36/50 Grade B :(
1) New and digital technology has had a huge impact on traditional media industries. What challenges have media brands faced as a result of changes in technology? Refer to Teen vogue and The Voice 25 MARKS
It was the success of feminist blogs in regards to their large following that encouraged the brand of feminism to change into a business by switching from print to online......
Another challenge is that that teen vogue had to change due to the changes in technology is how to gain readership and endorse a participatory culture as theorised by shirky where consumers engage in the product as well as consume it endorsing an active audience....
use more examples......
an example of participatory culture is on the Teen Vogues Instagram where a picture of Timothee Chalamet asks the audience whether they like his moustache or not. this is directly encouraging an active audience through there opinions on a celebrity's appearance
An example of using Social media in order to maintain followers is through the appreciation of Sammie Scott on Facebook which has received millions of likes
Another example of challenges that the both products have faced are the issue of regulation. The internet means that everyone has a voice and everything can be found in a matter of seconds by a simple search. this means that content of the both products would have to be original or even more eye catching to maintain readership because if not then they could just find that news from elsewhere. Postman argues that there is so much content that we are amusing ourselves to death. unlimited access. This is a problem for the voice where they have a smaller readership and so can find access to new products anywhere. Teen Vogue has utilised it correctly by having a large audience following which has locked us in to be active followers of Teen Vogue. Curren and Seaton argue that larger corporations have a bigger voice and so the internet has meant that smaller audiences are not getting their voice heard compared to Teen Vogue who has a large voice.
2) How do representations of gender reflect contemporary social and cultural contexts? Refer to killing and no offence. 25 MARKS
Female dominated force may be an inaccurate representation of the police force in England as it may not be really equal to the amount of women in the police force. This can be linked to cultivation theory (gerbner) as people will take these false representations as the truth and thus believe that women are equal within society even though that is yet to come.
Bell hooks theory can be used to for gender which reflects social context through the killing and no offence where she argues women have to act like men to be treated equally. This goes against what feminism is all about. for example in no offence Viv is a strong independent women, however as the boss she takes a masculine approach and it seems that only that way does she earn respect from her peers. similarly in the killing, Sarah Lund never shows skin, some would argue that she is treated equally and viewed equally to men because she dresses like men and doesn't wear revealing clothes. it creates the impression that of she were to wear a short dress everyday, she wouldn't be seen the way she is, as an equal member of the detective department
Furthermore you can mention the waves of feminism in today's society and how the role of women has changed as shown by the women in the killing and no offence
Monday, 27 January 2020
Monday, 20 January 2020
Teen Vogue language and representation
Teen Vogue
might, in a terribly patriarchal way, conjure up images of ultra-feminised
vapidity but it has become highly politicised and socially engaged – in fact it
has become the go-to news source for a particular slice of the audience (some
surprisingly big news editors keep an eye on Teen Vogue’s pages). Go and check out their homepage right
now!
As I write the top
stories include abortion rights, whitewashing in Hollywood and youth voting.
The mag has been at the forefront of both the gun control debate and the
anti-Trump resistance.
Some
really useful articles about how Teen Vogue changed and became impactful can be
found here, here, and here!
Remember
that Vogue is the most famous magazine in the world (it has been doing its
thing since 1892. In 1905 Condé Montrose Nast bought the magazine and it has
been the heart of the Condé Nast magazine empire ever since. Italian Vogue
is the fashion bible and the brand has a cultural impact like
no other. Even Playboy didn’t have an undergound dance
culture and a Madonna song!
Teen Vogue started
as your average magazine spin-off in 2003. After a collapse of sales, due to
changes in audience consumption habits, the mag went online only in 2016. It
also changed focus. There is some argument to be made that women’s magazines had
always been more political and subversive than many expected (Cosmopolitan’s
championing of the sexual revolution through articles and advice for example)
but Teen Vogue put news and politics first as a way of connecting with what
they saw as a more engaged audience (woke in the current parlance). Editor
Elaine Welteroth (who was both young, at 29, and African American) steered the
online magazine down the path of identity politics (a direction continued by
current editor Phillip Picardi). Audience numbers grew accordingly and the
politics section is more visited than entertainment.
“The pivot in editorial strategy has drawn praise
on social media, with some writers commenting that Teen Vogue is
doing a better job of covering important stories in 2016 than legacy news
publications.”, Sophie Gilbert.The Atlantic.
•
Media Language
If you look at the
landing page of the site you need to make sure that you have notes on all the
ways that it signifies what it is and what it thinks is important. The logo
builds on the heritage of Vogue magazine but the rest of the page signifies how
different the product is from the print-based parent title.
Currently (and
remember the product could change at any time) the page is organised with a
contents list at the top and on a menu bar. Both place “News and Politics”
before all other categories. This signifies the priorities of the product.
Headings are
presented in sans-serif typeface (making it feel more stylised, youthful or
modern depending on your take). Articles use serif typeface which gives them a
certain gravitas and authority. The choice of red, black and grey accenting on
the page is stylish (in a Bauhaus design way) and not overtly genderised; which
also helps the site switch from news to style content seamlessly on the page.
Bauhaus
was a German design movement during the interwar period. It has had a huge
impact on design since, including print and online publications. Look at the
colour and style similarities between this poster and Teen Vogue.
The articles themselves
are tiled, which helps to reinforce the online identity of the product; as it
is a key difference between this media form and others. The use of the content,
menu bar, footed information and links (as
well as registration, Log in and Facebook like button) are all standard website features.
The overall
impression created by the design is one of competence and contemporary
relevance (there are no dated elements). This lends the product an aura of
trustworthiness as quality in media production leads to audience trust.
•
Media Representation
Think
about how teenage girls are traditionally presented in the media. This links to
the work you have done on feminist theory Teenage girls, especially in American
culture, are presented through a web of stereotyping and patriarchy. On screen
they tend to be sexualised and represented by actresses considerably older than
the age they are playing and there exist well worn stereotypes Often they are
presented as vapid, bitchy and cliquey and they seem to only be worthy of
representation when they are attractive. Add to that the way that both the
media and fashion industries fetishize youth (teenagers presented as adults in
U.S. fashion has an icky history back to the use of Brooke Shields in 1980; who
was both the cover star for Vogue and appeared in controversial ads for Calvin
Klein jeans). There is an argument to be made that, like racial and ethnic
minority groups, it is hard to find representation of teenage girls in America
that is grounded in the real.
