The Voice CSP: case study
Language and contexts
Homepage
Go to the Voice homepage and answer the following:
1) What news website key conventions can you find on the Voice homepage?
-Masthead: voice title, standard news website layout.
2) What audience pleasures are provided by the Voice website? Apply media theory here such as Blumler and Katz (Uses & Gratifications).
For Blumler and Katz, you could possibly apply personal identity specifically because the voice represents black British perspectives and issues which are relevant to the black community
3) Give examples of sections or content from the website that tells you this is aimed at a specialised or niche audience.
The top stories all talk about 'black male' or 'females' in the titles which could show it is targeting a fairly niche audience.
4) Studying the themes of politics, history and racism that feature in some of the Voice’s content, why might this resonate with the Voice’s British target audience?
4) Applying Stuart Hall’s constructivist approach to representations, how might different audiences interpret the representations of black Britons in the Voice?
The Voice intended for people to preferably view black Britons as equal to everyone else without any sense of racism or discrimination.
5) Do you notice any other interesting representations in the Voice website? For example, representations or people, places or groups (e.g. gender, age, Britishness, other countries etc.)
Representations of white people seems to be portrayed in a more negative way where the newspaper only mentions other races when they are able to call them out for any offense
10) Study a selection of videos from The Voice’s YouTube channel. What are the production values of their video content?
Homepage
Go to the Voice homepage and answer the following:
1) What news website key conventions can you find on the Voice homepage?
-Masthead: voice title, standard news website layout.
-Top menu
-Search bar
-Different news stories
2) What are some of the items in the top menu bar and what does this tell you about the content, values and ideologies of the Voice?
-In the top menu bar, there is one that says 'opinion' which could ask for a black perspective/representation that prevents double consciousness for Black British audiences.
2) What are some of the items in the top menu bar and what does this tell you about the content, values and ideologies of the Voice?
-In the top menu bar, there is one that says 'opinion' which could ask for a black perspective/representation that prevents double consciousness for Black British audiences.
-There is also one that says 'faith' which could reflect the Black British Audience. Could also suggest that audience grew up with the paper. Older, 1980s-90s.
3) Look at the news stories on the Voice homepage. Pick two stories and explain why they might appeal to the Voice's target audience.
-'AI replicates anti-blackness': Voice takes an angle highlighting institutional racism that may be coded into AI model, the perspective isn't covered by mainstream media.
3) Look at the news stories on the Voice homepage. Pick two stories and explain why they might appeal to the Voice's target audience.
-'AI replicates anti-blackness': Voice takes an angle highlighting institutional racism that may be coded into AI model, the perspective isn't covered by mainstream media.
-'300 Black Africans feared drowned in latest boat tragedy': Migration crisis, headline represents victims as people rather than illegal immigrants or asylum seekers.
4) How is narrative used to encourage audience engagement with the Voice? Apply narrative theories (e.g. Todorov equilibrium or Barthes’ enigma codes) and make specific reference to stories on the homepage and how they encourage audiences to click through to them.
Lifestyle section
Now analyse the Lifestyle section of the Voice and answer the following:
1) What are the items in the sub-menu bar for the Lifestyle section and what does this suggest about the Voice audience?
Items are: fashion & beauty, food, health & wellbeing, relationships, travels. Could reflect Black British culture/values + ideologies. 'Travel' could reflect Gilroy and diasporic identity and 'liquidity of culture'.
2) What are the main stories in the Lifestyle section currently?
Currently the main stories in the lifestyle section are: African history is world history, If you don’t go to the gym because of your hair, this ones for you, African entrepreneurs drive branding, resilience and economic transformation and more.
3) Do the sections and stories in the Voice Lifestyle section challenge or reinforce black stereotypes in British media?
It challenges stereotypes of black people as the normal representations would be things like gang members, thieves, violence and other things along that line. However, these stories reinforce those stereotypes by portraying black people as doctors, entrepreneurs, fitness stars and more.
4) Choose two stories featured in the Lifestyle section – how do they reflect the values and ideologies of the Voice?
The story 'African entrepreneurs drive branding, resilience and economic transformation' reflects values and ideologies of the Voice by the way it talks about honouring black contributions. The story on Leeds, Caribbean and African Communities celebrated in photographic collection reflects there was a new photographic collection celebrating these communities.
Feature focus
1) Read this Voice opinion piece on black representation in the tech industry. How does this piece reflect the values and ideologies of The Voice?
''We, the Black British community continue to shape the culture and inspire innovation. It is important to understand that diversity and inclusion go hand in hand – you cannot have one without the other.'' The Voice shows how they also believe that there should be diversity in the tech industry and are showing other peoples stories.
