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

2. There are many conventions of music magazines
including Mastheads, puffs, the contents page,
the front cover, straplines, central images that
have connotations to the genre of the magazine,
sans serif or serif text all depending on the style
of magazine, barcodes which have to be on the
magazine and brand identity.

3. The front cover has to include most importantly
a Masthead and a central image, which links
into the genre of the magazine and appeals to
the target audience. It is also important to
include cover lines so people know what to
expect within the magazine. They should also
include puffs to get people to read the magazine
and straplines for extra information about
what’s inside.

4. A typical contents page has a masthead saying
“contents”, it usually has at least two images. It
also uses subheadings and numbers to show the
target audience where things are in the
magazine and what is inside it. It also gives little
previews of some features in the magazine.
Sometimes it will contain a note from the editor.

5. A typical double page spread has a masthead
stating what it is about. It also usually has one A4
side of writing, and the other side an image of who
the DPS is about.
Typically the double page spread will be of an
interview with a band/artists, of continuous
questions being asked. Usually there are significant
quotes picked out of the interview and written in
large somewhere on the page, this is to get the
target audience to read on and be interested in it.
There are usually puffs as well, saying if they have
an album out soon and when.

6. I have included these typical conventions in my own
music magazine by using mastheads on all pages, a
central image on the front cover which relates to
the genre of the magazine, I have also used puffs
which say “win Global Gathering tickets” I have also
used a strapline, and cover lines on my front cover. I
have also listed on my contents page different
features and added in a ‘every week’ part. On my
DPS I wrote an interview with a new artist and used
a photo on one side of the page. I also used a quote
within it.

7. I have also made sure I have a brand identity of
Green and Purple colors and used them both on
my front cover and contents page. This is called
house style.