Evaluation

In what ways does your Media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Before creating my magazine I looked at several different music magazines and the conventions they use, this helped to give me an idea of what I needed to include in my magazine.

My masthead is at the top of the page in the centre, which is where most magazines place their mastheads so they are easily seen. The masthead is the largest text on the page; this is another convention often used. The name of a magazine is something audiences recognise and identify with, therefore it is important that it stands out and why it is placed at the top of the page. I made sure it was a short catchy title that people would remember.

On my front cover I have also included a bar code, price, issue number and date; all of these things are conventions of magazines. I have made sure they are small because they do not add to the appearance of the magazine they just need to be included to make my magazine appear more professional.
My main photograph is of a successful pop band that have just had a hit single; they are the main feature in this issue so it is conventional to have them on the front cover of the magazine. The main headline cuts across my photograph and is the second largest text on the page after the masthead; “Masquerade revealed” leaves the audience wanting to know who this new girl band are and will make them want to buy the magazine and read inside.

Other headlines on the front cover also give snippets of what’s to come; this is another convention popular in magazines.

Contents pages often have small images on them, unlike the front cover; these small images will let audiences see what is coming up in the magazine. My contents page is different from any of the contents pages I previously looked at; it is set out like a contact sheet and includes several small images of the girl band Masquerade; however it is still conventional in the fact that it informs readers what articles are coming up and what page to find them on. The images are only small so they do not distract the reader’s attention from the text down either side of the page.

The layout for my double page spread is not how I had originally planned it; however I much prefer the layout I have now. On other double page spreads I had looked at when doing my research the image was the main focus of the page, with a large headline then the article written in a smaller text. My double page is set out in a conventional way like this. My image covers the full double page so it attracts the audience and clearly allows them to see “Masquerade revealed”.

How does your Media product represent particular social groups?

This particular issue of my music magazine represents young female adults, aged 16-22. I wouldn’t say my magazine was aimed at younger teenagers like many pop magazines; this is for slightly older females as it has a more sophisticated look about it as opposed to the bright and bubbly appearance of other pop magazines. The picture on the front cover is black and white highlighted with a small amount of colour adding to the sophisticated feel of the magazine. The females in the picture aim to represent the target audience. I said my magazine would be for both males and females, however this issue would attract more females, even though the colours I used, blue, purple, black and white can be neutral colours. Generally females are more into pop music than males; however I have included articles in the contents page that would appeal to both males and females. Not only do my images represent females who will be reading the magazine but also represent a typical girl band. They are all wearing dresses and are very attractive. The photographs have been taken in a sophisticated way but are not seductive; therefore they represent young women in a positive light.

What kind of Media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I think media institutions such as Bauer (formly Emap) or IPC would distribute my magazine. Both institutions have published many music magazines and are very established in the UK. My magazine is aimed at both males and females however I feel that it may appeal more to females as they are more interested in pop music. I would say Bauer would be best to publish my magazine; they have published many different music magazines such as, Kerrang, Q and mojo. Also magazines such as smash hits and Mixmag, both these magazines have a similar genre to my magazine. Therefore Bauer are used to publishing magazines of this genre and for a similar audience. Bauer no longer publish Smash hits or Mixmag which means there is a gap in the market for a magazine with a pop genre like mine.

Who would be the audience for your Media product?

I think the audience for my magazine would be mainly females. Before creating my magazine I said that it would be for both males and females. However generally females are more interested in pop music, though my magazine is also based around R&B and dance music which could be associated with males more than pop music would be. Furthermore my magazine also has images of a girl group throughout which not only represents girl bands but also females. This will attract young adult females to read the magazine because their social group are being represented on the cover and in the magazine. I believe my audience will be mainly females aged 16-22, SEG C2, C1 and B.

How did you attract/address your audience?

It was important that I attracted the right audience. In order to do this I had to make sure that my audience where represented in a positive and respectable way. I decided that the main feature of my magazine would be a girl band called Masquerade, the idea of the band is that they are hidden behind masks and have decided to reveal themselves in this issue of Connected. This will attract my audience because they will want to see the girl group revealed and see what they are like as people. I made sure I represented them in a positive way; they are wearing modern dresses that contrast with the old fashioned masquerade style masks. They are not wearing anything too revealing or seductive. This will attract more to females because they would not be interested in a girl group that wear “slutty” clothing. Also I have included articles about events such as T4 on the beach which will address young adults because they are interested in this type of events whereas younger teenagers will not be.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

I have learnt a lot about the technologies that can be used to help create a magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread. I have used programmes such as Microsoft Publisher and Adobe Photoshop. I used both these programmes in my preliminary task but by using them again for my main task it enabled me be able to use them more confidently. I now know about both programmes in greater detail. I hadn’t used Photoshop at all before the preliminary but have used it a lot when creating my magazine; I used it to edit all my photographs. I used layers to help make my colour picture on the front cover black and white but keep certain parts of it highlighted in colour, I also took out the red eye on Photoshop for my image on the double page spread. I was then able to help others if they needed help because I felt confident enough to use Photoshop without the assistance of others. I had used publisher several times before this task for other things such as leaflets and posters however I had never designed a magazine using it. I am not normally very confident about using computers but feel that my knowledge of the different technologies has expanded through the production of my magazine.

