Beyond the Box

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

"Ross's stance is academic, but she also considers the stance of fans, producers, creators and marketers. Together, these voices combine to create a new understanding of the connectedness of all parties in the process of telling stories, both authorised and unauthorised." (Science Fiction Film and Television, July 2010) "Couch potato television students worldwide will gain immensely from Beyond the Box: Television and the Internet, an articulate examination of what it means to watch television in this era of profound technological change … .This book is an exciting example of what happens when an academic, spurred on by a passion, throws caution to the wind and mixes things up." (M/C Reviews: Culture & Media, January 2009)

• 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”