The Voice CSP: case study blog tasks

 The Voice CSP: case study blog tasks

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?

Design & Layout, Thumbnail, Advertisement, Search Icon

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?

 News , sports, lifestyle, entertainment, competition, opinion, faith

There is variety of content from "soft news" to provide aspect of entertainment to content like "hard news" to build up surveillance.

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. 

Black history month news is appealing at the moment as black history month is celebrated in this month therefore audience is likely to be attracted to such news.

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.

The Voice’s stories often follow Todorov’s narrative structure, presenting social issues (disruption) followed by positive change or progress (new equilibrium). In addition, Barthes’ enigma codes are used through engaging headlines that encourage curiosity, motivating readers to click and read further.

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?

Travel, wellbeing, fashion and beauty.

2) What are the main stories in the Lifestyle section currently?

1: 'Stars unite at Black Women Rising’s first Awareness Luncheon '

3) Do the sections and stories in the Voice Lifestyle section challenge or reinforce black stereotypes in British media?

The Lifestyle section challenges negative stereotypes, offering positive and inspiring representations of Black people as ambitious, successful, and community-driven, rather than conforming to harmful media stereotypes.

4) Choose two stories featured in the Lifestyle section – how do they reflect the values and ideologies of the Voice?

• Urban Synergy Continues to Open Doors reflects The Voice’s commitment to celebrating minority achievements and promoting equal opportunities.

• Stars Unite at Black Women Rising’s First Awareness Luncheon shows their dedication to supporting Black women’s empowerment.

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?

The article shows The Voice’s awareness of tokenism in workplaces. It highlights the publication’s belief in authentic representation rather than inclusion, linking to  double consciousness.

2) Read this feature on The Black Pound campaign. How does this piece reflect the values and ideologies of The Voice?

The piece promotes Black-owned businesses, reflecting The Voice’s ideology of economic empowerment and equality. It encourages recognition of Black entrepreneurship and challenges economic inequality.

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?

The article reveals The Voice’s anti-racist stance and commitment to justice. Reader comments show engagement and solidarity, linking to Gilroy’s “Black Atlantic” identity, which explores shared experiences of race and resistance across the diaspora.

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 is an event that celebrates and supports Black-owned businesses across the UK.

2) How did Black Pound Day utilise social media to generate coverage and support? 

The campaign used social media engagement, responding to messages, and interacting with followers who shared or reposted their content, helping to build a strong online community.

3) How do events such as Black Pound Day and the Power list Black Excellence Awards link to wider social, cultural and economic contexts regarding power in British society?  

These events show Black success, history, and cultural pride, challenging power inequality in British society and promoting social and economic empowerment for underrepresented groups.

Audience

1) Who do you think is the target audience for the Voice website? Consider demographics and psychographics.

The target audience includes Black British readers of all ages and classes, as well as explorers who seek identity, representation, and cultural awareness

2) What audience pleasures are provided by the Voice website? Apply media theory here such as Blumler and Katz (Uses & Gratifications).

Personal Identity: Readers see their community represented.

Entertainment: Coverage of sports, music, and film.

Information: News, reports, and educational content.

3) Give examples of sections or content from the website that tells you this is aimed at a specialised or niche audience.

Sections such as Black-owned business promotions, Black artists, and stories on health issues affecting Black communities clearly target a specialised 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?

Because they connect Black identity with British culture and politics, giving a voice to communities often underrepresented in mainstream media.

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’?

The Opinion section allows readers to contribute their own perspectives, reflecting Shirky’s idea of “mass amateurisation” where audiences are no longer passive consumers but active participants in media creation.

Representations

1) How is the audience positioned to respond to representations in the Voice website?

Audiences are encouraged to respond positively, as The Voice highlights uplifting, community-based, and inspirational stories that promote solidarity.

2) Are representations in the Voice an example of Gilroy’s concept of “double consciousness” NOT applying?

Yes, the publication represents the Black community from their perpespective, rather than through an external or white-dominated perspective.

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 a diverse and empowered Black British identity, represented through sport, music, business, and culture, reflecting Gilroy’s “liquid” and multicultural identities.

4) Applying Stuart Hall’s constructivist approach to representations, how might different audiences interpret the representations of black Britons in the Voice?

Preferred reading: The Voice is seen as empowering, authentic, and community-driven.

Oppositional reading: Some may see it as biased or overly selective in its coverage.

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.)

Older generations are more frequently represented than young people or children, suggesting a focus on experience, achievement, and legacy within the community.

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? 

It shows that The Voice was founded with a mission to serve and represent the Black British community, giving them a dedicated platform for their voices and issues.

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? 

Issues such as racism, police brutality, misrepresentation in the media, and social inequality remain relevant and continue to shape The Voice’s content.

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 owns The Gleaner, The Sunday Gleaner, and The Star. Their interest in The Voice reflects their goal to connect diasporic audiences and expand influence.

4) How does the Voice website make money?

Through advertisements, donations, and partnerships.

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?

The adverts are often limited and fixed, suggesting a smaller budget and niche reach, but also showing commitment to independent journalism.

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?

Yes, The Voice serves a public service role by promoting representation, awareness, and empowerment, rather than focusing on profit.

7) What examples of technological convergence can you find on the Voice website – e.g. video or audio content?

The Voice uses videos, social media links, and digital subscriptions, showing adaptation to new media technologies.

8) How has the growth of digital distribution through the internet changed the potential for niche products like the Voice?

The internet has expanded their reach and accessibility, but also made it harder to generate revenue due to competition.

9) Analyse The Voice’s Twitter feed. How does this contrast with other Twitter feeds you have studied (such as Taylor Swift)? Are there examples of ‘clickbait’ or does the Voice have a different feel?

Unlike Taylor Swift, who attracts engagement naturally, The Voice relies on attention-grabbing headlines and activism-driven posts to encourage clicks and shares.

10) Study a selection of videos from The Voice’s YouTube channel. What are the production values of their video content?

The videos tend to have low production quality, with simple visuals, basic editing, and minimal post-production, indicating limited resources but strong dedication to content creation.