Looking back at the preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Since starting the preliminary task I have learnt a lot, I feel I have learnt the most from doing my main task but would not have been able to carry out my main task without doing my preliminary exercise. I used the skills I learnt during the preliminary task to help me with my main task and it allowed me to expanded my skills further. Not only have I learnt how to use all the different technologies which I mention above I also learnt how to publish my work on a blogger. I did a lot of research prior to creating my music magazine; this helped me when it came to making it but also means I have learnt a lot about the music industry which will also helps me with my exam work.

Double Page Spread

Above is the image of my finished double page spread. I wanted to keep it very simple and just use one image. I therefore made my picture spread across both pages. I picked an image where my models didn’t have masks on and each band member could be easily seen so that the group are “revealed”. I also made sure my image was in colour as I had already used a black and white image on the front cover. I liked this image because of the way my models are posed; the photograph is very balanced and pleasing to the eye. It therefore does not draw your attention to any of the models in particular but to all at the same time. I also liked the setting of this picture, it was taken in an old fashioned tram, this contrasts well with the modern day dresses. Like I mentioned previously on my blog I had many difficulties with taking my photographs and this has meant this image is a little grainy and could have been of a better quality. However I do believe it could have been a lot worse and the quality of the picture cannot be changed on adobe Photoshop. Even though the photograph is grainy I still believe it was the right image to choose for my double page spread as it is in colour and allows you to see each band member very clearly.

The layout of my double page spread is very different from my planned layout which I did previously on my blog. Not only did the picture go across both pages instead of just one and a half, I also placed the headline and article across the bottom of the page and in the centre, instead of down the right hand side. I decided to place them like this because they fit around my picture which I think looks very effective. For my main headline I used a fancy writing font which fits in with the Masquerade theme and is very delicate. My headline is in purple which again carries on from the front page.

I placed my article along the bottom because I felt that placing it down the side would have cut out two of the band members so by having it across the bottom means it isn’t cutting anyone out. I used a small simple font in white which stood out against the background. Some of the writing in the first paragraph is bold so it stands out more, this is typical of a lot of magazine articles, and it gives a brief description of what is coming up in the featured article. There wasn’t much room to write a full article so I placed an arrow on the end which indicates that the interview continues over the page. Some magazines do this with their main articles; they have more than one double page spread on a featured artist meaning it carries onto other page. Another thing I included on my double page spread are the names of each band member and placed them next to their photographs, this goes with part of the “revealing” the girls and their identities. I really like the layout of my double page spread and think it looks really effective with the text fitting around the picture meaning it doesn’t draw your attention away from the image too much. However one thing which I did not think through and would change if I was to re do it would be the style of writing on the headline. It is very delicate and if this page was to be folded in half it would make it very difficult to read what it says. Therefore maybe it would have been more appropriate to use a bolder font which was clearer to read.

I am pleased with the outcome of my front page, contents page and double page spread. My music magazine was supposed to represent pop music and I believe my magazine represents this and 100% of people on my poll agreed that pop music is the genre represented in my magazine. One thing that I would maybe change is the colour scheme for my magazine as it is perhaps not appropriate for my genre and could be thought through more thoroughly. However 71% of people when asked thought my colour scheme was appropriate for my music genre. Overall I feel I have produced a good front cover, contents page and double page spread that all work well together and 100% of people agreed that they did.

Contents

Above is my finished contents page. I stuck to my plan for my contents page and changed very few things. I had so many pictures from my photo shoot and wanted to incorporate as many as possible so I decided to place them onto a contact sheet. Contact sheets as used by editors of magazines to help them decide which images to use so I thought it tied in very well with my magazine. I took a normal contact sheet and placed my images onto it; I then scanned it into my computer and used it as the background for my contents page.

I kept the same colour scheme as the front page, purple, blue, black and white. I believe this makes my magazine look more professional as I have carried my colour scheme on to this page. I also used the same bold font from my mast head for the word “Contents” so that it clearly stood out at the top of the page and ensures readers know which page it is. The rest of the text on the page is letting the audience know what is coming up in the magazine, and not just what is on the front cover but also other articles that will be included. I used a large front for my page numbers and a smaller, simpler font for the description of what is included on that page. When writing descriptions of what the articles where about I put a key word first in bold and then went onto to describe.

I placed the text on the opposite sides of the page to what I said I was going to on my plan; this is because I wanted to cover as few pictures as possible. Therefore I decided to place my “Also featured” section to the left hand side so that it covered the blank black section at the bottom of my page. The pictures are fairly small and quite difficult to see however I still think my contents page works well. It is different from any contents page I have previously looked at in my research. If I was to change anything I would make my images slightly larger and perhaps include more tasters of articles coming up within the magazine, however I did not want to cover too many pictures.

