Louis Theroux's website provides insight into his successful style of participatory journalism. Though the design is outdated, the website shows how Theroux engages audiences through a diversity of documentary content presented on a scrolling page. It also demonstrates how he promotes his brand and builds cultural enrichment through social media engagement with followers, including the use of hashtags like #watchwithlouis.
2. General Overview
• This website is clearly outdated, as the general
convention for a modern and forward-thinking
website is a minimalistic design.
• However, this website will help with finding out the
tropes commonly found in a documentary’s website.
• Louis Theroux is a very successful participatory
journalist, so his website will give me an insight into
what makes him so engaging and interesting to the
audience.
3. Rolling screen that provides the user with a
selection of content to indulge in. Appeals to
a wider range of people, and connotes detail
and diversity.
Stylistic header - may be an intertextual
reference to the spy genre; connotes
seriousness and honesty. Helps to build a
brand identity and promote Theroux as a
person.
Border is a collage of photos from
previous documentaries, showing he has
a range of knowledge and skills. It might
be good for my website to include a lot of
photos / behind-the-scenes shots to
show that it has a high level of
intellectual content.
Layout of page
4. Showing amount of
followers conveys to the
viewer that he is an
esteemed journalist and
creator. Social media
also clearly plays a part
in his career, showing
how important it is for
him to engage with and
culturally enrich his
followers.
#watchwithlouis - hashtag created to allow
people to feel involved with a movement -
‘personal relations’ section of Uses and
Gratifications theory is fulfilled here. Would
be good to create a hashtag for my
documentary?
Including a section of his Twitter feed is
good use of cross-media convergence.
Including his tag (@LouisTheroux) furthers
audience engagement
Inclusion of social media