This is what makes
Teen Vogue so subversive. Its parent publication has a history of abusing
teenage representation and its own history was based on representing narrow
concepts of teenage girl identity.
NOW GO TO TEEN VOGUE AND FIND TEN
EXAMPLES OF THINGS THAT RESIST STEREOTYPICAL REPRESENTATIONS- THEN DESCRIPE THEM HERE-
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Tuesday, 7 January 2020
Teen Vogue
Teen Vogue offers a
huge amount to discuss and write about for the concepts of audience and
representation.
The exam could focus on anything from the changing nature of digital audiences to how certain groups or issues are represented in Teen Vogue online.
Notes from the lesson
Audience
Although the brand name suggests a teenage audience, the typical Teen Vogue reader has evolved in recent years. The move to more political content has broadened the appeal and changed the genre – young women now expect more from their media.
The ‘Campus Life’ section in Lifestyle also suggests an older readership. However, the audience is still interested in celebrity content and beauty – which Teen Vogue addresses by featuring the ‘opinion leaders’ (two-step flow) of social media.
Generation X: Born between 1965 – 1980
Millennials / Generation Y: Born between 1981 – 1995
Generation Z (or iGen): Born 1996 – 2010
Representation
Changing representations
Feminist bloggers and websites such as Rookie and liberal blogJezebel have been credited with changing the representation of women and feminism in the digital age.
This can be linked to Clay Shirky’s ‘end of audience’ theory with digital influencers changing the media landscape for women – and established mainstream brands like Teen Vogue are following to stay relevant.
Create a new blogpost called 'Teen Vogue Audience and Representation' and work through the following tasks to complete the audience and representation aspects of your Teen Vogue case study:
The exam could focus on anything from the changing nature of digital audiences to how certain groups or issues are represented in Teen Vogue online.
Notes from the lesson
Audience
Although the brand name suggests a teenage audience, the typical Teen Vogue reader has evolved in recent years. The move to more political content has broadened the appeal and changed the genre – young women now expect more from their media.
The ‘Campus Life’ section in Lifestyle also suggests an older readership. However, the audience is still interested in celebrity content and beauty – which Teen Vogue addresses by featuring the ‘opinion leaders’ (two-step flow) of social media.
The STYLE and POLITICS section on the website are right next to each other demonstrating that they are of equal importance encouraging more girls into politics and valuing it. Gerbner cultivation theory- empowering
Generations
Generation X: Born between 1965 – 1980
Millennials / Generation Y: Born between 1981 – 1995
Generation Z (or iGen): Born 1996 – 2010
Teen Vogue: political positioning
Teen Vogue generally takes a liberal,
left-wing political stance and positions its readers to become active in their
support:
·
Pro-feminist
·
Pro-gender fluidity and gender
identity
·
Supports LGBT equality
·
Pro-multiculturalism
·
Supports Black Lives Matter
·
Pro-environment (accepting science on
climate change)
·
Pro-choice (abortion)
Teen Vogue: audience interaction
How does Teen Vogue encourage
audience interaction?
·
Activism
·
Social media
·
‘Clickbait’ and first-person
headlines
·
Events – Teen Vogue summit
Representation
Changing representations
Feminist bloggers and websites such as Rookie and liberal blogJezebel have been credited with changing the representation of women and feminism in the digital age.
This can be linked to Clay Shirky’s ‘end of audience’ theory with digital influencers changing the media landscape for women – and established mainstream brands like Teen Vogue are following to stay relevant.
Teen Vogue: Audience and
Representation blog tasks
Create a new blogpost called 'Teen Vogue Audience and Representation' and work through the following tasks to complete the audience and representation aspects of your Teen Vogue case study:
Audience
1) Analyse the Conde Nast media pack for Teen Vogue. What is the Teen Vogue mission statement and what does this tell us about the target audience and audience pleasures?
MS:Teen Vogue is the young person’s guide to saving the world. We aim to educate, enlighten, and empower our audience to create a more inclusive environment (both on- and offline) by amplifying the voices of the unheard, telling stories that normally go untold, and providing resources for teens looking to make a tangible impact in their communities.
This tells us about their target audience and how it is mainly teenagers. One of the audience pleasures is that it empowers its audience by giving them a voice on the website etc.
2) What is the target audience for Teen Vogue? Use the media pack to pick out key aspects of the audience demographics. Also, consider the psychographic groups that would be attracted to Teen Vogue: make specific reference to the website design or certain articles to support your points regarding this.
3) What audience pleasures or gratifications can be found in Teen Vogue? Do these differ from the gratifications of traditional print-based magazines?
Personal Identity, as the readers will be reading about people the same age, give or take a year or two.
Surveillance as there may be important articles about current affairs, giving the audience awareness about that topic.
4) How is the audience positioned to respond to political news stories?
The audience are positioned in a largely left wing standpoint, meaning they are quite anti-Trump.
5) How does Teen Vogue encourage audiences to interact with the brand – and each other – on social media? The ‘tentpoles and editorial pillars’ section of the media pack may help with this question.
1) Analyse the Conde Nast media pack for Teen Vogue. What is the Teen Vogue mission statement and what does this tell us about the target audience and audience pleasures?
MS:Teen Vogue is the young person’s guide to saving the world. We aim to educate, enlighten, and empower our audience to create a more inclusive environment (both on- and offline) by amplifying the voices of the unheard, telling stories that normally go untold, and providing resources for teens looking to make a tangible impact in their communities.
This tells us about their target audience and how it is mainly teenagers. One of the audience pleasures is that it empowers its audience by giving them a voice on the website etc.
2) What is the target audience for Teen Vogue? Use the media pack to pick out key aspects of the audience demographics. Also, consider the psychographic groups that would be attracted to Teen Vogue: make specific reference to the website design or certain articles to support your points regarding this.
Teen Vogues Target Audience is:16-24 year olds with an 18.5mn total audience reach. Meaning it mainly targets Generation Z.
