VAL McCALLA (1944- 2002) Publisher and Chairman of TheVoice

In 1982 The Voice newspaper was launched commercialy at Londons Notting Hill Carnival with its headquarters in Hackney.Val Mcalla's idea to set up a black community paper had grown to be one of the biggest black selling newspapers in Britain.

Val McCalla arrived in the uk from Jamaica in May 1959 at the age of fifteen. Within a year he joined the Royal Airforce. Due to a perferatted eardrum he was unable to continue his career as a pilot so he began working as an accountant bookeeper for the RAF instead. In the mid 60's he left the RAF and volanteered to work for The East End News, in his spare time. the paper soon ceased due to serious financial difficulties. Val took the initiative to set up his own newspaper and chose the black community (born or living in Britain) as its target audience.

The Voice is still the best known and widely read black newspaper selling around 50,000 copies a week. It now has 3 suppliments called The Journal, Woman 2 Woman and Admission. The latter gives you an insight and clear guide on internet technologies.

Sadly Val passed away in 2002. He will be greatly missed by many voice readers and friends.

 

Born
1944- Jamaica
Died
2002
1982
The Voice launched