[ecrea] Participations 8:1

See http://www.participations.org/index.htm

Dear colleagues

Much later than we intended, but through noone's fault, issue 8:1 of 
/Participations/ is launched today.  It contains a pretty huge array of 
materials.  Five essays in the Journal's general section consider: how 
responses to popular music soundtracks shape audience reactions to 
films; the emergence and characteristics of Twitter; writers of fan 
fiction for /Time Travelling/ as special audiences; and the special 
characteristics of 'shippers' among fans of /The West Wing/.

Alongside these, the Journal is pleased to carry a very particular and 
unusual Special Section which contains the outcomes of a project 
initiated by the Centre for Research into Social and Economic Change 
(CRESC) of the Open University and Manchester University.  This is 
focused on the history and practices of audience research at the BBC's 
World Service.  Seven essays plus a substantial introduction, including 
a number by people formerly involved in the Service, both give 
fascinating insights into this institution, and raise a host of 
important conceptual and methodological questions.

I hope you will take time to look at it, and if you have any comments, 
please do send them along.

Best wishes and have a good summer, everyone.

Martin Barker

Sue Turnbull

Joint Editors