Front Cover

This image shows the final product for my music magazine front cover. Several things have changed from the layout I had previously created; however the majority of things have stayed the same.

I decided to call my magazine “connected” as I thought this would be the most suitable title. The name “connected” links with the idea of musical instruments being connected to amplifiers, and the artists themselves being connected with their fans. I placed the headline at the top of my page in the centre where it will be most noticeable; this is a typical convention of a magazine. I used a bold font, which I downloaded from 1001freefonts.com. The website had lots of fonts to choose from but I chose one which I knew would stand out. I used a deep purple colour for my masthead as it is neutral colour. Although it is slightly more associated with females. My magazine is aimed at females however males may want to read the music magazine as well so it was important for me not to use a colour such as pink.

The picture is the main focus of my front cover, which is another convention of music magazines. I wanted to pick a picture for my front cover where the models had the masks on so that they were hidden behind them and their identities still unknown. This would entice the target audience to buy the magazine to find out who the girl band are. The image I used was originally in colour however after looking at other images of different girl groups in my research, I decided to make my picture black and white and leave the dresses and masks in colour so they stood out. I edited my photo in Photoshop; I added another layer to make it black and white then rubbed out the parts I wanted in colour. I believe my image works very well on the front cover, it stands out especially due to the fact that only some of the photograph is in colour.

My main headline is in colour so that it stands out compared to the rest of my headlines which are in black and white. “Masquerade revealed” links in with the fact that my models are wearing masks to hide their identity. I placed it more towards the bottom of the page but in the centre, so that it went across my image but not right through the centre of it as this would distract attention from the main focus of the image. I chose an older more fancy style font so that it linked in with the masquerade theme. I used a pale blue colour as blue and purple work well together, however I could not use a dark blue as this with blend in too much with the blue from the dresses and would not stand out as much. Underneath my main headline I have a sub headline “The truth behind the masks” this informs the target audience that inside the magazine all will be revealed.

My other headlines are in black and white, they are still noticeable but do not stand out as clearly as my main headline. I did not place them where I said I would on my layout. In my layout I placed them both down the left hand side of my magazine, however when it came to creating my magazine I realised this would not be possible as it would cover the centre of main image if I placed them down one side. Therefore I put one on either side so that the headlines fitted around the image.

Also on my front cover I have included a barcode, issue number, date, price and website. They are all small in comparison to the rest of the things on my page however they are only there to help make my magazine more professional and realistic so therefore it doesn’t matter if they don’t stand out as much as everything else. Overall I think my front cover is very effective; the picture and headline stands out how I wanted them to as does the masthead. I believe my magazine would attract the attention of my target audience. The headlines used are interesting ones and would entice audiences to want to read on.

Photoshoot

The girl band featured in my music magazine is supposed to be a new group that have just had a hit single. The photographs will be the main feature of the magazine so it was important to me that they were done to a good quality and everything was thought through. I asked my models to all wear dresses but made sure they were all going to be in different colours. After researching different magazines and photographs of other girl bands I had a few ideas for my photographs. The double page spread from rock sound, which I analysed earlier on in my blog, gave me the idea of having the band wearing masks. Also the girls aloud picture with the old fashioned style setting and dresses gave me the idea to have masquerade masks and an old fashioned setting. I therefore decided to take my photographs in the transport museum so I could take pictures on the trams and down the cobbled streets which surround the museum. It would have been too hard to get hold of old fashioned style dresses and not very appropriate for a new girl band so I made sure my models wore modern dresses to contrast with the masquerade masks and old fashioned setting. I took a lot more photographs than I needed as I knew some of them would not turn out how I wanted; therefore I made sure I had plenty.
However the task of taking my photographs was more difficult than I at first imagined. I only had a small hand held camera that does not take pictures as well as a specialist SLR camera. Before I went to take the photographs I had to ring up and ask for permission to take the photographs in the museum. They said it would be possible for me to go in and take some however it would have to be on a day that it was open to the public. Therefore when I was taking my pictures it was very difficult as many members of the public where around so I had to try and make sure my pictures didn’t get any other people in. Also the lighting was very dull in the museum and I had a very limited time to take my photographs as I could not stay in one place too long and interfere with people viewing the museum. Baring in mind all the things I had to overcome I believe my pictures turned out very well, a few are a bit dull or a bit grainy, however I feel they could have turned out a lot worse baring in mind all these factors.
There are too many photographs to post on my blog so here is a small selection which I am considering placing within my magazine.

For the main image on my front cover I wanted a photogrpah where the band have their masquerade masks on so that you could open the magazine to find out who they are revealed. Here are a couple of pictures I am taking into consideration for my front cover.

The next few images are ones that I think would be suitable for my double page spread. I want a picture that is clear and allows you to see each memeber of the band clearly and minus their masquerade masks.

