Henry Jenkins’ second chapter of Convergence Culture (2006) introduces his model of “affective economics,” explaining newly formed network, sponsor, and viewer relationships. This “new configuration of market theory which seeks to understand the emotional underpinnings of consumer decision making as a driving force behind viewing and purchasing decisions,” values different viewers according to their commitment to the program. Consumers’ tastes are being commodified and accepted or rejected in accordance with arising goal of a “brand community.”

Using American Idol as the example for his investigation, Jenkins expands the implications of these communities in marketing and entertainment. Rather than advertising based on how many eyes are reached, “expression” has become the new measurement for successful dissemination. The new relationship formed relies distinctly less on “catch-all” shows and adds targeted to a mass, unnamed audience. Niche sponsorship and television is growing since it has been realized that %20 of viewers or consumer base account for %80 of purchases of advertised materials.

Thus Jenkins maintains that television, advertisement, in short mass culture is becoming more and more community based. Shows seek to develop “loyals,” or devoted followers, who maintain a constant interest in the program. These viewers are becoming the new target group of advertisers as well through sponsorship deals and product placement. As a product of this increasingly narrow focus on the active participants, shows and advertising have become more responsive to these community’s demands. Simultaneously television is becoming more esoteric and democratic. Putting more power in the viewer’s hands should help these programs survive competition with growing online entertainment industry created directly by “viewers” (celebrity blogs, internet cartoons, youtube videos, etc.).

Such a deep merger of sponsor, program, and community, however, may be dangerous. The common ritual of watching and discussing the culture surrounding the show are now indivisible from previously avoidable advertisements. Consumerism is built into each show to a greater extent than ever before. As annoying as it already is, an increasing number of “this moment brought to you by Pepsi Cola” statements explicit or implicit can ruin a show. When I cannot separate the corporation of Coca Cola from the program American Idol, a breaking point has been reached. The television show as art would seem to be taking its last breath on public access (if it ever did reside there). With commodified tastes come commodified entertainment. The communities preceding the television programs based upon them will be exploited for economic gain to the point of being perceived as nothing more than IBM subsidiaries.

Television is and will continue to be a key part of American culture, and even more central in certain specific communities. And, although previously present, sponsorship and advertisement will become even larger cultural and communal motive force. This merging of program, sponsor, and viewer is beneficial in terms of responsiveness, but this commercialization could just accelerate the flight of communities who refuse to be commodified to the Internet. More sophisticated times call for more sophisticated marketing, and the new movement away from the ignorable thirty second commercial certainly aims at a deeper consumer values and emotion. “Affective economics” may well improve the sponsor, program, viewer relationship, but I certainly hope it wont lead advertisers too far into viewers’ minds.