3) What audience pleasures or gratifications can be found in Teen Vogue? Do these differ from the gratifications of traditional print-based magazines?
Personal Identity, as the readers will be reading about people the same age, give or take a year or two.
Surveillance as there may be important articles about current affairs, giving the audience awareness about that topic.
4) How is the audience positioned to respond to political news stories?
The audience are positioned in a largely left wing standpoint, meaning they are quite anti-Trump.
5) How does Teen Vogue encourage audiences to interact with the brand – and each other – on social media? The ‘tentpoles and editorial pillars’ section of the media pack may help with this question.
Teen Vogue will display people in the industry who are relevant to the Teen Vogue brand who are nominated for awards in order to empower their audience
In addition to this, they will hire professionals in order to give the best skincare tips to their audience.
Representations
1) Look again at the Conde Nast media pack for Teen Vogue. What do the ‘tentpoles and editorial pillars’ (key events and features throughout the year) suggest about the representation of women and teenage girls on teenvogue.com?
This suggests that there is a strongly positive view of women in Teen Vogue. It is also heavily implied that the women of the current generation have the power to change the world.
2) How are issues of gender identity and sexuality represented in Teen Vogue?
Gender identity is displayed as something that you should have in some way, e.g. with the Maybelline "That Boss Life," they would have presented it in a largely positive light, with the idea that you can chose who you want to be, the same way MannyMUA has.
3) Do representations of appearance or beauty in Teen Vogue reinforce or challenge traditional stereotypes?
Yes and No, yes as Teen Vogue is all about empowerment, meaning that it is only natural that they would try to present beauty in all shapes and sizes.
Although, the Skai Jackson campaign which they are associated with would suggest something different as that image is airbrushed and photoshopped, meaning that TV are suggesting that you have to look a certain way to be beautiful.
4) What is the patriarchy and how does Teen Vogue challenge it? Does it succeed?
5) Does Teen Vogue reinforce or challenge typical representations of celebrity?
Teen Vogue reinforces Celebrity stereotypes due to the fact that they are shown compliments and insults, but it shows them receiving both of which in a happy and entertaining way, when in reality that may not be the actual way they react to such comments.
Feature: how Teen Vogue represents the changing nature of media aimed at women
Read this Quartz feature - The true story of how Teen Vogue got mad, got woke, and began terrifying men like Donald Trump - and answer the following questions:
1) How was the Teen Vogue op-ed on Donald Trump received on social media?
There was a mixed reaction of republicans saying negative things about Teen Vogue, but on the other hand it also had a positive reception.
2) How have newspapers and magazines generally categorised and targeted news by gender?
The lifestyle portion is mainly aimed at women, and the news sections are aimed at men.
3) How is this gender bias still present in the modern media landscape?
64% of J-school graduates were female. 65% of political journalists, 67% of criminal justice reporters, and 62% of reporters covering “business and economics” were male. Even in the lifestyle section, women can only pull even; the gender split there is precisely 50-50.
4) What impact did the alternative women’s website Jezebel have on the women’s magazine market?
It made it more believable that women want a feminist magazine with politics, as before, it was believed that politics was never an interest.
5) Do you agree with the writer that female audiences can enjoy celebrity news and beauty tips alongside hard-hitting political coverage? Does this explain the recent success of Teen Vogue?
I agree with this statement as there is no reason that people can't enjoy two different genres of entertainment, if you consider politics a form of entertainment.
6) How does the writer suggest feminists used to be represented in the media?
Feminists were represented as "sexless, grim bra-burners, uninterested in pleasure or aesthetics."
7) What is the more modern representation of feminism? Do you agree that this makes feminism ‘stereotyped as fluffy’?
No, i believe that you just like what you like. Having a preference of a specific type of music does not make you "fluffy" in any sense of the word.
8) What contrasting audience pleasures for Teen Vogue are suggested by the writer in the article as a whole?
There is a sense of empowerment as you are reading of the limited titles for women that talk about typically male oriented topics, e.g. politics. Also, there is the idea of retaining your femininity as it also talks about the stereotypically feminine things like beauty, fashion etc.
9) The writer suggests that this change in representation and audience pleasures for media products aimed at women has emerged from the feminist-blog movement. How can this be linked to Clay Shirky’s ‘end of audience’ theory?
This can be linked to Shirky's end of audience theory as feminists have decided that something wasn't right and acted upon it, meaning that they are being more than an audience, who would simply receive a media text and not react to it in some capacity.
10) Is Teen Vogue simply a product of the Trump presidency or will websites and magazines aimed at women continue to become more hard-hitting and serious in their offering to audiences?
I think that over time there will be more and more women oriented websites that talk about the serious and hard hitting topics. However it can be argued that Teen Vogue was a product of Trump's presidency as without him, it can be said that Teen Vogue wouldn't be in the position it is in today
Monday, 6 January 2020
The voice
mock is either on representation or industry
The Voice - background and notes
I think it's interesting that this photographer's work is typically focused on identity ad diversity, and is "informed bu her own personal experiences." Again, the fact that Vogue has taken this particular approach to photographing their front covers, shows that they are attempting to represent a wider demographic and show a range of perspectives rather than a single conservative one.
The production values of this video are of a higher standard compared to some of the other videos that The Voice have produced. There are basic cuts and the sound quality is better compared to their previous videos, but again the production values aren't as professional or high-quality compared to Teen Vogue.
The interview covers content such as the Black Lives Matter Campaign, natural hair and finding your voice - things that I think that the Voice audience would be able to identify with well. Finding your voice fits with the Voice's ideologies as it was set up during a time where black people in Britain were oppressed and felt as though they were isolated and couldn't celebrate their ethnicity and express their opinions freely - the Voice newspaper dispels this idea of double consciousness by allowing black people to listen to their narratives through their own voices rather than via another person.
This feature is all about supporting black businesses, rather than just buying from the large chains. This article links to the idea of Black Atlantic identity because it's about helping black business-owners to earn a living for themselves in a place where it may be difficult for them to do so. It also suggests that buying from/supporting black homegrown businesses will actually prove more satisfying for both the owner and buyer as you'll be directly helping someone to grow their business etc.