Here are a few images that I do not think would be right for my front cover or my double page spread. However I feel they would be really good to have as small images on my contents page as there are a variety of shots and poses, some staged and some more natural.

Ideas for my photographs

I looked at several different photographs and album covers of different girl bands because I wanted to get inspiration for my photographs. The main feature of my magazine is going to be a new girl band so therefore I thought it was important to look at popular mainstream girl groups.



I like this image becuase of the way the colour stands out against the black and white background. I had already decided that my models would wear dresses, each a different colour, but now I might think about making the main image on the front cover black and white but keep the dresses in colour. I think this is very efftective and will make the picture stand out more which is important if its going to be on the front cover because is has to draw the attention of the audience.

This image has a low angle camera shot which makes it look like you are looking up at the subjects. In a lot of pictures taken of girl bands the artists have a really intense stare which draws your attention to the picture and makes you imagine they have some power over you. I like the abandoned setting this picture has been taken in, it is quite plain but gives the image a bit of edge.

I really liked this image of Girls Aloud and it helped give me inspiration for my photographs. The dress style is old fashioned and makes the photograph look really different from all the other images taken of girl bands. It is very eye catching having them wearing something like this, moreover the shot and pose are very simple with the singers standing in a straight line; however the effect that is created looks very professional.

This is another image of Girls Aloud but this time it is a album cover. This drew my attention because of the way individual shots of the girls have been placed together to create one image. I feel this would work for my double page spread or contents page. I could take individal pictures of my models and place them together to create one image. This allows each member of the band to be seen in a clear and imaginative way.

Layout for double page spread

The majority of double page spreads I’ve looked at from magazines, such as Rolling Stone and Hip Hop Connection, have been very plain and simple; with the image on one side and the article on the other. They normally have just one image on them; however the image is usually a large one that takes up either one or both pages. My main image will be placed over one and a half pages, this will mean the image is large and clear. I will then put my headline down the side of my second page; I will make sure my headline is in big bold font so it is clear to read. I will then place my article underneath in a small simple text. My article will be an interview with the band which will reveal more about their music and their lives.

Layout for contents page

My contents page isn’t really based on any other contents pages I’ve looked at previously. I wanted to find a way to incorporate as many pictures as possible, so I will include more pictures from my photo shoot with “Masquerade”. I will set them out in a contact sheet, these are used when editors of magazines are choosing which pictures to use. There are normally about 20-30 photographs on a contact sheet so this will be a perfect way of making sure I have lots of photographs. Also it will be different from any contents pages in other magazines I’ve looked at. I will then place a list of features of things coming up in the magazine down the side of my page; however this will be in a simple, clear font so that my page doesn’t look too cluttered.

Layout for front cover

This is a rough layout for my front cover; I will use this as a template so I know where to place things when it comes to piecing my magazine together. I used the research I had done on other music magazine to help me decide where to place things. I don’t want my front cover to look over crowded and liked the minimalistic look of the Hip Hop Connection magazine.

Masthead
I will place my masthead at the top of the page so that it is easily noticed and will attract my target audience. I knew my magazine was going to be based around pop music so had to think of an appropriate name for my magazine. I didn’t want a long title; I wanted something short and snappy. Here are a few ideas that I came up with:-

Connected this links with music instruments being connected to amplifiers and the artists themselves being connected with their fans.

Network when I was thinking about this title I was inspired by the way the music industry distributes their music, through a network of music shops, magazines, the internet and radio.

TMG (The music generation) this title could be aimed at any age, it would be up to the person reading the magazine if they were the music generation.

Rhythm this title has an obvious link to music and would maybe appeal to someone involved themselves in creating music, whether professionally or in an amateur way.

Sound bite is something that represents the whole of something in a short and snappy way. This title uses the word sound which obviously links with music but in a more general sense conveys a meaning of lots of information being given in a simple way.

Main image and Main Headline
I will place the main image right in the centre of the page; images are normally the things on magazines that draw the attention of the audience first. Therefore it is important my image is a good and eye catching photograph. I will position my main headline through the centre of the page and make sure it links in with my main image. My main image is going to be of a new girl band called “Masquerade” who have just had a number one hit but have had little media attention up till now and will be giving their first big interview to my magazine. I will make sure my image represents a successful girl band so that my magazine will appeal to the right target audience.

Sub headings and plugs
The subheadings and plugs will be tasters of what is to come in the magazine and will help attract a larger audience. If the main topic was not of interest then one of the other articles mentioned in the subheadings could appeal to the audience instead. I will place the sub headings down the side of my front cover and make sure they don’t obstruct my main picture. Also I will include a barcode, price and date as these are all conventions that appear on all music magazines.

My music genre

After researching and looking at several different magazines which have different music genres, I have decided what genre my music magazine will be. I have chosen for my magazine to be based around R&B and dance music, however its main music genre will be popular music. A lot of music magazine that are out at the moment are mainly based around either indie or rock music. Therefore I decided that my magazine would have a different music genre that I feel would have a large audience.

