This document is a portfolio evaluation for a media studies student named Sally McManus. It contains questions about how her media product uses or challenges conventions, represents social groups, might be distributed, and who the audience would be. The portfolio includes details on the colors, house style, masthead, cover lines, cover star, and how the audience was attracted and addressed through the use of a double page spread, cover star, and masthead.
2. In what ways does your media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
Colours used:
House style
Sally McManus
3. Mast head
Cover star
Cover Cover
lines lines
Direct
address
Barcode
Incentive
Sally McManus
4. Mast head
Cover
Cover lines
lines
Direct
address
Pull
quote Cover star
Main cover line
Images corresponding with cover
lines
Sally McManus
6. How does your media product represent
particular social groups?
Genre: Indie/
alternative
Age: 15-25
Sex: Male and female
Sally McManus
7. What kind of media institution might distribute
your media product and why?
IPC Media sell magazines such as NME and Uncut
Bauer Media sell magazines such as Kerrang, Heat and Q
Sally McManus
8. Who would be the audience for your media
product?
Sally McManus
10. How did you attract/address your audience?
Double page spread
Cover star
Mast head
Sally McManus
Editor's Notes
Follows typical conventions of new and already existing media productsBoth mastheads slightly covered by the cover starBold mast head consisting of two different colours, attracts audiences attentionCover lines down one side of the artist. Makes it easy to read and look uncluttered and simple.Targeted at a more niche audience as it doesn’t include lots of stories therefore challenging existing media products as it shows its unnecessary to use as many storiesContents page contains more than one image therefore challenging magazines like QEach story has a number next to it representing what page it’s on which makes it less cluttered and more simpleWeak fallow area on front cover contains incentive to keep peoples attention unlike the barcode on QThe double page spread has the same layout allowing pictures on one side and the article on the other
Within my front cover page it is very similar to the existing music magazine Q as both contain direct address from the main cover star, both have all cover lines down the left hand side and both mast heads are slightly covered by the cover star. Another similarity is that both magazines have contain red white and black in their colour scheme although Q also contain orange. One of the things that make my magazine unique and stand out against Q is that it contains an incentive which would persuade my target audience to buy my magazine instead of one from a company such as Q.
Again, like on my front cover. There are quite a few similarities between a contents page from Q magazine and one from SYNC. Both cover lines are again down the left hand side of the image of the cover star and both cover stars have direct address with the audience. However, on the contents page for my media product SYNC it contains many things that Q does not. It has a banner of images running along the bottom of it that correspond with cover lines, it also has a main cover line and a pull quote from the interview with the cover star. This would entice my audience to buy my magazine over Q’s as they would be able to see slightly what the main cover line is about and be interested to read more of it.
In my double page spread it is similar to that of a double page spread from Q magazine as they both have drop caps, the cover star on one A4 side of the spread and both contain the artist name, they both also have direct address from the cover star. However on my double page spread, unlike the double page spread from Q magazine, it contains a title and a kicker. By having these on my double page spread I believe it reveals a little more from the interview which would entice my target audience to read the rest of the article.
My media product is aimed at social groups of both male and female aged between 15 to 25 who like the indie/alternative music genre. All whotook part in my market research were mainlypeople of this description which gave me the outline for my target audience and roughly how much they would purchase my product for. Through the results from my market research I found that most of the people buying my magazine would be studentstherefore it would have to be low cost as they live off a budget therefore my magazine would cost £2. I also found that some people buy music magazine simply for the incentive therefore I decided to make it one of my priorities to include one within my magazine.
After looking at both publishing houses IPC Mediaand Bauer Media, I believe that IPC Media seems to be the more suitable company to distribute my media product. I came to this conclusion as they distribute magazines such as NME which is similar to my magazine SYNC as they have similar target audiences and the same main music genre which is indie.
From the results of my market research I realised most people prefer indie music to other genres therefore I chose the colours black white and red as these colour are used on other magazines such as NME when portraying indie bands. I also chose to list indie bands and artists in my cover lines as this would make my magazine appeal to my target audience.
A vast majority of the people who took part in my research decided that the cover star in the main attraction to the magazine and what makes them purchase it therefore I have chosen to have my cover star taking up most of my front cover and contents page.
To attract my target audience I kept a consistent house style throughout my magazine using the same colour scheme of black red and white as shown by my double page spread, mast head and cover star. The image of the cover star on the front page is also a portrait photograph which has direct address to any readers which would make them feel as though the cover star is looking at them and makes the magazine seem more personal.
