has there ever been this much fan clout?

Over the past few weeks/months/years, well basically ever since it was announced that there would be a movie adaptation of Twilight, there has been such a huge outpouring of opinion on forums, blogs, etc. about the casting decisions and what parts of which books should be put in the movies, blah blah blah. A lot of bloggers credit keeping Taylor Lautner on as Jacob to the fan support that he generated when it was rumored he would be cut from the Saga.

It's really out of control! It seems that hordes of tweens can really impact a big-shot director's decisions.
Or can they? Maybe the impression that the movie studio powers-that-be are listening is just a craftily-crafted impression that they want us to believe, so we will be appeased, cuz they know they MUST keep us appeased!! That would be really clever and Orwellian of them, no?

Anyway, I can't remember a time fans/tweens had this much clout. I don't think it was even this serious during Lord of the Rings, or over the still-ongoing Harry Potter! Although, I am not as immersed in the LOTR or HP canon (since those books are actually complex), so maybe this is asymmetrical information bias.

Or maybe it's a product of time/technology, and not degree of fan devotedness/delirium. Because there have never been so many blogs, forums, information leaks, paparazzi shots, Perez Hilton followers, Youtubes of stars' every waking moment, fans taking pix on location, visiting set, etc. as, well, now. The information age madness is really changing our relationship to entertainment, I think in an unhealthy way. Just reflecting on myself, and how I "feed" on new Perez posts or Youtube vids or new photos from the set of New Moon...I gotta admit it's kind of weird and retarded! Maybe even this blog is retarded and I should stop blogging!