The audience for my magazine will be 16-24 both males and females; anyone who is interested in that music genre. My magazine will include interviews with different artists, reviews on different albums and singles, latest music events and the charts. Popular and R&B music such as, Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo and The Pussycat Dolls etc are all artists that are widely listened to and have top 40 singles. All of the artists mentioned before would fall into the genre of my magazine; therefore I know it would have a large audience.

My magazine will feature a new girl band that have a number one single so will be well recognised by the audience. It will include photos from a photo shoot with the girls and the main article will be an interview with them. My magazine will be light-hearted and fun which will help make it appeal to a larger audience and be an enjoyable read. I think the most suitable publisher for my magazine would be E-map as they publish a wide variety of magazines and have published magazines of a similar genre to mine, such as Smash Hits and Mixmag.

Music Magazines- Double page spread

This double page is taken from Rock Sound magazine. Most double page spreads have similar layouts. There is normally only one main image; however the picture is usually on either one page or spread across both. When someone buys a magazine they might not read every page and instead just flick through, glancing at the photographs. Therefore it is important to make sure the images used are eye-catching, if an image is eye-catching then the readers are more likely to read the article that accompanies the photograph. Articles that appear in music magazines are usually interviews with the artists or information about them and their music. Music magazines do not tend to have gossip about artists like magazines such as “heat”.

This double page is typical of most double page spreads in music magazines. The main image is covering one and a half pages, it is in colour and features the band “Leathermouth”. The photograph is very eye catching as three out of the five band members are wearing rabbit masks. The masks hide their identities and makes the band more interesting as people will want to discover more about the people behind the masks. It is a very tactful way of getting people to read the article instead of just flicking through and looking at the images. They are all stood in a line and the man at the front isn’t wearing a mask; maybe he is the lead singer as his identity is known and he is stood at the front. Also there are American flags in the background which suggests the band are from America.

Down the left hand side of the page is an article which talks about the band, how they started and how they became successful. The text is in a small, simple, black font, there is a fair amount of writing but not too much; if there was too much text audiences would not want to read it as too much text can look daunting. There is a pull quote which talks about "My Chemical Romance", who are a successful band and if readers see the name they might be intrigued to read the article to find more information about the band.

The main headline says the bands name in a black font. The font is quite a different, unique style which links in with the band themselves. The headline could have been a lot larger and spread across the double page but instead it is placed just to the side of the picture, above the text. Also at the top of the page in both corners it says “Exposure, the best new music” this shows that the band are new on the scene and the magazine have a lot to tell the readers about them.





This double page spread is from Rolling Stone magazine. It is very different from the double page spread I analysed from rock sound. Like most double page spreads the image is the main focus; however there is very little text on the page so the image is defiantly the main focus. The image is of the band “The Killers” and covers the full double page. The shot used is a very simple shot; it is a medium close up. It allows you to see every member of the band very clearly. The picture is in black and white which makes the page look very minimalistic.

The headline is very large and is placed down the left hand side of the page. Even though it is not in the centre it still stands out. “The killers inside” suggests to me that maybe on the pages to follow it has more articles on the killers which allows you inside their lives. There is such little text on the page, apart from the headline there is a sub headline which suggests what is coming up in the article. However there is no article, therefore it must continue over the page.

Even thought there isn’t much content on this double page spread it still draws the attention of the audience. It drew my attention because it is so different from any other double page spreads I have previously looked at.

Music magazines - Contents pages

This contents page is from NME magazine of which I previously analysed the front cover. This page is just as busy and vibrant as the front cover was. There are lots of different parts to the contents page so it is difficult to know where to look first, maybe this suggests to the reader that there is a lot going on inside the magazine with many different stories and articles. Along the top is the NME logo which was also on the front cover; however it is slightly smaller than on the front cover. Next to it is written “This week” so readers know that it is the contents page. Even though lots of things jump out at you from the page the most noticeable thing is the advertisement in the middle of the page telling you about “10 acts for the New Year” this will make readers want to read on inside to find out who the magazine is supporting.

Down the left hand side of the page is a band index, with a list of bands and artists and what page number you can find them on. There is a long list with lots of different artists; this shows the audience that there is a lot inside the magazine and not just one style of artist but several different music genres all in one magazine; however the majority of them are indie style bands and singers. Down the right hand side of the page is a piece about Tom Clarke from The Enemy and who he is voting for in the NME awards. Underneath his votes it says “Vote now” and then the NME web address; this will entice readers to go onto the website to cast their vote.

Also on the contents page it has a “Plus” section which tells readers of other articles coming up in the magazine that wouldn’t be under the “Band index”. There are not that many pictures on the contents page, only a couple of small shots, the majority of the page is text most of which is quite small enabling them to fit a lot of information onto one page. There is also an advertisement at the bottom of the page telling readers about subscription to NME magazine, this will tempt readers to subscribe in order to get money off. The contents page of NME magazine has lots of enticements to encourage people to use other NME commodities such as the website and subscription service.