2) Read this feature on The Black Pound campaign. How does this piece reflect the values and ideologies of The Voice?
It talks about how a third of Black business owners have struggled to raise business funds. The launch of the ‘Black Pound’ initiative marks an important milestone in recognising the unique challenges faced by Black business owners and entrepreneurs in the UK.
3) Read this Voice news story on Grenfell tower and Doreen Lawrence. How might this story reflect the Voice’s values and ideologies? What do the comments below suggest about how readers responded to the article? Can you link this to Gilroy’s work on the ‘Black Atlantic’ identity?
It demonstrates its ability to draw attention to the racial discrimination that took place during the Grenfell Tower fire. Many disagree with Mrs. Lawrence's remark, particularly the suggestion that the firefighters were racist. This could imply that despite the potential for discrimination, we can see how the firefighters put their lives in danger to save lives, coloured or not. This may be related to Black Atlantic identity since racism has been normalised everyday and accepted, making it customary to challenge this diversity in every circumstance and possibly even to accuse others of racism.
Social and cultural contexts - 40 Year of Black British Lives
Read this extract from The Voice: 40 Years of Black British Lives on rapper Swiss creating Black Pound Day (you'll need your Greenford Google login to access the document). Answer the following questions:
1) What is Black Pound Day?
Black pound day encourages people to spend locally or online with black owned businesses and invest in communities that have been historically economically disadvantaged.
2) How did Black Pound Day utilise social media to generate coverage and support?
It attracted support from high profile celebrities and became a trending topic on twitter in the UK.
3) How do events such as Black Pound Day and the Powerlist Black Excellence Awards link to wider social, cultural and economic contexts regarding power in British society?
This event has not only highlighted issues of systematic inequality, but it showed how black Britons supported other black owned businesses.
4) How is narrative used to encourage audience engagement with the Voice? Apply narrative theories (e.g. Todorov equilibrium or Barthes’ enigma codes) and make specific reference to stories on the homepage and how they encourage audiences to click through to them.
Lifestyle section
Now analyse the Lifestyle section of the Voice and answer the following:
1) What are the items in the sub-menu bar for the Lifestyle section and what does this suggest about the Voice audience?
Items are: fashion & beauty, food, health & wellbeing, relationships, travels. Could reflect Black British culture/values + ideologies. 'Travel' could reflect Gilroy and diasporic identity and 'liquidity of culture'.
2) What are the main stories in the Lifestyle section currently?
Currently the main stories in the lifestyle section are: African history is world history, If you don’t go to the gym because of your hair, this ones for you, African entrepreneurs drive branding, resilience and economic transformation and more.
3) Do the sections and stories in the Voice Lifestyle section challenge or reinforce black stereotypes in British media?
It challenges stereotypes of black people as the normal representations would be things like gang members, thieves, violence and other things along that line. However, these stories reinforce those stereotypes by portraying black people as doctors, entrepreneurs, fitness stars and more.
4) Choose two stories featured in the Lifestyle section – how do they reflect the values and ideologies of the Voice?
The story 'African entrepreneurs drive branding, resilience and economic transformation' reflects values and ideologies of the Voice by the way it talks about honouring black contributions. The story on Leeds, Caribbean and African Communities celebrated in photographic collection reflects there was a new photographic collection celebrating these communities.
Feature focus
1) Read this Voice opinion piece on black representation in the tech industry. How does this piece reflect the values and ideologies of The Voice?
''We, the Black British community continue to shape the culture and inspire innovation. It is important to understand that diversity and inclusion go hand in hand – you cannot have one without the other.'' The Voice shows how they also believe that there should be diversity in the tech industry and are showing other peoples stories.
2) Read this feature on The Black Pound campaign. How does this piece reflect the values and ideologies of The Voice?
It talks about how a third of Black business owners have struggled to raise business funds. The launch of the ‘Black Pound’ initiative marks an important milestone in recognising the unique challenges faced by Black business owners and entrepreneurs in the UK.
3) Read this Voice news story on Grenfell tower and Doreen Lawrence. How might this story reflect the Voice’s values and ideologies? What do the comments below suggest about how readers responded to the article? Can you link this to Gilroy’s work on the ‘Black Atlantic’ identity?
It demonstrates its ability to draw attention to the racial discrimination that took place during the Grenfell Tower fire. Many disagree with Mrs. Lawrence's remark, particularly the suggestion that the firefighters were racist. This could imply that despite the potential for discrimination, we can see how the firefighters put their lives in danger to save lives, coloured or not. This may be related to Black Atlantic identity since racism has been normalised everyday and accepted, making it customary to challenge this diversity in every circumstance and possibly even to accuse others of racism.
