2. The target audience for my magazine is 16-18 year olds, therefore my analysis
will be focused on a range of music magazines which consist of different
genres of music, in order to gain an idea on the potential audience segments
I can focus my product at.
No only helping with the establishment of the target audience it gives me an
idea on the sort of forms and ideas the magazines consist of in terms of
actively engaging the potential audience of the magazine. I will gain insight
into content tailored to specific members of the target audience certain
things appeal to one person, whereas the majority may like something
different.
3. Here are some examples of my annotated
magazine covers.
4.
5.
6.
7. The magazines clearly all have focus on different audience
segments; Kerrang magazine focuses more on the music with less
focus on fashion and style more rebels of society. Whereas the top of
the top of the pops magazine focuses more on the fashion aspect
and on the life of the celebrity rather than the music they produce.
The target audience for the Top of the Pops magazine is clearly
young girls as the magazine focuses on issues which are apparent in
the young girls of today’s society, for example the image of Tulisa
with the quote ‘Boys Beware’ this signifies that the magazine is more
for girls as it denotes that boys should beware, however it connotes
almost the feeling for boys to be dared to read it therefore
suggesting that the secondary audience for the magazine boys, as
the headline is almost sexualised for the boys to read it.
The DJ magazine uses a very standard house style, suggesting a
serious target audience more interested in the content rather than
the design of the magazine; the use of informal also suggests that the
audience has a youthful side as it dance music, therefore appealing
to the target audience.
8. What is your post code?
17% 27% B27
B90
17% B25
B1
39%
£0-4,999
£5,000-£9,999
10% 17%
13%
£10,000-
20% £15,999
40% £16,000-
£19,999
£20,000 or
more
9. What is your gender?
How old are you?
15
19 and over 8
Values age
ranges
10 17-18 12
15 15 Series1
Amount Series1
15-16 10
5
0 10 20
0
Male Female Scale/amount
Gender of people
What is your prefered music taste/genre?
14%
20%
Rock
8% RnB
Pop
Heavy Metal
Dance
9%
Drum and Bass
25% Dubstep
5%
19%
10. Do you have an active interest in 5. If, yes do you read music
music? magazines?
Answer Yes
No 6
Yes or No
No 6
or No
Answer
Yes 24 Yes 24
Series1 Series1
0 20 40
0 20 40
Amount
Amount
If yes what would you normally pay for a music
magazine?
amounts
money
3 £5.00 7 Seri es1
Scale
2 0 14
Seri es2
1 0 9
0 5 10 15
Amount of people
11. What sort of magazine interests you the most?
20
Values 10 11
0 5 Seri es1
4
Top of the S1
Kerrang
Pops NME
DJ
Magazi ne
Different magazines
Should music magazines focus on the lives of the
artists?
Yes
48% No
52%
12. Do you prefer a music magazine that keeps up with
the latest trends and fashions?
33%
Yes
No
67%
Would you prefer a magazine which focuses just on
musical knowledge and upcoming albums?
20 15
15 Series1
Value
0
S1
Yes
No
Answers Yes/No
13. After carrying out my questionnaire I have gained insight into my potential target audience in
their preferences and whether they actually buy music magazines.
The survey shown, that both male and female act as potential audience as there was no overall
majority on either side just an even amount, therefore suggesting that my magazine can be
tailored to both males and females with articles and advertisements which directly meet their
needs. The majority of the people I asked were of the age range 17-18, therefore suggesting
that music itself is more appealing to the younger generation rather than older and younger.
More on the direction of the music magazine older ages would be more interested in musical
knowledge whereas younger generation want to know about the lives of the artists.
The most popular magazines were Kerrang and top of the pops and the most popular music
choices were RnB and Rock. This is a contrast in ideals as one side i.e. Top of the pops and RnB
can be considered what the majority consider to be mainstream. However on the other hand
we have Kerrang and rock music which is perceived to be no so much mainstream, therefore
giving that persona of rebel and outcast; making a fashion statement, Throughout my
production I aim to question these perceptions in order the challenge active members of the
audience on what they think is ‘mainstream.’
14. I posed the questions of income and postal area code I did not specify any particular
post code, but the most popular ones which people stated were: B27, B90, B25, and B1.
These are all of different economic status in terms of demographics, thus will have
different needs and perceptions on what they would like to see in a magazine 39% of
the people I asked lived at the postal area code of B90, this area is within the vicinity of
Solihull, thus suggesting that the potential target audience for my magazine is middle
class up coming people in terms type 3 of the acorn classification Expanding, therefore
suggesting that they will see content which is relatively well known and expensive.
My results show that just under 50% would pay £3-4 pounds for a magazine, this is the
average price for magazines anyway, therefore suggesting that the majority of the
potential audience are willing to spend a bit of money on a quality magazine. Thus
again linking to the demographics based on the post code of the area suggesting that
all potential audience member regardless of finical status can afford £3-4 pounds on a
magazine. Thus magazine content can be tailored to age range rather than the area in
which the audience may live.