I have looked at another contents page from a previously analysed front cover but this time it is from Hip Hop Connection magazine. Compared to NME contents, HHC’s contents page is very bare, more minimalistic; this reflects the cover style of HHC. The contents page has a white background which adds to the minimalistic feel. Down the right hand side of the page it says “features” and then lists some of the things coming up in the magazine along with the page numbers. The text isn’t particularly large and is in plain black font, keeping it all looking very smart and neat. The page numbers are in red, meaning the colour theme from the front cover (black, white and red) has been kept running through into the contents page. Whereas on the NME magazine there was not a colour theme, a large variation of colours where used. A lot of the features in the magazine are very diverse, from the Prodigy to Ice Cube. As well as articles about artists other articles are featured such as “Hate it or love it” and “Quotes of the year”.

Down the left hand side of the page there is a picture of 50 Cent, it is a medium/long shot. The photograph takes up a half of the page therefore making the page appear simple and uncluttered. He is wearing dark clothes so the picture fits in with the colour scheme that has run throughout the pages. Like the picture of Lil Wayne on the front cover, 50 Cent is staring straight into the camera giving an air of confidence and also portraying the bad boy/rapper image. I much prefer this layout to the one of the NME contents page, I think it looks much more professional as it is not overcrowded and just tells the audience what they need to know about where to find the articles they want.

Music Magazines - front covers

To help me create my music magazine I decided to analyse a number of different magazine front covers from different music genres. I made sure I looked at different genres to get an idea for layouts and conventions used; this will help me decide on a genre for my music magazine.

NME

The first magazine cover I looked at was NME (New Musical Express). NME is a popular music magazine and had been published weekly since march 1952. During the 1970’s it became the best selling British music magazine and was the first British paper to include a singles chart. Over the years NME has changed its music genre, in the 60’s and early 70’s the magazine saw the development of rock music and this replaced the pop style music. By the late 70’s punk music was on the scene so NME tried to include this in the magazine. Now the main genre of NME is indie music although other genres are include like rock, hip-hop and R&B. The NME magazine is targeted at younger adults who are interested in different styles of music. It is aimed at both males and females aged 16-25.

The first thing that I notice about the magazine is the masthead, it is in the top left hand corner in bold red writing with a black and white outline; this helps emphasise the masthead and makes it stand out more. Even though the masthead is made to stand out it is not as big as mastheads on other front covers. The front cover is so busy this draws the attention away from the masthead. It has lots of different pictures, headlines and colours which make the front cover so vibrant.

The main picture on the cover is a picture of Florence Welch from Florence and the machine, this is her recording name and also a collaboration of other artists who provided backing music for her voice. I haven’t heard of her before so had to research who she was on Google. Though I am sure she must be a popular artist for them to feature her as the main artist on the front cover. The picture takes up half of the front cover; it is just a medium shot of the singer. Even though the shot is simple you can tell it has took a lot of time to make sure she is in the right position, it shows off her tattoo on her arm. She has very pale skin and very red lips; also she has ginger hair which helps emphasis the English rose look. All of these things will be her style and her own icons; so when taking the shot all of these factors will have been taken into account and shown off in the best way possible.

There are also 6 other small pictures of other bands and artists. These images have been placed together to fill up the other half of the page. When I researched other magazines for my preliminary task most of them only had one picture whereas on this magazine there are 7 photographs, one main and six others. By having all these different pictures of different artists this will help show the audience what is coming up in the magazine. It shows that it is not just one type of artist that is being featured. Moreover the six small images are not instantly recognisable because they are so small; this might encourage people to walk towards the magazine rack to look closer to see what artists are being featured. Also by having all the pictures on the cover it makes the magazine very visual, this might help appeal to a larger audience.

The main headline goes through the centre of the page and is one of the first things you notice when you look at it. The headline is the only one on the front cover; again this is the opposite of most other magazines I’ve looked at previously. Most front covers would have only one photo and several headlines. This NME front cover only has one headline so that all the attention is drawn to the photos. The headline is on a bold yellow background which separates it from the rest of the page and makes it stand out more. It has a torn effect along the edge of the headline making it look as though someone has carelessly ripped at the page to revel what was underneath. This is maybe trying to portray a “young rebel” image which might appeal to the target audience. The headline says that the magazine includes 10 tips for 2009 and also says it is “The New Music Issue”; the target audience will want to buy this magazine because they will want to see what the “new” magazine is like.

Apart from the main headline there isn’t much text on the page. Underneath each picture is the name of the artist so audiences know who is being featured in the magazine. Also across the top of the page there is a strapline saying “The Killers”, they are a well known band so this is why they have placed this right at the top of the page in large text. Also on the page there are the usual magazine conventions; barcode, date, issue number and price.