Preferred
Production values are of a lower quality compared to the videos of Teen Vogue
More simply shot/edited
They receive a fewer views (some videos have less than 100 views).
Language and textual analysis
Homepage
Go to the Voice homepage and answer the following:
1) What news website key conventions can you find on the Voice homepage?
2) How does the page design differ from Teen Vogue?
It is different in the sense that while Teen Vogue adopts a more minimalist approach, The Voice seems to have a homepage that is a more saturated with information. There are more news stories organised in a more "montage" style format, which allows a range of news to be communicated to the reader in a short period of time.
3) 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?
The menu bar includes:
4) Look at the news stories in the Voice. To what extent does the selection of news stories fit Galtung and Ruge’s News Values theory?
5) 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.
Enigma codes are created through the way that the main headlines are written on the homepage. The direct questioning (e.g. "What's the Play?" - Young Dolph article) encourages the reader to question what the article could be about - which in turn makes them more likely to read the article.
Todorov's theory of equilibrium can also be applied to some articles - for example, the articles praising the black community ("Hundreds turn out to support lack businesses at The Voice fair") may act as The Voice attempting to restore a new equilibrium in society where black people can be viewed as equal to other social demographics in society.
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?
2) What are the main stories in the Lifestyle section currently?
The Teen Vogue Lifestyle section seems to have more general news such as technology related news and updates as well as decorating ideas and then more relevant news stories such as advice on campus life etc. On the other hand, The Voice appears to have a wide range of posts in the Lifestyle section to suit their audience's different views on what their lifestyles boil down to.
4) Do the sections and stories in the Voice Lifestyle section challenge or reinforce black stereotypes in British media?
Challenge
Feature focus
1) Read this Voice Lifestyle feature on the first black photographer to shoot the cover of Vogue magazine. Why would this appeal to the Voice’s audience?
I think that this article would appeal to the Voice's audience because it reflects the progress that the black community has made since the Voice was initially established in 1982. The Fact that a black woman from South-east London has been given the opportunity to photograph such well-established celebrities for a traditional magazine such as Vogue also reflects the fact that a traditionally white magazine is becoming more accepting and inclusive of other ethnic groups.
I think it's interesting that this photographer's work is typically focused on identity ad diversity, and is "informed bu her own personal experiences." Again, the fact that Vogue has taken this particular approach to photographing their front covers, shows that they are attempting to represent a wider demographic and show a range of perspectives rather than a single conservative one.
2) Read/watch this Lifestyle interview with The Hate U Give star Amandla Stenberg. How does the interview reflect the values and ideologies of the Voice? What do you notice about the production values of the interview?
The production values of this video are of a higher standard compared to some of the other videos that The Voice have produced. There are basic cuts and the sound quality is better compared to their previous videos, but again the production values aren't as professional or high-quality compared to Teen Vogue.
The interview covers content such as the Black Lives Matter Campaign, natural hair and finding your voice - things that I think that the Voice audience would be able to identify with well. Finding your voice fits with the Voice's ideologies as it was set up during a time where black people in Britain were oppressed and felt as though they were isolated and couldn't celebrate their ethnicity and express their opinions freely - the Voice newspaper dispels this idea of double consciousness by allowing black people to listen to their narratives through their own voices rather than via another person.
3) Read this feature on ‘buying black’ for Black Friday. What does this feature tell you about the values and ideologies behind the Voice? Does this viewpoint reflect Gilroy’s theory of the ‘Black Atlantic’ identity?
This feature is all about supporting black businesses, rather than just buying from the large chains. This article links to the idea of Black Atlantic identity because it's about helping black business-owners to earn a living for themselves in a place where it may be difficult for them to do so. It also suggests that buying from/supporting black homegrown businesses will actually prove more satisfying for both the owner and buyer as you'll be directly helping someone to grow their business etc.
Audience
1) Who do you think is the target audience for the Voice website? Consider demographics and psychographics.
I think that the target audience for The Voice mainly consists of Black British people - typically of Afro-Caribbean backgrounds. This is clear through the content covered as well as the adverts - e.g. advertisements relating to sending money across the world (i.e. to Ghana, South Africa etc). This highlights the fact that a lot of the The Voice audience would be part of the wind rush generation and also parallels to Gilroy's theory relating to the black Atlantic and diaspora. Also, the fact that the layout of the website appears less sleek and modern in design could indicate that The Voice has a typically older target audience compared to Teen Vogue.
2) What audience pleasures are provided by the Voice website? Apply media theory here such as Blumler and Katz (Uses & Gratifications).
3) Give examples of content from the website that tells you this is aimed at a specialised or niche audience.
This content may resonate with the Voice's audience as it is likely to be somewhat relatable/reminiscent of some of their past experiences. For example, for those who were involved in the Brixton riots/witnessed the injustices present during this time period would be able to make parallels between these current events (i.e. Raheem Sterling reporting on racism in sport/the narrative of The Hate U Give) and what they have experienced in the past.
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’?
I think that the quality of the Voice's content and their production values is reflective of this idea of mass amatuerisation. Because of the increased availability and access to digital media/the software necessary to produce content, no real training or professionalism is required to make videos - this allows more content to be produced but also decreases the quality of it. For example, the video interviews held by the Voice are of a lower standard compared to Teen Vogue's. While this is reflective of the differences in the money behind each institution, I think it's also indicative of how mass amateurisation is becoming more prominent.
Representations
1) How is the audience positioned to respond to representations in the Voice website?
Positioned to view the representations of black people in the Voice website as refreshing and positive - an attempt to dispel the once dominant representation that Black Britons were "estranged and external from the imagined community that is the nation." Audiences are encouraged to view the Voice as a means of promoting the idea of community, rather than the idea of viewing black people as a helpless minority - for example, highlighting the successes of Black people across the globe (from Amandla Stenberg starring in The Hate U give, to Nadine Ijewere being the first black female to shoot a cover for Vogue Magazine).
2) Are representations in the Voice an example of Gilroy’s concept of “double consciousness” NOT applying?
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 seems to capitalise on the fact that the majority of its readership/audience would originate from another country - particularly places in Africa/the Caribbean. This is highlighted through the use of banner advertisements promoting sending money to other countries. This directly relates to Gilroy's theory about "liquidity of culture" as it emphasises the sense of displacement that some Black Britons may feel as their families are likely to still be in their countries of origin despite them being in Britain - their identity has come from travelling to multiple countries rather than it solely being based on where they originate from.