Social and cultural contexts - 40 Year of Black British Lives
Read this extract from The Voice: 40 Years of Black British Lives on rapper Swiss creating Black Pound Day (you'll need your Greenford Google login to access the document). Answer the following questions:
1) What is Black Pound Day?
Black pound day encourages people to spend locally or online with black owned businesses and invest in communities that have been historically economically disadvantaged.
2) How did Black Pound Day utilise social media to generate coverage and support?
It attracted support from high profile celebrities and became a trending topic on twitter in the UK.
3) How do events such as Black Pound Day and the Powerlist Black Excellence Awards link to wider social, cultural and economic contexts regarding power in British society?
This event has not only highlighted issues of systematic inequality, but it showed how black Britons supported other black owned businesses.
Audience
1) Who do you think is the target audience for the Voice website? Consider demographics and psychographics.
-I would say the target audience is 25+ although their actual audience is probably a lot older
1) Who do you think is the target audience for the Voice website? Consider demographics and psychographics.
-I would say the target audience is 25+ although their actual audience is probably a lot older
-Working class to middle class audience
-A niche, London audience
-Perhaps strugglers + resigned-reformers
2) What audience pleasures are provided by the Voice website? Apply media theory here such as Blumler and Katz (Uses & Gratifications).
For Blumler and Katz, you could possibly apply personal identity specifically because the voice represents black British perspectives and issues which are relevant to the black community
3) Give examples of sections or content from the website that tells you this is aimed at a specialised or niche audience.
The top stories all talk about 'black male' or 'females' in the titles which could show it is targeting a fairly niche audience.
4) Studying the themes of politics, history and racism that feature in some of the Voice’s content, why might this resonate with the Voice’s British target audience?
The Voice talks about politics, history, and racism because these topics might matter a lot to their target audience. These themes help their community feel connected and ready to make changes.
5) Can you find any examples of content on the Voice website created or driven by the audience or citizen journalism? How does this reflect Clay Shirky’s work on the ‘end of audience’ and the era of ‘mass amateurisation’?
Chris Kaba content may be written by the voice but shaped through the audience. People protesting reflects Clay Shirky's 'end of an audience' as people are not staying passive to what mainstream media has said about this case.
Representations
1) How is the audience positioned to respond to representations in the Voice website?
The Voice's website makes readers feel proud and keeps them informed about their community. By sharing stories of Black achievements and awards, it encourages their readers to connect with the content positively.
2) Are representations in the Voice an example of Gilroy’s concept of “double consciousness” NOT applying?
The representations emphasize a positive black identity by focusing on celebrating Black culture, achievements, and community. This could mean that double consciousness doesn't really apply to the Voice.
3) What kind of black British identity is promoted on the Voice website? Can you find any examples of Gilroy’s “liquidity of culture” or “unruly multiculturalism” here?
The voice promotes different black people globally, this is an example of the liquidity of culture as they found a sense of achievement in all black people and not just some from certain countries.
5) Can you find any examples of content on the Voice website created or driven by the audience or citizen journalism? How does this reflect Clay Shirky’s work on the ‘end of audience’ and the era of ‘mass amateurisation’?
Chris Kaba content may be written by the voice but shaped through the audience. People protesting reflects Clay Shirky's 'end of an audience' as people are not staying passive to what mainstream media has said about this case.
Representations
1) How is the audience positioned to respond to representations in the Voice website?
The Voice's website makes readers feel proud and keeps them informed about their community. By sharing stories of Black achievements and awards, it encourages their readers to connect with the content positively.
2) Are representations in the Voice an example of Gilroy’s concept of “double consciousness” NOT applying?
The representations emphasize a positive black identity by focusing on celebrating Black culture, achievements, and community. This could mean that double consciousness doesn't really apply to the Voice.
3) What kind of black British identity is promoted on the Voice website? Can you find any examples of Gilroy’s “liquidity of culture” or “unruly multiculturalism” here?
The voice promotes different black people globally, this is an example of the liquidity of culture as they found a sense of achievement in all black people and not just some from certain countries.
4) Applying Stuart Hall’s constructivist approach to representations, how might different audiences interpret the representations of black Britons in the Voice?
The Voice intended for people to preferably view black Britons as equal to everyone else without any sense of racism or discrimination.
5) Do you notice any other interesting representations in the Voice website? For example, representations or people, places or groups (e.g. gender, age, Britishness, other countries etc.)
Representations of white people seems to be portrayed in a more negative way where the newspaper only mentions other races when they are able to call them out for any offense
Industries
1) Read this Guardian report on the death of the original founder of the Voice. What does this tell you about the original values and ideologies behind the Voice brand?
"I decided deliberately to have a newspaper that targeted people who were born here and had spent most of their lives here," said McCalla in a rare TV interview in 1992.
