"Audiences are no longer just consumers of texts, but producers too"

"Audiences are no longer just consumers of texts, but producers too"
How does the audience of the Simpsons also become the producer?

My case study is based on three animated sitcoms, my three media texts are; The Simpsons; Family Guy and Futurama. All three of my texts work across all three media platforms how ever there main media platform are broadcast and E-media. The Simpsons also have comics and now available to stream online as well, However Futurama and Family guy don’t really operate across print.

One way in which my three media texts allow me to agree with this statement is the increase of fan pages and forums which allow the fans to get there opinion across to the producers. This allows the producers of the sitcoms which type of humour, characters’ and themes the audience prefer. They also can get a better idea of their target market and what they like to see. This allows the audience to have an influence on the audience.

Another new and popular way of the audience getting their view acknowledged is by using youtube, Fans of the sitcoms upload videos of themselves expressing their views and commenting on what they liked about the sitcoms or what they disagree. This can lead to producers providing consumers with what they want therefore altering the end product and becoming producers.
One way the Simpsons allowed the consumer to also be a producer is to allow one lucky contestant the chance to create a character which will be featured in the show. This contest can be applied for over the internet however the final product will be broadcasted on television. Another way audiences can become producers is by writing to producers or even the FCC (federal communications commission). This means that certain types of humour or material which may be found offensive won’t be allowed or could be taken off air. E.g. people complaining The Simpsons make the army seem pointless and discourage made producers take the episode of air
Also the fact that The Simpsons have worn the same clothing since it first went on air has made consumers take matters into their own hand and change features of characters and even make Simpsons hybrids in which animated cartoons have the features of The Simpsons. This has also happened with my other two texts which I am studying, South Park and Futurama. Audiences have even created pictures with characters from both sitcoms which are produced by the same producer Matt Groening, The Simpsons and Futurama.

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