Sharon Ross 
Beyond the Box 
Television and the Internet

Beyond the Box gives students and couch potatoes alike a
better understanding of what it means to watch television in an era
of profound technological change.

* Charts the revolution in television viewing that is currently
underway in living rooms across the world

* Probes how the Internet’s development has altered how
television is made and consumed

* Looks at a range of topics and programmes – from voting
practices on American Idol to online forums for Buffy the Vampire
Slayer fans

* Offers a fresh and innovative perspective that focuses on the
shift in audience experience and how it has blurred established
boundaries

Table of Content

Introduction: Online/Offline~What It Means to ‘Watch (and
Make) TV’ in the Age of the Internet.

1. Fascinated with Fandom: the Interactively Aware Viewers of
Xena and Buffy.

2. Power to the People, or the Industry?: American Idol Voting,
‘Adult Swim’ Bumping, and Viral Video-ing.

3. Managing Millenials: Teen Expectations of
Tele-Participation.

4. No Network Is An Island: Lost’s Tele-participation and
ABC’s Return to Industry Legitimacy.

5. Conclusion: The Remains Of The Day: The Future Of
‘TV’

About the author

Sharon Marie Ross is Assistant Professor of television studies in the Television Department at Columbia College, Chicago, where she teaches critical analysis of TV.