More than 50% of the group of people around the bullring Birmingham I asked thought
that a music magazine should focus on the lives of the artist. This shows young audience
tendencies as when I analysed the Top of the Pops magazine it seemed to be more
focused on the life of the celebrity rather than music they produce.
However over 66% of the people I asked thought that the music magazine should focus
on new fashion trends, thus suggesting that my potential audience will be trendy in dress
and want to keep up to date with anything new that will be coming out. Thus, fulfilling
the need of affiliation for the audience to feel engaged fully in the magazine.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19. This is the image I intend to
use for the front cover of my
the image from a concert I
was present a local
underground gig, of a band
called Forever Fallen.
The image contains the
front man, and the lead
guitarist, the two leading
members of the band.
The important members
for the front cover of my
magazine
20. This image was taken by myself in a
studio while my friend was
recording a song with his drummer.
A solo drum session.
This image I will consider to use
for my magazine contents as a
potential for my a double page
spread article.
21. This image was of a local artist at a
concert I attended at the HMV
institute in March of this year.
22. This was a concert I attended
in March of this year, a solo
artist named Brad taking the
stage. An underground artist.
This is an image I may
use on the contents
page of my
magazine.
23. This image was again taken not from a
concert, but an event which took
place at the HMV institute with a few
underground artists.
This image will most likely be
used on the front cover of my
magazine or the double page
spread.
24. This is the main image for my double
page spread. I took this picture in
Birmingham City Centre.
A local busker, who I have seen
countless time in the past and he
gratefully gave me permission to
photograph him.
25. This image was again taken not from a
concert, but an event which took
place at the HMV institute with a few
underground artists.
This image will most likely be
used on the front cover of my
magazine or the double page
spread.
26. This is an image I took of at Sonisphere
Festival in the summer of 2011
I intend to use this image for
a review sort of thing on the
front cover.
27.
28. This shows how I
have edited the
picture to a grey
scale rather than
just a plain original
colour. This is a
scale which I may
use in my main
product.
29. This manipulation is showing how I have changed the brightness and contrast
of the image so it looks a bit brighter to show up his face a bit more. Thus I may
use this in my final production of my magazine.
30. This is the image for that I am going to use for the front cover of my magazine, you
can see clearly that from the original image taken there is not much difference in
terms of manipulation, however the brightness has changed.
• The reason I have done this
is so that the image is visually
more appealing and lighter on
a darker background to stand
out.
• The new manipulated
image will be used as my
front cover image of my
finished magazine.
31. This shows how I have edited this image
through the use of fireworks and changing
the colour of the image to greyscale for
effect.
32. This shows how I have edited the
images to suite my magazine
design and layout.
33. This shows how I am
changing the contrast and
brightness of the image to
make it look more
appealing.
34.
35. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real media products?
Through the use of Maslow’s hierarchy of
The aim of my magazine over
needs gave me an indication of the
anything is to challenge real media certain needs that I had to establish
products in an attempt to create before making my music magazine. For
something new. Since my magazine is example the need of self-esteem, I
a mix of two genres; Rock and Indie made to ensure that he content of my
this itself is an attempt to challenge magazine from the editorial to the
the conventions of existing magazines convention themselves all adding to the
as most magazines focus on one effect in order to give the audience a
sense of belonging and community
genre in particular. My magazine really when reading the magazine. In order to
tries to challenge the conventions put encourage them to actively engage
forward by existing magazines, with the magazine and buy future
however still focuses on the particular additions. In terms of development, from
needs of the audience. the analysis I have carried out on existing
magazines I have established certain
conventions within magazines, there is a
trend which in some cases I will follow to
ensure my magazine looks professional,
however I have challenged perceptions
with the use of conventions and certain
codes.
36. How does your media product represent particular social
groups?
My music magazine represents does not focus one social groups,
ad my magazine itself is called ‘Switch’ on the basis that it will
incorporate two different types of music Rock and Indie, thus the
age range for magazine is around 18-30, so it is a more mature
magazine appealing to youthful people, however a magazine
with very adult themes on musicians the younger generation will
be out of tune with. Based the demographics of an area
compared to the acorn classification, from type 2 to type 4.
Therefore the range of audience segments my music magazine
will vary as there is not one acorn classification that my music
magazine will directly establish, as the music tastes of my target
audiences will be that of variety open to all sorts of music genres.
37. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product
and why?
ibute my
might distr
ons which e or NME
of me dia instituti n g magazin
• The kind at of Kerra genre of
duc t w ould be th are of the
media pro utions both tribute my
. Th ese m edia instit e y might dis
magazine respect th b genres o
f music.
mu sic; in this su
rock/indie the same
it is under
gazine as
media ma
• However both NME and Kerrang are very specific in
their audience, focusing specifically on one
demographic for their main audience base, whereas my
media product is an attempt almost to take the best of
both, incorporate the two genres rock and indie, within
each pages which appeal to all audience types but
predominantly the older generation as articles and
interviews etc will be with artists unfamiliar with young
people of this generation.