4) Applying Stuart Hall’s constructivist approach to representations, how might different audiences interpret the representations of black Britons in the Voice?
- Constructivist approach: isn't one specific meaning as concepts do haveshared meanings that can be open to interpretation.
Preferred
Negotiated
Counter-Hegemonic
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.)
Gender
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?
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?
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?
4) How does the Voice website make money?
Through advertisements - they sell space on their website to promoters who need the advertising space.
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?
They are typically fixed adverts. This shows that the Voice has quite a basic level of technology and that compared to most modern websites, the Voice is a lot less sophisticated. The fact that they don't use the consumer data to create specific/personalised advertisements suggests that the Voice are unable to operate at a technology level that high/they do not have the funds to do so.
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?
I think the Voice was originally designed as a public service tool - a means of giving those in the black community a platform to express themselves and be represented through (dispelling this concept of double consciousness).
7) What examples of technological convergence can you find on the Voice website – e.g. video or audio content?
8) How has the growth of digital distribution through the internet changed the potential for niche products like the Voice?
I think that it has increased the potential outreach for products like the Voice. I think this is because people are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of gaining an insight on multiple perspectives, and because they can access the content easier now it makes it easier for niche products like the Voice to receive more recognition
9) Analyse the Voice’s Twitter feed. How does this contrast with other Twitter feeds you have studied (such as MailOnline or Teen Vogue)? Are there examples of ‘clickbait’ or does the Voice have a different feel?
10) Study a selection of videos from the Voice’s YouTube channel. How does this content differ from Teen Vogue? What are the production values of their video content?
The menu bar includes:
The diverse range of content covered in the menu bar highlights The Voice's ability to cover a wide selection of news to provide their readership with a well-rounded perception of current affairs. Also, the fact that they also provide updates on careers and education is indicative of the fact that The Voice encourage their target audience to engage with the world around them and use it to their advantage - to better improve their lifestyle in the long run.
Enigma codes are created through the way that the main headlines are written on the homepage. The direct questioning (e.g. "What's the Play?" - Young Dolph article) encourages the reader to question what the article could be about - which in turn makes them more likely to read the article.
These items in the sub-menu bar reflect the various interests of the Afro-Caribbean community that this publication is aimed towards. The fact that the lifestyle section also includes news on "fostering and adoption" suggests that The Voice community are not only invested in improving their own lifestyles, but are also encouraged to improve the lifestyles of others around them.
Challenge
This is a simple news story but I think that it covers the idea that for a long time, black communities have often been underrepresented - in the media and in the areas where they may live. For example, not having access to the food and home-cooking that they are used to may actually emphasise how little they feel they fit into their society.
Encouraging the black community to adopt a positive attitude and create positive changes in their lives, regardless of any negativity that they may be surrounded by. Encouraging their readership to engage with a healthy lifestyle rather than settling for a lifestyle full of bad habits.
Again, this article is indicative of the Voice's attempts to represent the black community in a positive light. Also, by having black celebrities such as Danai Gurira being recognised and given important (leadership) roles in the society encourages the more local black communities that they too can do impressive things to better the community.
Positioned to view the representations of black people in the Voice website as refreshing and positive - an attempt to dispel the once dominant representation that Black Britons were "estranged and external from the imagined community that is the nation." Audiences are encouraged to view the Voice as a means of promoting the idea of community, rather than the idea of viewing black people as a helpless minority - for example, highlighting the successes of Black people across the globe (from Amandla Stenberg starring in The Hate U give, to Nadine Ijewere being the first black female to shoot a cover for Vogue Magazine).
Negotiated
Gender
Age
Health
I think the Voice was originally designed as a public service tool - a means of giving those in the black community a platform to express themselves and be represented through (dispelling this concept of double consciousness).
I think that it has increased the potential outreach for products like the Voice. I think this is because people are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of gaining an insight on multiple perspectives, and because they can access the content easier now it makes it easier for niche products like the Voice to receive more recognition
The Voice, founded in 1982, is the only British national black weekly newspaper
operating in the United Kingdom. It is owned by GV Media Group Limited, and is
aimed at the British African-Caribbean community. The paper is based in London
and is published every Thursday.
The first issue of The Voice was printed to coincide with the Notting Hill Carnival in August 1982. Its cover price was 54 pence, and was only sold in London. The Voice offers a strong contrast to Teen Vogue with significantly lower production values across its digital operations – website design, video content and social media. However, the growth of digital technology means that the Voice can effectively compete on the same playing field as Teen Vogue, albeit targeting a niche audience. Watch this video on influential black women in business and compare it to Teen Vogue’s video content – similar in ideology but very different in production values (note the view count too): The Voice was launched to cater for the interests of British-born black people. Applying Gilroy’s work on “double consciousness”, it could be argued that the Voice was launched to give black audiences an opportunity to see the world through their own eyes rather than through the prism of white, often-racist mainstream British media.The Voice: industries The Voice is owned by a Jamaican media organisation the Gleaner company and published in Britain by GV Media Group. It is a significant contrast to Teen Vogue and the international giant Conde Nast.
The Voice: case study blog tasks
The first issue of The Voice was printed to coincide with the Notting Hill Carnival in August 1982. Its cover price was 54 pence, and was only sold in London. The Voice offers a strong contrast to Teen Vogue with significantly lower production values across its digital operations – website design, video content and social media. However, the growth of digital technology means that the Voice can effectively compete on the same playing field as Teen Vogue, albeit targeting a niche audience. Watch this video on influential black women in business and compare it to Teen Vogue’s video content – similar in ideology but very different in production values (note the view count too): The Voice was launched to cater for the interests of British-born black people. Applying Gilroy’s work on “double consciousness”, it could be argued that the Voice was launched to give black audiences an opportunity to see the world through their own eyes rather than through the prism of white, often-racist mainstream British media.The Voice: industries The Voice is owned by a Jamaican media organisation the Gleaner company and published in Britain by GV Media Group. It is a significant contrast to Teen Vogue and the international giant Conde Nast.
