capital is extending its networks and co-opting fandom for commercial gain. I think such corporate practices raise serious ethical issues in terms of fans and voluntary producers being exploited.

For this week’s class we did yet another chat, this time from home. I raised my concerns about the ethical implications of participatory culture within the chat and most of the others did not share my concern. In relation to Trainz, their opinion was that the fans chose to be there and provided services to Auran for free and therefore should not expect to be paid or recognized. I disagree with this. I think that even though the fan participation in Trainz is for enjoyment as a hobby they are still providing Auran with a significant financial gain; Auran relies upon them. I think this raises ethical questions…but I don’t know the answer to them.