I didn't realize the existence of a small TV screen playing Access Hollywood at my very own personal gas station fuel area until after I returned from the station's shop, when my tank was done filling up. Whenever I find a bargain on cheaper(er) gas, I see it only fair to treat myself to an unhealthy snack from said shop, which was a slurpee of sorts this time around. Upon my return, Access Hollywood let me know the breaking news that 50 Shades of Grey was a smash success.
This made me think that such a phenomenon in the early '90s would have been pretty important for someone like McCarty and her research, but for 2015, it isn't surprising or very interesting, but the norm of screen culture and its pervasiveness in our everyday lives.
For the most part, we are no longer really controlled by what our screens choose to show us, but the opposite: what we choose our screens to show us. The homogeneity and same-ness of malls and freeways in the suburbs mirrors the homogeneity of network era TV to some extent, but personalized on demand culture has changed this scope. And had I not gone inside the gas station shop, I would have likely stared at my iPhone screen while waiting, choosing to ignore the Access Hollywood feature.
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