The Voice: case study blog tasks
- Menu bar - depicts the range of topics that the newspaper covers (from Sports to education)
- Sports
- Entertainment
- Lifestyle
- Careers and Education
- Elite nations/people - does cover some celebrity news (e.g. news relating to Cardi B's split from Offset). Using celebrity-based news stories acts as clickbait, but is also relatively relevant because it educates the audience about the celebrities that they may be intetrested in
- Continuity - the ongoing news coverage of the progress of black communities and how they are attempting to overcome the racial prejudices that are still present in society today.
- Balance - covering hard news alongside soft news - for example, information relating to university and future careers directly next to articles about Cardi B and other celebrities.
- Health
- Food
- Fostering and Adoption
- Female
- Travel
- Relationships
- Competitions
- 10-year-old cooking sensation recognised by PETA
- World Aids Day: why women's lives matter
- Usain Bolt: "I don't think that London has proper Jamaican food"
- Will Smith opens up about relationship with eldest son
- Reflecting black youth in a positive light rather than as aggressive individuals - e.g. the 10-year-old boy who was recognised by PETA for his cooking skills/talents
- Black men and women taking on significant leadership roles - interviews with Michelle Obama and Amandla Stenberg.
- Usain Bolt: "I don't think that London has proper Jamaican food"
- Tips on Taking Control Of Your Life
- Black Panther Star appointed UN Goodwill ambassador
I think it's interesting that this photographer's work is typically focused on identity ad diversity, and is "informed bu her own personal experiences." Again, the fact that Vogue has taken this particular approach to photographing their front covers, shows that they are attempting to represent a wider demographic and show a range of perspectives rather than a single conservative one.
The production values of this video are of a higher standard compared to some of the other videos that The Voice have produced. There are basic cuts and the sound quality is better compared to their previous videos, but again the production values aren't as professional or high-quality compared to Teen Vogue.
The interview covers content such as the Black Lives Matter Campaign, natural hair and finding your voice - things that I think that the Voice audience would be able to identify with well. Finding your voice fits with the Voice's ideologies as it was set up during a time where black people in Britain were oppressed and felt as though they were isolated and couldn't celebrate their ethnicity and express their opinions freely - the Voice newspaper dispels this idea of double consciousness by allowing black people to listen to their narratives through their own voices rather than via another person.
This feature is all about supporting black businesses, rather than just buying from the large chains. This article links to the idea of Black Atlantic identity because it's about helping black business-owners to earn a living for themselves in a place where it may be difficult for them to do so. It also suggests that buying from/supporting black homegrown businesses will actually prove more satisfying for both the owner and buyer as you'll be directly helping someone to grow their business etc.
- Surveillance (Uses & Gratifications, Blumler & Katz) - learning about the community around them and how the black community is progressing as a whole, for example flourishing in sport; politics; film etc.
- Personal Identification (Uses & Gratifications, Blumler & Katz) - being able to relate to some of the content expressed in the stories on The voice website - for example, content relating to victims of gang violence/the coverage on Sterling's commentary on racism in football and his endurance of racist remarks being made towards him.
- Continuity (News Values, Galtung & Ruge) - the fact that there's a tab for the Windrush generation highlights that The Voice covers news stories relating to this topic on a fairly regular basis and that they often link/have a common thread between them.
- The Windrush 70 tab - shows that it's aimed towards those who have experienced the issues of immigration and being forced to leave Britain despite working here for years - isn't something that the entire readership would be able to relate to, it's very specific.
- The banner advertisements - "Africa from London & Manchester" - again showing that The Voice audience are likely to have family in other countries and are also likely to have moved to Britain from regions such as South Africa.
Preferred
- The Voice is highlighting black british people, the struggles they face and the success stories that they have come across.
- Typically positive representations of the black community but there is a lack of political news - a lot more clickbait; raises questions as to whether or not the Voice is actually effecting change.
- By solely focusing on the Black community, the Voice is actually singling out black people and making them more externalised rather than making them included in the community around them - still heavily focused on the negatives
- Females are highlighted in a positive way - portrayed as professional individuals attempting to become involved in a variety of career paths
- Portraying the black youth as creative individuals attempting to make a difference in their community rather than the typically negative portrayal of young black males (aggressive,violent etc) - i.e. a 10 year old boy being recognised by PETA for his talents in cooking
- Discusses sexual health, general health issues, diet/lifestyle related content on things that are usually not covered in as much detail - i.e. Women with AIDS etc.
- The interviews offered with different influencers - i.e. the Amandla Stenberg interview surrounding her role in The Hate U Give
- The Voice's twitter feed has a lot more clickbait compared to the twitter feed for Teen Vogue
- Does have a lot less text in the actual tweets - very image/video based
Homepage
Go to the Voice homepage and answer the following:
1) What news website key conventions can you find on the Voice homepage?
- Menu bar - depicts the range of topics that the newspaper covers (from Sports to education)
2) How does the page design differ from Teen Vogue?
It is different in the sense that while Teen Vogue adopts a more minimalist approach, The Voice seems to have a homepage that is a more saturated with information. There are more news stories organised in a more "montage" style format, which allows a range of news to be communicated to the reader in a short period of time.
3) 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?
The menu bar includes:
- Sports
- Entertainment
- Lifestyle
- Careers and Education
4) Look at the news stories in the Voice. To what extent does the selection of news stories fit Galtung and Ruge’s News Values theory?
- Elite nations/people - does cover some celebrity news (e.g. news relating to Cardi B's split from Offset). Using celebrity-based news stories acts as clickbait, but is also relatively relevant because it educates the audience about the celebrities that they may be intetrested in
- Continuity - the ongoing news coverage of the progress of black communities and how they are attempting to overcome the racial prejudices that are still present in society today.
- Balance - covering hard news alongside soft news - for example, information relating to university and future careers directly next to articles about Cardi B and other celebrities.
5) 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.
Enigma codes are created through the way that the main headlines are written on the homepage. The direct questioning (e.g. "What's the Play?" - Young Dolph article) encourages the reader to question what the article could be about - which in turn makes them more likely to read the article.
