'We're not just listening to the radio': Australian radio listeners as fans

Abstract

What is a radio fan? Are radio fans fans of artists, hosts, or the genre more broadly? Do radio programs construct fandom? Does it matter whether one is a fan or simply a listener? What is the fan object when it comes to radio—the host, the genre, the music? These questions are central to this chapter, which explores the relationship between fandom and Australian radio, although they may not be fully answered. Our intent here is to contribute to the scholarship of fan studies by identifying areas for further investigation within the discipline.