"In doing so I had obviously captured a niche market, a market of people who had never had a voice before."
1) Read this Guardian report on the death of the original founder of the Voice. What does this tell you about the original values and ideologies behind the Voice brand?
"I decided deliberately to have a newspaper that targeted people who were born here and had spent most of their lives here," said McCalla in a rare TV interview in 1992.
"In doing so I had obviously captured a niche market, a market of people who had never had a voice before."
2) Read this history of the Voice’s rivals and the struggles the Voice faced back in 2001. What issues raised in the article are still relevant today?
-Racism: ''Britain's inner cities erupted in flames as black anger against racism was vented against the main perceived enemy - the police.''
3) The Voice is now published by GV Media Group, a subsidiary of the Jamaican Gleaner company. What other media brands do the Gleaner company own and why might they be interested in owning the Voice? You'll need to research this using Google/Wikipedia or look at this Guardian article when Gleaner first acquired The Voice.
The Gleaner company own other brands such as: The Star, Power 106FM, FAME 95FM, HITZ 92FM, Music 99FM and they may want to own the Voice because owning The Voice might help the Gleaner company reach different kinds of people in order for them to grow their audience.
-Racism: ''Britain's inner cities erupted in flames as black anger against racism was vented against the main perceived enemy - the police.''
3) The Voice is now published by GV Media Group, a subsidiary of the Jamaican Gleaner company. What other media brands do the Gleaner company own and why might they be interested in owning the Voice? You'll need to research this using Google/Wikipedia or look at this Guardian article when Gleaner first acquired The Voice.
The Gleaner company own other brands such as: The Star, Power 106FM, FAME 95FM, HITZ 92FM, Music 99FM and they may want to own the Voice because owning The Voice might help the Gleaner company reach different kinds of people in order for them to grow their audience.
4) How does the Voice website make money?
-Advertising
-Advertising
-Sponsored content: e.g. Turkey hair transplant etc
-Subscription to print edition
-Readers can support by donations via paypal
5) What adverts or promotions can you find on the Voice website? Are the adverts based on the user’s ‘cookies’ or fixed adverts? What do these adverts tell you about the level of technology and sophistication of the Voice’s website?
An example is the Turkey hair transplant. Most of the sponsored content tends to be niche due to the small audience the voice has.
6) Is there an element of public service to the Voice’s role in British media or is it simply a vehicle to make profit?
The Voice is owned by a private company but arguably offers an element of public service to British media landscape.
7) What examples of technological convergence can you find on the Voice website – e.g. video or audio content?
There are videos that can be played straight from the website that link to youtube in order to promote more of their media.
8) How has the growth of digital distribution through the internet changed the potential for niche products like the Voice?
It has made it much easier for the Voice to gain a wider target audience because more people can access the content they have from online which allows them to gain a larger audience. It also made it cheaper for them because they have access now to social media and spend less on printing physical copies.
9) Analyse The Voice’s Twitter feed. How does this contrast with other Twitter feeds you have studied (such as Zendaya's)? Are there examples of ‘clickbait’ or does the Voice have a different feel?
-The Voice is an important part of British media media landscape
5) What adverts or promotions can you find on the Voice website? Are the adverts based on the user’s ‘cookies’ or fixed adverts? What do these adverts tell you about the level of technology and sophistication of the Voice’s website?
An example is the Turkey hair transplant. Most of the sponsored content tends to be niche due to the small audience the voice has.
6) Is there an element of public service to the Voice’s role in British media or is it simply a vehicle to make profit?
The Voice is owned by a private company but arguably offers an element of public service to British media landscape.
7) What examples of technological convergence can you find on the Voice website – e.g. video or audio content?
There are videos that can be played straight from the website that link to youtube in order to promote more of their media.
8) How has the growth of digital distribution through the internet changed the potential for niche products like the Voice?
It has made it much easier for the Voice to gain a wider target audience because more people can access the content they have from online which allows them to gain a larger audience. It also made it cheaper for them because they have access now to social media and spend less on printing physical copies.
9) Analyse The Voice’s Twitter feed. How does this contrast with other Twitter feeds you have studied (such as Zendaya's)? Are there examples of ‘clickbait’ or does the Voice have a different feel?
-The Voice is an important part of British media media landscape
-Twitter feed has a low follower count (53.2k) compared to Zendaya (14.1M)
-Some of their posts shine a light on scandals that impact the black community
10) Study a selection of videos from The Voice’s YouTube channel. What are the production values of their video content?
The video quality may vary as some are quite hd whereas others aren't as good quality. The audio as well some have good, clear audio while others have background noise, or aren't loud enough and the editing could possibly be better.
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