Hip-Hop Connection

For my second music magazine I decided to look at hip-hop connection magazine. I hadn’t heard of this magazine before but decided to analysis it. Not only is it a completely different music genre to indie music but hip-hop and R&B is fast becoming one of the most listened to styles of music. I researched it on Wikipedia and found out some information about the Hip-Hop connection magazine.

Hip Hop Connection (HHC) is the longest running monthly magazine devoted entirely too hip hop. HHC has earned international recognition and its first issue was published in 1988. Prior to the first issue, the 'Hip-Hop Connection' was a telephone line that invited MCs to call up and record their own rhyme after listening to the best rhyme of the previous week. It has managed to survive the rapid decline of the magazine market and sold its two-hundredth consecutive edition in April 2006. The magazine looks at different music genres such as R&B and rap but its main genre is hip-hop. Its target audience is people who are interested in this style of music; I would say both males and females aged 16-25, a similar target audience as the NME magazine.

The layout for HHC is completely different to that of NME. To start off with the mast head is a lot larger, it takes up a third of the page and is placed right across the top. The text used is very simple; large bold block writing. It is white which again makes it very plain and simple. In the last P the word “connection” is written, this is not noticeable at first. It took me a while until I saw it, but the editors of the magazine must be confident that the target audience will know the name of the magazine without having to make the “connection” more noticeable.

The main photograph uses up all the space on the front cover and headlines are written over the top. This is done so there is no blank space but also if the photograph is this large it defiantly catches the attention of the audience. The NME front cover used several different photographs but HHC relies on just one to represent their magazine. The photograph is a simple close up shot of Lil Wayne but again it has been very carefully considered as to what he should wear etc. He has been positioned so that all his tattoos and jewellery are on show; these help represent the Hip hop genre. Also he has a cap on sideways; all of these factors together portray a bad boy/rapper image. Lil Wayne is staring straight into the camera giving an air of confidence.

The Main headline links in with the picture; it is very simple and just says Lil Wayne with another sub heading underneath saying 2008’s biggest superstar. The editors are confident that they have the biggest superstar of 2008 featuring in their magazine. It does not go right across the centre of the page but is to the left. However even though it does not cross the centre it still stands out very clearly.

All the headlines and their sub headlines are in the colours white and red. This keeps the front cover looking simple and makes it seem less crowded. The text used is a simple font but bold and stands out on the cover. The other headlines are all down the right hand side of the magazine; this keeps them separate from the main headline. One of the headlines just says 2008 but if you go closer and read the subheading underneath “albums, singles, quotes & people of the year” audiences will be keen to know who HHC considers to be “Top Dogs”. Also down the right hand side of the page is a list of different artists. This text is relatively small compared to the other text on the page and slants down; this will draw potential readers’ attention and make them go up to the cover to read whose name is featured.

Along the top of the magazine is a strapline saying free CD, this will instantly make readers more interested in the magazine and make them more likely to buy it; perhaps just for the free CD. Also the front cover has the usual barcode, date, issue number etc. The whole feel of the front cover is one of confidence; Lil Wayne is staring right into the camera, the writing is bold but simple and there are no embellishments. It is as if the publishers and editors are saying “We know who our audience are, we know they will want to buy our magazine, so let’s keep things simple.”

Smash Hits analysis

For my third and final magazine cover I decided to look at Smash Hits magazine. Smash Hits was a pop based music magazine aimed at children and young teenagers, aged 9-15. This is again a very different music genre from the previous music magazine covers I’ve looked at. Smash Hits ran from 1978 to 2006 and was issued fortnightly for most of that time. It was founded by Nick Logan, who previously published NME magazine; these two magazines are very different in music genres. Smash Hits was published in the United Kingdom by Emap. In the 1990’s the magazines circulation declined massively as a result of the BBC’s magazine, Top Of The Pops. Then Emap’s other teen magazine Big! stopped production; Big!’s main focus was celebrities and stars of television therefore when the magazine closed the celeb focus shifted over to Smash Hits. The magazine then became more of an entertainment magazine instead of focusing on teen pop. In February 2006 it was announced that the magazine would publish its last edition on 13th February due to declining sales. The name still carries on due to a spin-off digital television channel and a digital radio station.

The other two previous magazines I’ve look at have had similar target audiences however Smash Hits had a much younger target audience so therefore the language used was more light hearted and less technical. Also NME and Hip Hop Connection have had a higher male readership whereas Smash Hits has a higher female readership. The colours featured on the front cover of the magazine are noticeably lighter than those on the front covers of NME and HHC, giving the magazine a softer more light hearted appearance. The front cover is quite busy and has a lot going on; however this helps to draw the attention of the audience. The masthead is right at the top of the page, slightly to the left but is still the first thing you notice when you look at the cover. The text used for the masthead is very bold and has a black border around it which makes it stand out even more. The Smash Hits logo is very well recognised; however the publishers have chosen not to cover the masthead with anything, leaving it the most noticeable text on the page.

