Due to Lost's financial success on a large television budget, it helped evolve the television industry by paving the way for higher budgets. It also turned British audiences onto American television shows and helped launch the career of then-unknown actors. Additionally, Lost created large offline and online fan communities that speculated and discussed the show, generating free publicity. However, some fans eventually lost patience as the number of unanswered mysteries grew.

1. • Monday and Friday 11:15 – Q10

2. What has been the audience
response from one of the
industries you have studied?

3. How has the audience responded to Lost?
Nationalities response?
Does audience response mean a positive response?
Critics, high brow, low brow?
Has it influenced fans, production companies?
Has it lead to merchandise? DVD sales?
Viewing figures, series to series?
Forums?
What has been the audience response from one of
the industries you have studied?

4. How has the audience responded to Lost?
Financial Success on a
heavy investment within
television
Offline and Online cult
communities surrounding
television
Turning British
audiences onto
American
television series
(sky Atlantic)
The investment in new talent
What has been the audience response been
from one of the industries you have studied?
Turning off before its completion

5. 1)The audience bought into the show and its merchandise, this created a
financial Success on a heavy investment within television and helped
evolve the medium
Due to Lost’s financial success on a very heavy investment in television, this has
paved the way for higher budgets within the industry due to an increased
economic confidence. For example the pilot of Boardwalk Empire, cost which
was the most expensive television episode produced in history, directed by Martin
Scorsese, including Hollywood stars such as Steve Buscemi and Michael Pitt. Katie
Holmes leaving film for the television industry in “The Kennedys”as well as Sean
Bean in Red riding.
Lost’s Pilot cost $10m, they
commissioned Hollywood
composer Michael Giaccino
for the score and
Photographer and director
David La Chapelle for the
U.K trailer. (not cheap)
$18m

6. 2) British audiences were gratified by American television series
Lost has also paved the way for American television imports. Lost proved to gain
huge ratings in the U.K, which led to Sky one outbidding the rights for the
program away from channel 4. Of course huge ratings means bigger financial gain
from advertisements. Remember lost is written to contain 3 advertising breaks.
This cross Atlantic success paved the way for Sky Atlantic, a subscription only
service for American television series, a part of BSkyB network.

7. 3) Audience responded to new the investment in new talent
Lost Invested in new acting talent. Unlike Boardwalk Empire and Breaking Bad it did
not spend its money on A list Hollywood stars from the film industry to attract its
audience. Instead it gave relatively unknown actors huge roles in the text. This
investment in new blood has injected new actors into the film industry as well as
television, with the likes of Matthew Fox being cast in Hollywood Blockbusters. The
audience responded well to new acting talent, this has helped transform television
into a well respected launch pad. Now actors are also moving the other way

8. 4) Audiences created Offline and Online cult communities surrounding television
Lost has expanded its scope/reach to Web 2.0 and every day lives. Clever techniques
such as its high use of Enigma codes and narrative twists has created the water cooler
theory, or E3) Finding a basis for conversation and social interaction, of the uses and
gratification theory. Lostpedia, a wikipedia, but dedicated to lost has now had 6000
articles, 25 000 registered users , and 150 million page views. Clever writing, such as
naming new characters after famous philosophers and writers has led to endless
speculation, of future characteristic plots. Remember gaining comments on facebook,
tumblr, twitter, blogspot, lostpedia is endless free advertising and promotion.
When the show was not completed audiences began to predict and discuss the
answers to enigma codes that the writers had not fully answered themselves. JJ
Abrahams, the Director said this was a great way to help generate ideas for the
answers to the show.

9. 5) The Battle of the Enigma Codes
Lost’s biggest strength is also categorised as a weakness. Fans lost patience with their
desire for questions/enigmas to be answered and start to take a oppositional reading of
the text because so many enigmas began to stack up. This can be found in reviews, fan
responses and also viewing figures.
Lost responded with the “Answers are coming campaign” before season 6 came out.
This seem to help as figures again rose as old fans returned for answers.

10. 5) The Battle of the Enigma Codes
Lost’s biggest strength is also categorised as a weakness. Fans lost patience with their
desire for questions/enigmas to be answered and start to take a oppositional reading of
the text because so many enigmas began to stack up. This can be found in reviews, fan
responses and also viewing figures.
Lost responded with the “Answers are coming campaign” before season 6 came out.
This seem to help as figures again rose as old fans returned for answers.