Todorov's theory of equilibrium can also be applied to some articles - for example, the articles praising the black community ("Hundreds turn out to support lack businesses at The Voice fair") may act as The Voice attempting to restore a new equilibrium in society where black people can be viewed as equal to other social demographics in society.
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?
- Health
- Food
- Fostering and Adoption
- Female
- Travel
- Relationships
- Competitions
2) What are the main stories in the Lifestyle section currently?
- 10-year-old cooking sensation recognised by PETA
- World Aids Day: why women's lives matter
- Usain Bolt: "I don't think that London has proper Jamaican food"
- Will Smith opens up about relationship with eldest son
The Teen Vogue Lifestyle section seems to have more general news such as technology related news and updates as well as decorating ideas and then more relevant news stories such as advice on campus life etc. On the other hand, The Voice appears to have a wide range of posts in the Lifestyle section to suit their audience's different views on what their lifestyles boil down to.
4) Do the sections and stories in the Voice Lifestyle section challenge or reinforce black stereotypes in British media?
Challenge
- Reflecting black youth in a positive light rather than as aggressive individuals - e.g. the 10-year-old boy who was recognised by PETA for his cooking skills/talents
- Black men and women taking on significant leadership roles - interviews with Michelle Obama and Amandla Stenberg.
- Usain Bolt: "I don't think that London has proper Jamaican food"
- Tips on Taking Control Of Your Life
- Black Panther Star appointed UN Goodwill ambassador
Feature focus
1) Read this Voice Lifestyle feature on the first black photographer to shoot the cover of Vogue magazine. Why would this appeal to the Voice’s audience?
I think that this article would appeal to the Voice's audience because it reflects the progress that the black community has made since the Voice was initially established in 1982. The Fact that a black woman from South-east London has been given the opportunity to photograph such well-established celebrities for a traditional magazine such as Vogue also reflects the fact that a traditionally white magazine is becoming more accepting and inclusive of other ethnic groups.
I think it's interesting that this photographer's work is typically focused on identity ad diversity, and is "informed bu her own personal experiences." Again, the fact that Vogue has taken this particular approach to photographing their front covers, shows that they are attempting to represent a wider demographic and show a range of perspectives rather than a single conservative one.
2) Read/watch this Lifestyle interview with The Hate U Give star Amandla Stenberg. How does the interview reflect the values and ideologies of the Voice? What do you notice about the production values of the interview?
The production values of this video are of a higher standard compared to some of the other videos that The Voice have produced. There are basic cuts and the sound quality is better compared to their previous videos, but again the production values aren't as professional or high-quality compared to Teen Vogue.
The interview covers content such as the Black Lives Matter Campaign, natural hair and finding your voice - things that I think that the Voice audience would be able to identify with well. Finding your voice fits with the Voice's ideologies as it was set up during a time where black people in Britain were oppressed and felt as though they were isolated and couldn't celebrate their ethnicity and express their opinions freely - the Voice newspaper dispels this idea of double consciousness by allowing black people to listen to their narratives through their own voices rather than via another person.
3) Read this feature on ‘buying black’ for Black Friday. What does this feature tell you about the values and ideologies behind the Voice? Does this viewpoint reflect Gilroy’s theory of the ‘Black Atlantic’ identity?
This feature is all about supporting black businesses, rather than just buying from the large chains. This article links to the idea of Black Atlantic identity because it's about helping black business-owners to earn a living for themselves in a place where it may be difficult for them to do so. It also suggests that buying from/supporting black homegrown businesses will actually prove more satisfying for both the owner and buyer as you'll be directly helping someone to grow their business etc.
Audience
1) Who do you think is the target audience for the Voice website? Consider demographics and psychographics.
I think that the target audience for The Voice mainly consists of Black British people - typically of Afro-Caribbean backgrounds. This is clear through the content covered as well as the adverts - e.g. advertisements relating to sending money across the world (i.e. to Ghana, South Africa etc). This highlights the fact that a lot of the The Voice audience would be part of the wind rush generation and also parallels to Gilroy's theory relating to the black Atlantic and diaspora. Also, the fact that the layout of the website appears less sleek and modern in design could indicate that The Voice has a typically older target audience compared to Teen Vogue.
2) What audience pleasures are provided by the Voice website? Apply media theory here such as Blumler and Katz (Uses & Gratifications).
- Surveillance (Uses & Gratifications, Blumler & Katz) - learning about the community around them and how the black community is progressing as a whole, for example flourishing in sport; politics; film etc.
- Personal Identification (Uses & Gratifications, Blumler & Katz) - being able to relate to some of the content expressed in the stories on The voice website - for example, content relating to victims of gang violence/the coverage on Sterling's commentary on racism in football and his endurance of racist remarks being made towards him.
- Continuity (News Values, Galtung & Ruge) - the fact that there's a tab for the Windrush generation highlights that The Voice covers news stories relating to this topic on a fairly regular basis and that they often link/have a common thread between them.
3) Give examples of content from the website that tells you this is aimed at a specialised or niche audience.
- The Windrush 70 tab - shows that it's aimed towards those who have experienced the issues of immigration and being forced to leave Britain despite working here for years - isn't something that the entire readership would be able to relate to, it's very specific.
- The banner advertisements - "Africa from London & Manchester" - again showing that The Voice audience are likely to have family in other countries and are also likely to have moved to Britain from regions such as South Africa.
This content may resonate with the Voice's audience as it is likely to be somewhat relatable/reminiscent of some of their past experiences. For example, for those who were involved in the Brixton riots/witnessed the injustices present during this time period would be able to make parallels between these current events (i.e. Raheem Sterling reporting on racism in sport/the narrative of The Hate U Give) and what they have experienced in the past.
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’?
I think that the quality of the Voice's content and their production values is reflective of this idea of mass amatuerisation. Because of the increased availability and access to digital media/the software necessary to produce content, no real training or professionalism is required to make videos - this allows more content to be produced but also decreases the quality of it. For example, the video interviews held by the Voice are of a lower standard compared to Teen Vogue's. While this is reflective of the differences in the money behind each institution, I think it's also indicative of how mass amateurisation is becoming more prominent.
Representations
1) How is the audience positioned to respond to representations in the Voice website?
