Media

1. How Does Your Media
Product Represent
Particular Social Groups?

2. The importance of social groups:
• Belonging
• Friendship/companionship
• Communication
• Support
• Society norms and roles
• Personality development
• Able to develop as an individual
• Transmission of culture
• Collective aims/goals
• Social control

3. I envisioned my audience, in my first coursework task to:
“Provide a suitable platform for an audience of both genders, although the magazine itself has a
feminine focus. The age I target for is 16-24, for all social classes. My target audience is young,
unclassified marital status. They are interested in music, social media and creating a better society.”
I feel this group of people, in general, lack something to consume in media, therefore there is a gap in
the market. To show this, I have made a diagram below to show us as consumers.
The consumer can decide to agree with the popular, there is an abundance of and it has to be popular
for a reason, thus they lack the need to search for something niche. However, some may feel a need to
be different and can search for something difference. As likes of my audience, they are doing this. They
could of just stuck with a male orientated, primarily lack of sexualities other than straight etc., instead
they can find my work and be able to see a new direction.

4. In my research, I created a Facebook group, within this Facebook group, I discovered
that my controlled audience were all part of the demographic, “youth squad”. This
entailed that they saw themselves as ‘mainstreamers’, ‘strugglers’ or ‘explorers’. They
were likely to be unemployed, funded by their parents or most unlikely, a part time job.
This question was most important, as it proves the lack of spendable income the target
will have, due to the lack they do not have it or are simple unable to waste it on things
like magazines. On another angle however, any income they do achieve is likely to be
spent on entertainment, as they will probably not have bills to pay or a family to
support. In the most unlikely scenario, they probably have to pay for their car insurance.

5. But this was not enough, I singled out two members of my chosen demographic, and
surveyed them personally on the attributes they wanted in a magazine. I asked them
7 questions key to the magazine. Below is the two videos in question. I also have a
blog post which explains in depth, the purpose and stance of the videos.

6. Provide a suitable platform for an audience of both genders, although the magazine itself has a feminine
focus. The age I target for is 16-24, for all social classes. My target audience is young, unclassified marital
status. They are interested in music, social media and creating a better society.
E.G: concentrates on eliminating prejudice, representing minority groups.
Why is this important to me and my work?
There is something I really personally feel there is a lack of in the media and industry and it is representation. In the
previous slide, I mentioned the NICHE MARKET and LACK OF theory and the consumers need for it. Therefore I choose
to include this. To prove my point, lets take a look at the past 4 covers for NME, Q and Kerrang, magazines mentioned
throughout my research and planning and evaluation.
NME – male
dominated,
proportional racial
diversity.
Only ONE female
included on the cover,
lack of racially diversity.
Male dominated completely, no racial
diversity whatsoever.

7. But why is diversity and representation important?
The words suggest why. Without this we eliminate a full
demographic and collection of people. Without this they are
scapegoated into buying something which does not completely
make them feel part of the brand/audience and it is alienating.
When filling the gap, we provide a social group, an important
part of media.
And… of course, its just right and correct to do so.

8. Provide a suitable platform for an audience of both genders, although the magazine itself
has a feminine focus. The age I target for is 16-24, for all social classes. My target audience
is young, unclassified marital status. They are interested in music, social media and creating
a better society.
Feminine Focus
This appears in my work as it has a female fronted cover, mostly in the central image.
This is much different to our usual precedent music magazines, this is mainly male
dominated. I do this as I believe:
It is important to showcase equality in the music business
This could be seen as a niche demographic due to the lack of precedent.
16-24
The cover models are young, in real life they are 17 (however in the magazine they
are 18).
Social Class
There is no real suggestion of social class or however, a social class alignment,
therefore this applies to all social classes.
Interests
The magazine is predominantly a music magazine, therefore the audience interest is
already covered for. The magazine suggests this in the banner, and the main anchoring
sell line. Social media links are provided in the bottom corner. The creating a better
society is explicitly used in the opposite corner, ‘Love Is Love Edition’. This is a slogan
used in the same sex couple rights movement. I thought to have a music magazine
focus on social issues would be fresh and informative and creating a personal link to
the audience. Everyone has a gender/sex/etc., a sexuality. I think this is personal to
myself and I really wanted to include this.

9. Provide a suitable platform for an audience of both genders, although the magazine itself
has a feminine focus. The age I target for is 16-24, for all social classes. My target audience
is young, unclassified marital status. They are interested in music, social media and creating
a better society.
Feminine Focus
This appears in my work as it has female image, three times.
16-24
The image models are young, in real life they are 17/16.
Social Class
There is no real suggestion of social class or however, a social class
alignment, therefore this applies to all social classes.
Interests
The magazine is predominantly a music magazine, therefore the
audience interest is already covered for. The magazine suggests this in
the contents sell lines which will be circled.
Again, along the bottom, one can see the social media links.
The better society is suggested in the highlighted focus.

10. Provide a suitable platform for an audience of both genders, although the magazine itself
has a feminine focus. The age I target for is 16-24, for all social classes. My target audience
is young, unclassified marital status. They are interested in music, social media and creating
a better society.
Feminine Focus
This features one female image, this is the same couple from the
front cover.
16-24
As other slide.
Social Class
As other slide.
Interests
The article features all aspects of the interests. Below is excerpts
from the article transcript.