The Voice (Newspaper)

Question 1

When was the newspaper first published?

Answer 1

Began in print in 82. Independently published, London based, weekly newspaper.

Question 2

Who did the newspaper target in 1982?

Answer 2

Specifically targets sub-section of Brits oft ignored, other than negative + stereotypical representations, from mainstream press: British Afro-Caribbean community.

Question 3

What was significant about the 1980s in terms of race relations in the UK?

Answer 3

Troubled time for race relations- courts have since found there was systemic racism w/in police force, tensions in ‘81 led to violent riots- police clashed w/British African-Caribbean demonstrators.

Question 4

What was the mission of the newspaper when it began in 1982?

Answer 4

Provide news + info to British-born black community. Plus, was written + edited by members of that community too. Acted as counterpoint to selective representations of community in mainstream press.

Question 5

Who was the primary target audience of the newspaper in 1982?

Answer 5

Children of Windrush generation.

Question 6

Why did immigrants from the Caribbean come to the UK from the late 1940s?

Answer 6

Residents members of Commonwealth, told they had full British citizenship. Brit govt promised better quality of life in UK w/more opportunities for them + their families + full access to rights offered to Brit citizens.

Question 7

What was the reality for the Windrush generation?

Answer 7

Held Brit citizenship but found their daily lives oft marred by personal + systemic racism. In 1981, racial tensions came to a head- riots in London, Liverpool, Manchester + Bristol.

Question 8

What did local councils do after the 1981 riots?

Answer 8

Had to acknowledge black communities in inner cities were oft overlooked, so they began to invest in black led initiatives to help create more opportunities for young black people.

Question 9

How was the newspaper initially supported in 1982?

Answer 9

Supported mainly by local community purchases, but ad revenue could be generated once audience had
been consolidated.

Question 10

Who currently owns The Voice?

Answer 10

2004: Bought by Jamaican company, the Gleaner Company, who own + publish newspapers in Jamaica, N. America, Canada + UK targeting readers w/Afro-Caribbean heritage.

Question 11

Due to the rise of digital technologies, what has The Voice had to do?

Answer 11

Had to diversify to survive- in addition to print edition, the newspaper has online presence (website + social media channels).

Question 12

How does front page of The Voice online follow media language conventions of news sites?

Answer 12

Front page- grid layout, banner at top identifies areas of website w/more specialised content. Most of these are conventional for a news site e.g Sport + Culture.

Question 13

How does The Voice online do headlines?

Answer 13

Uses headlines w/image to illustrate stories- shows audience available type of content, hopes to persuade audience to stay on site, click through to stories themselves.

Question 14

What is the purpose of the grid design on the front page of the Voice online?

Answer 14

Changes slightly further down page to maintain visual interest + to help group stories together in categories that link to headings at top of page.

Question 15

What is the content generally like on the front page of the Voice online?

Answer 15

Most stories featured can be seen to be of interest + relevance to target audience, range from politics to sports + entertainment. Black British ppl oft featured + included in front page images.

Question 16

How is the layout of the stories conventional?

Answer 16

• Links lead to the full stories
• Front page imagr oft repeated at top of story
• Story presented in single column
• Space on right of page for links to other stories
• Ads + comments can be left below some stories.

Question 17

What is the purpose of the overall design of the stories?

Answer 17

Aims to be as legible + clear as possible, simplicity contrasts w/busy style of front page.

Question 18

Are the illustrations used on the Voice online original?

Answer 18

Images tend to be promotional or stock images not og illustrations. Many are sourced from image agencies (e.g. Shutterstock), some will have been provided as part of PR service.

Question 19

What are the traditional sources of news?

Answer 19

• News Agencies
• Official information
• Reporting journalism
• Investigative journalism
• Press releases from PR companies + press offices

Question 20

New sources of news, often cheaper than traditional sources, have developed due to digital technologies. What are these new sources?

Answer 20

• Citizen journalism
• Social media
• Direct use of press releases
• Churnalism

Question 21

Define ‘Churnalism’

Answer 21

Practice of reporting on what other media outlets are reporting on. Mags interviews + events from TV programmes oft used by other media outlets, presented as news stories.

Question 22

What genre does the Voice emulate in terms of visual design?

Answer 22

Red-top tabloids- enormously successful in 80s.
Website banner is red, name of newspaper presented in large, bold sans serif font, all capitals. Visual similarities to more mainstream tabloids’ designs.

Question 23

How is the front page of The Voice online unconventional?

Answer 23

Inclusion of ‘Faith’-related stories in the banner.

Question 24

What type of news stories do tabloid newspapers tend to value?

Answer 24

Soft news over hard news, eg gossip, celebrity, sport + human-interest stories. Even when reporting on hard news (politics, economics etc.) tabloids tend to put a soft news spin on the stories.

Question 25

What kind of tone do tabloids tend to have?

Answer 25

Sensationalist- use emotive language, write headlines that intend to shock or surprise reader. Sensationalism plays on audience’s emotion. A story is successful if it has made reader laugh or shocked or angered them.

Question 26

What are the two types of tabloid newspapers?

Answer 26

- Red-tops eg The Sun + The Mirror | - Mid-range (black tops) eg The Express + The Daily Mail

Question 27

What is the difference between red-top and black-top newspapers?

Answer 27

- Red tops focus on human interest, sensationalist style commonly using puns, hyperbole and comic personalisation of public figures. - Black tops do cover many human-interest stories, but more likely to cover hard news stories in some detail.

Question 28

What is the main similarity between red-top and black-top tabloids?

Answer 28

Black-tops are also prone to sensationalism + tend to present stories in way that provokes anger, outrage and/or fear.

Question 29

What do all British newspapers (including broadsheets) have in common?

Answer 29

- Take stance on their stories - Stories are told via paper’s specific ideological perspective, oft linked to specific political party or broader political perspective. - Editorial position led by editor

Question 30

Example of newspaper ideologies

Answer 30

- The Telegraph + The Sun are both pro-Tory | - The Guardian is socially left-wing but doesn't fully support Labour.

Question 31

Why was the Voice created in 1982?

Answer 31

Representations of diversity were lacking. News + entertainment media largely created by white ppl, focused on perceived needs + interests of white culture. Even when represented, usually shown from white perspective through what Hall calls ‘the white eye'.

Question 32

What is cultural imperialism?

Answer 32

When one culture’s ideas + values dominate over others. Non-hegemonic groups feel marginalised by dominant culture + limitations in representations in mainstream can create sense of otherness w/in sub-dominant groups.

Question 33

What is the appeal of The Voice?

Answer 33

Offers alt p.o.v + presents stories that are of interest to ethnically targeted audience, also provide representations that subvert stereotypes + challenge dominant perspectives.