Cynthia Littleton Business EditorWhen superfans speak, Hollywood should listen.The entertainment economy is increasingly relying on the superfan demo, the built-in audiences that make it plausible for a studio to take a nine-figure swing on a film or TV entertainment entertainment franchise.
To take the pulse of some of media’s most committed fans, I ventured to Anaheim, Calif., last week for VidCon, the annual gathering for devotees of YouTubers, TikTokers, Twitch personalities and other digital, social and gaming media extensions.
These are the hardcore fans who will spend real money to attend a four-day conference stacked with panels and meet-and-greet opportunities.I had a hunch going in that these would probably be the most important conversations I have all year in terms of getting insights into where entertainment is headed.
I was not disappointed. It’s a given that this generation and their older siblings no longer watch old-fashioned TV. I wanted to hear directly from some of the most rabid consumers of this emerging form of content that fuels the YouTube and social media machine.
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