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Secondly, that the divergent pulls between heteronomous and autonomous poles which position tour guides are magnified in officially-located media tours because of the presence of branding and theming discourses. The article pursues three core arguments: firstly, that a Bourdieusian framework provides an enhanced understanding of the insecure positions that tour guides occupy in what is referred to throughout as the tourism field. This article contributes towards debates concerning media tourism and tour guiding by using Pierre Bourdieu’s (1993) arguments regarding field and capital to analyse performed tour guide identities on BBC Worldwide’s Doctor Who Experience Walking Tour in Cardiff Bay. Despite the growing popularity of Twitter and Tumblr among fans, and arguments that suggest social media spaces break down traditional concepts of the fan community, the accumulation of social capital remains important as fans strive to receive some form of acknowledgment from their favorite celebrities.

What it also determines is a hierarchical structure within fan communities whereby fans with social connections as well as technological expertise and knowledge take on the roles of fan leaders. These gatekeeping strategies help fan community leaders and fansites’ administrators maintain order, as well as facilitate communication between fandom and content creators.

Online fan forums, fansites with connections to celebrities and “The Powers that Be” of popular media texts often have set rules and regulations to ease management of the community/site.

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This chapter looks at how the accrual of fan social capital influences the hierarchies of fandom, despite early claims that fan communities are democratic communities free of hierarchies.

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