Social Audience and the Narrative World of Fiction: Analysis of Comments by Fans and Community Managers about Spanish TV Fiction and Web Series

Abstract

The article explores the opinion of social audiences on the fiction programs that premiered in Spain over the period between 2011 and 2012, when the synergy between television and the internet in Spain was strengthened. e investigation analyzes the social buzz created by fans, community managers and, eventually, by other members of the program’s team (e.g., actors) after the last episode of 72 fiction programs (44 series and TV series and 28 web series) aired. Of the 8103 comments gathered, 62.6% (5073 posts) refer to the fiction story consisting of plots, characters, actors, and scenarios. The content of the messages has been dissected through a codebook designed for the Atlas.ti software. e results confirm the fans’ inclination towards humor, surprise, and characters representing positive values, while negative judgments focus on badly orchestrated endings. Finally, the discourse that emerges from the official environment pursues the promotion and construction of a quality image of the program that avoids any critical comments.