This paper is exploring how public service media is engaging in fan-based social networked practices. The purpose is to describe and contribute to a deepened understanding of articulations and re-negotiations of the public service media ideal of being in the public interest taking place in activities based on the involvement of ‘fans’.

The theoretical underpinnings are twofold: building on the argument from Beck (2005), to start from networks to understand institutions, and from Jenkins (1992, 2006) to relate fan-culture to participatory culture in media development.

A case study is made of a campaign 2009, from the Swedish public service television company Swedish Television, called Dear Steve Jobs (http://dearstevejobs.com/). The campaign was directed towards the CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, to make him approve the application SVT play for iPhone. The campaign was started by a PR-agency and spread in social media. A qualitative analysis is made of the material in social media (blogs, Twitter and Facebook), what was written about the campaign in Swedish daily press and an interview with the project leader for the campaign.

Results show that the socio-material aspects of social networked media include being an arena where interest and admiration (fans) creates a space where democratic values becomes intertwined with commercial efforts.