The main photograph is of Madonna, who is a very well known pop artist. Madonna has sold millions of records and is recognised worldwide. When the magazine was in publication Madonna was at the height of her fame and having her on the cover would defiantly have attracted the attention of the target audience. She is an idol for many people particularly teenage girls, who the magazine is mainly aimed at. The camera shot used is a very basic shot which is used on most front covers of magazines, a medium close up. The main headline cuts across the centre of the picture so it is clearly noticed but does not obstruct Madonna’s face. The headline is in two different texts, the “Madonna” part is in a big, bold, block text that stands out and the second part “RULES UK!” is in graffiti style writing. Graffiti writing is associated with teenagers so the publishers are trying to identify with their target audience.

Down the side of the cover are several different pictures with headlines underneath them about other popular artists. The artists featured on the front cover are Destiny’s Child, Westlife and G-Town. When the magazine was in publication all these artists were at their peak and would have been very well recognised by the target audience. By having the pictures along with the headlines makes the page very busy. The pictures are quite small therefore giving them the same effect as the pictures on front of the NME magazine; they will encourage people to look closer to see what artists are being featured and therefore tempt them to buy the magazine. Along the bottom of the front cover there are also names of other artists that are featured in the magazine, these again are big artists. The Smash Hits magazine has lots of different artists on the front cover, either their photographs or just their names. This makes the magazine very appealing to the target audience because many big stars are featured. Being able to attract such stars not only makes the magazine more popular but also reflects the importance of Smash Hits magazine.

Key Concepts

To help me look at how the media concepts can be applied to a music magazine, I used the acronym LIIAR; language, institution, ideology, audience and representation.

Language.
The language includes things like photographs and graphics. Also plugs, mastheads and typography. All these things are classed as the language in magazines. In many of the magazines that I previously looked at such as, heat and men’s health, the articles rely heavily on the written word. However publications such as NME rely less on the written word and more on conventions such as graphics and photographs to convey their message and attract their target audience. The language also includes the colour and the layout; the colour and layout of the picture, the colour and layout of the masthead etc. All these concepts have to be considered very carefully because publishers want to sell as many copies as possible so therefore have to make sure the language of their magazine is just right. I will make sure the language I use on my music magazine will attract and be suitable for my target audience.

Institution.
There are several different companies and institutions that produce music magazines. These companies have aims to make sure that when they publish their magazines they are giving audiences what they want. I have researched the main music magazine publishers to see which one would be most suitable to publish my magazine.

Emap is a British media company and was founded in 1947. Emap specialises in selling business to business magazines. However it has published many music magazines some of which it does still publish and others which it no longer does, such as smash hits and Mixmag. Emap does still publish music magazines such as Kerrang!, Q, and Mojo.

IPC Media is one of Britain’s leading magazine publishers with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year. The company publish a wide variety of different magazines; women’s weekly’s, leisure and specialist, men’s lifestyle and entertainment, women’s lifestyle and home interest. One of the magazines it does publish is the very popular music magazine NME.

Future publishing is a UK business and produces a variety of things such as, magazines and websites It also organizes events in a range of specialist sectors including games, technology, automotive, cycling, films and photography. It publishes more than 100 magazines including a few music magazines such as classic rock, rhythm and guitarist.

Ideology.
The main ideology for all magazines is consumerism. The more readers a magazine has, the better, therefore it is important to make sure the magazine includes features that will entertain the target audience. In order to do this for my music magazine I will make sure I include articles that I think will intrigue my target audience. For example; interviews with artists, upcoming music events, latest releases and current news of artists. When I have decided my music genre I can then start to think about who my target audience will be and make sure my ideology is suitable for them.

Audience.
The audience of the magazine will depend on what music genre my magazine is. Different music magazines have different audiences. For example;
NME has a circulation of 56,284 and a readership of 369,000. They have a large audience which is then split down into different categories so it is then easy to see who reads the magazine;
Male 61%
Female 39%
Average age 24
Working full time 52%
Working part time 7%
Still studying 29%
A, B, C1 65%

Mixmag has a circulation of 37, 139 and a readership of 276, 000. There audience is slightly different to that of NME but has similarities such as more male readers than female. Its audience is;
Male 72%
Female 28%
Average age 26

Representation.
Different representations are made depending again on the genre of the music. For example; Mixmag is a dance and clubbing magazine. Dance/ club music is associated with places like Ibiza and younger adults; therefore females in their early twenties in bikinis will be represented in this magazine. You wouldn’t find a middle aged man dressed in a suit in this style of magazine. In other magazines such as Hip Hop Connection, black males are represented because this is who most people would associate with rap and hip hop music. Therefore my representation will depend on what music genre I choose my magazine to be based on.

Foundation Portfolio- Main Task

For the main task we have to produce a music magazine. We have to research other music magazines and their media concepts; this will help us when it comes to creating our own music magazine. The things I have to include in my magazine are:

• Front cover
  
• Contents
  
• Double page spread

I also have to make sure I include planning, original text and a minimum of four original images, taken and produced by me.