[becstar2006]

Hi all,

Mark has very kindly given me permission to post here, asking for some of you to help me out with some research I’m doing into online Big Brother fandom as part of my PhD thesis at Cardiff University. Further info can be found at http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/jomec/en/de...becca+Williams

I'm posting the questions in this thread so if you'd like to take part, please feel free to post any responses within the thread or, if you'd prefer to keep them private, email them to me at
tvfanresearch@hotmail.co.uk

I'm happy to answer any questions you might have and I’d be enormously grateful for any help you guys could give me!

So, here are the questions. There are quite a lot but I’m interested in anything you may write so please feel free to answer as much, or as little, of the questionnaire as you want.

1. Can you tell me a little about how you first came to be a fan of Big Brother (for example, have you watched any previous series)?
2. How do you watch the show (for example, do you watch the daily highlights show on C4, live streaming on E4, BBLB, BBBB or BBBM on E4?)
3. Have you made any purchases related to the show (e.g. DVD’s, books or other merchandise (t-shirts, mugs etc.)?
4. Have you ever attended any events related to Big Brother such as eviction nights, personal appearances by housemates, book signings or other events?
5. Have you ever auditioned for the show? If so, please tell me a little about this.
6. Can you describe for me if you have met any of the stars or production personnel involved in the show or worked for the show in any official capacity?
7. What do you most enjoy about BB (for example, particular contestants, the ‘reality’ element, the ‘liveness’ of the show, the regularity of nominations and evictions, etc)?
8. How do you feel about housemates who appear to be playing a game on the show?
9. How do you feel about the ‘romantic’ relationships that often develop on the show (e.g. Grace/Mikey, Michelle/ Stewart, Helen/Paul etc.)?
10. How does your support or dislike for these couples affect your viewing of the show?
11. Do you try to find out what twists the producers have planned in advance (e.g. new contestants, surprise evictions etc) Why/why not?
12. Do you feel that knowing or not knowing about these twists affects your viewing in any ways? If so, please give examples.
13. Can you describe for me how you interact with other fans, either online (e.g. lurking or posting at message boards, moderating or running sites or forums) and/or off-line (e.g. talking to friends about the show, attending evictions or other BB related events such as book signings or nightclub appearances).
14. If you lurk or post online, please describe a little about the forums you visit and how you came to be involved with these sites.
15. If you are a lurker, can you describe for me the reasons why you do not post.
16. Do you feel that the term ‘community’ fits these particular online groups and why/why not?
17. How important are these online spaces to your fandom of BB??
18. Have you formed relationships with any other posters, either friendships or romantic attachments?
19. If you could know more about the show or know more people who liked the show, which would you choose and why?
20. Has your involvement with online community kept you watching the show even if it became less enjoyable (e.g. with contestants you disliked or series that were dull)? If so please give examples.
21. Who are your favourite contestants from the current series and why?
22. Do you feel that you are similar to particular contestants/relationships in the current series? If so, who, and why?
23. Have you ever felt you have been in a similar situation to any Big Brother contestants or ‘storylines’? If so, please describe this.
24. Do you feel that there are any divisions within BB fandom you are a part of? (E.g. divisions between those who favour certain contestants?)
25. Can you describe what you imagine the typical BB fan to be like?
26. How would you respond to critics who cannot see the appeal of Big Brother (e.g, those who describe it as cheap, trashy etc.)?
27. As BB is only on for a certain number of weeks, how do you feel when the show finishes?
28. Do you continue with your fandom of the show and if so, how do you continue to participate in this fandom (e.g. visiting forums, watching and discussing Celebrity BB etc.)?
29. Do you have any major involvement with fandoms other than BB and, if so, please give examples.
30. Can you see any similarities between these fandoms?
31. What is your age?
32. Where are you located (e.g. county/country)?
33. Are you male or female?
34. What is your occupation?

Thanks for your time.

Rebecca