Positioned to view the representations of black people in the Voice website as refreshing and positive - an attempt to dispel the once dominant representation that Black Britons were "estranged and external from the imagined community that is the nation." Audiences are encouraged to view the Voice as a means of promoting the idea of community, rather than the idea of viewing black people as a helpless minority - for example, highlighting the successes of Black people across the globe (from Amandla Stenberg starring in The Hate U give, to Nadine Ijewere being the first black female to shoot a cover for Vogue Magazine).
2) Are representations in the Voice an example of Gilroy’s concept of “double consciousness” NOT applying?
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 seems to capitalise on the fact that the majority of its readership/audience would originate from another country - particularly places in Africa/the Caribbean. This is highlighted through the use of banner advertisements promoting sending money to other countries. This directly relates to Gilroy's theory about "liquidity of culture" as it emphasises the sense of displacement that some Black Britons may feel as their families are likely to still be in their countries of origin despite them being in Britain - their identity has come from travelling to multiple countries rather than it solely being based on where they originate from.
4) Applying Stuart Hall’s constructivist approach to representations, how might different audiences interpret the representations of black Britons in the Voice?
- Constructivist approach: isn't one specific meaning as concepts do haveshared meanings that can be open to interpretation.
Preferred
- The Voice is highlighting black british people, the struggles they face and the success stories that they have come across.
Negotiated
- Typically positive representations of the black community but there is a lack of political news - a lot more clickbait; raises questions as to whether or not the Voice is actually effecting change.
Counter-Hegemonic
- By solely focusing on the Black community, the Voice is actually singling out black people and making them more externalised rather than making them included in the community around them - still heavily focused on the negatives
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.)
Gender
- Females are highlighted in a positive way - portrayed as professional individuals attempting to become involved in a variety of career paths
- Portraying the black youth as creative individuals attempting to make a difference in their community rather than the typically negative portrayal of young black males (aggressive,violent etc) - i.e. a 10 year old boy being recognised by PETA for his talents in cooking
- Discusses sexual health, general health issues, diet/lifestyle related content on things that are usually not covered in as much detail - i.e. Women with AIDS etc.
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?
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?
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?
- Youthlink
- Western Focus
- The Flair Magazine
- The Financial Gleaner
- The Weekly Gleaner (UK)
4) How does the Voice website make money?
Through advertisements - they sell space on their website to promoters who need the advertising space.
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?
They are typically fixed adverts. This shows that the Voice has quite a basic level of technology and that compared to most modern websites, the Voice is a lot less sophisticated. The fact that they don't use the consumer data to create specific/personalised advertisements suggests that the Voice are unable to operate at a technology level that high/they do not have the funds to do so.
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?
I think the Voice was originally designed as a public service tool - a means of giving those in the black community a platform to express themselves and be represented through (dispelling this concept of double consciousness).
7) What examples of technological convergence can you find on the Voice website – e.g. video or audio content?
- The interviews offered with different influencers - i.e. the Amandla Stenberg interview surrounding her role in The Hate U Give
8) How has the growth of digital distribution through the internet changed the potential for niche products like the Voice?
I think that it has increased the potential outreach for products like the Voice. I think this is because people are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of gaining an insight on multiple perspectives, and because they can access the content easier now it makes it easier for niche products like the Voice to receive more recognition
9) Analyse the Voice’s Twitter feed. How does this contrast with other Twitter feeds you have studied (such as MailOnline or Teen Vogue)? Are there examples of ‘clickbait’ or does the Voice have a different feel?
- The Voice's twitter feed has a lot more clickbait compared to the twitter feed for Teen Vogue
- Does have a lot less text in the actual tweets - very image/video based
10) Study a selection of videos from the Voice’s YouTube channel. How does this content differ from Teen Vogue? What are the production values of their video content?
- Production values are of a lower quality compared to the videos of Teen Vogue
- More simply shot/edited
- They receive a fewer views (some videos have less than 100 views).
The diverse range of content covered in the menu bar highlights The Voice's ability to cover a wide selection of news to provide their readership with a well-rounded perception of current affairs. Also, the fact that they also provide updates on careers and education is indicative of the fact that The Voice encourage their target audience to engage with the world around them and use it to their advantage - to better improve their lifestyle in the long run.
Enigma codes are created through the way that the main headlines are written on the homepage. The direct questioning (e.g. "What's the Play?" - Young Dolph article) encourages the reader to question what the article could be about - which in turn makes them more likely to read the article.
These items in the sub-menu bar reflect the various interests of the Afro-Caribbean community that this publication is aimed towards. The fact that the lifestyle section also includes news on "fostering and adoption" suggests that The Voice community are not only invested in improving their own lifestyles, but are also encouraged to improve the lifestyles of others around them.
Challenge
This is a simple news story but I think that it covers the idea that for a long time, black communities have often been underrepresented - in the media and in the areas where they may live. For example, not having access to the food and home-cooking that they are used to may actually emphasise how little they feel they fit into their society.
Encouraging the black community to adopt a positive attitude and create positive changes in their lives, regardless of any negativity that they may be surrounded by. Encouraging their readership to engage with a healthy lifestyle rather than settling for a lifestyle full of bad habits.
Again, this article is indicative of the Voice's attempts to represent the black community in a positive light. Also, by having black celebrities such as Danai Gurira being recognised and given important (leadership) roles in the society encourages the more local black communities that they too can do impressive things to better the community.
Positioned to view the representations of black people in the Voice website as refreshing and positive - an attempt to dispel the once dominant representation that Black Britons were "estranged and external from the imagined community that is the nation." Audiences are encouraged to view the Voice as a means of promoting the idea of community, rather than the idea of viewing black people as a helpless minority - for example, highlighting the successes of Black people across the globe (from Amandla Stenberg starring in The Hate U give, to Nadine Ijewere being the first black female to shoot a cover for Vogue Magazine).
Negotiated
Gender
Age
Health
I think the Voice was originally designed as a public service tool - a means of giving those in the black community a platform to express themselves and be represented through (dispelling this concept of double consciousness).
I think that it has increased the potential outreach for products like the Voice. I think this is because people are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of gaining an insight on multiple perspectives, and because they can access the content easier now it makes it easier for niche products like the Voice to receive more recognition
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