• NME m
agazine in
with upco terms of fe
ming albu atures is v
ms, review ery
things whic
h make it s; tour date musically orientate
things and a success s competi d, focusin
there nee ful music m tions to w g on artists
audience ds to be c agazine. In in things e
whether it ertain asp my ma ga tc. All the
for a prod is layout o ects of th zine I hav se
uct to be r the actu e magazin e used sim
segments successfu al conten e that enti ilar
wa l, for exam t. There is ce the
content th nt to escape from ple the ne
ed of esc
a criteria
which mu
a t a ppe a the norma apism all st m e t
ls to both li
passive an ties of their own live audience
d active m s, I aim to
embers o d
f the audie o this with
nc
38. Who would be the audience for your media product?
Why – have you got evidence of them saying it appeals to them –
and why it appeals to them?
s
r t hi s i
son fo
e rea varied in
ar o lds, th very said
18 -30 ye red it was hich were
zine is nswe gs w
y maga ple who a ertain thin erent that u al
c e for m the peo ag ai nst c a nd diff
e on an e q
udien onnaire to go ething new y magazin ings which
r get a st i d
The ta n my que his I decide ate som s fo r m rtain t
h
base d o mt t ry t o
cre ience tion to ce
us fro t aud a
a nsw ers, th ionnaire to ntial targe e an indic
est ot e g av
on my qu both the p stionnaire ne .
als to er, my que agazi
appe owev the m
level.
H lude in
l l y i nc
po tentia
could
For exam
ple I ask
actively e d t he q
read an u
for the t d subscri estion what mu
arget au bed to a sic
range a dience particula the person liste
of m y m n
interest
s m y ma
gazine w edia pro r music magazin ed to and whe
in music ill duct. W e. This g ther the
and hav contain conten hich lea
d me t o av e m e
an indic
y
e a broa t which decide
d knowle will
dge of m appeal to peo on the 1 ation
usic on a ple who 8-30 age
whole. t ak e an
active
39. How did you attract/address your audience?
ng
of stro
use ty.
t he t he
ro u gh tion s oc i e a l
e th y ques nstream origin g
i e nc a ai an in
e aud s in a w ay’s m sed is ds look
ts t h oe od eu ar
at t rac that d nes in t h I hav ng upw
t i i
g a zine layou agaz of whic n, fac
ma da of m ge e ha
My ery an l style in ima att She
g a a
ima ention the m alled M .
v e e
con xampl inger c agazin
e s
F or e o f a f t h e m
g o
ima e style
h
at t
This inte
nd
is going ed connotat
to cha io
an artis nge mu n of this is tha
ts sic th
the que inging on stag as we know, e looking up a
stion of e b ut f r o m ts
simple which m to his fans. In first gla omething wh
qu agazin te n ich
existing estion on the e the a rms of my qu ce just looks li
surface udienc e k
used b
music m
agazin , howe e prefe stionnaire I as e
y ma g a e I was ve rred, th k ed
on this zines a
nd h able to r after my in d is is a v
er y
inf ga epth a
it best t ormation it wa ow they diffe in insight into nalysis
of
o use a s very e r in eac the co
order to n amalg qual in h ma g a nventio
amatio t er m s o z n
a p p ea
l to a w n of co f results ine./ Thus bas
ider ran nv , th ed
ge of a ention of all th erefore I thou
udienc ght
e segm e magazine in
ents.
40. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of
In t
e
Ad r m s o
o f
constructing this product?
pro be in techn
g D
rea ramm esign ologie
l s
pas first a es tha and P , the u
t t h
suc , how tempt t gave otosh se of p
c es e t o
sful ver ne o use my m p. The rogram
pro v s a
fess er as uch p gazine use o mes s
i on i r f u
al lo n dep ogram that p such p ch as
o k i n t h, t h me r r fi
gm us i s. I ofessio ofessi rewor
aga t ga have nal onal ks,
ve lo
zine
. me had e ok, it
t he xp w
too erien as my
l s to c e i
c r e n t he
at e
a
s hours
require
ing as it to make a
onsum
ry time
c rnt that earch
t was ve rch, I have lea nning and res he
produc nd resea rk pla sing t
r eat ing my in ga f pre-wo ry standard. U ated I
ess of c erms of plann s a lot o to indust usly st
The proc n in t e it require up I previo e insight
aratio l statur of work them a
s
ave m
of prep f professiona okin g piece ifficult to use ver it g
to
produc a professiona
l lo d it d s, howe
e s I foun ra mme
to ensu
re s at tim he prog
nologie ec t o f t
newer
t ec h tain asp
us e c e r ut u r e .
strug gled to in the f
se them
w I can u
into ho
41. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have
learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Preliminary
Task
Looking back at my preliminary task I have learnt a lot in progression to the
main task as the main task required much more time and technology
which is more advanced. For example to make the preliminary task I used
Microsoft Publisher was very limited in terms of design, layout and
manipulation of imagery, this however did not seem to be an issue with the
use of Photoshop as things came relatively easier in term of layout. The
main task required much more research and planning it was not something
which could be done easily it required a lot of hours to reach a high
enough standards whereas the preliminary required less work to achieve it
to a high standard.
