AS Media Studies: Evaluation Question 1

1. Arlind Malat

2.  My media product is a rap magazine which uses and challenges the forms and
conventions of other rap and hip hop magazines. I was tasked to create a high
standard music magazine, and I chose to focus on the rap genre, because of its
popularity and simply due to my own preference.This allowed me to develop an
idea for my magazine front cover, double page and contents page which enabled
me to to proceed with my magazine production. Subsequent of my chosen
target audience, I had to research the different requirements of my magazine in
order for it to use the forms and conventions for a rap magazine. In doing this, I
was able to produce a high standard music magazine. Finally, I will be evaluating
my media product in order to assess whether my product has achieved my initial
proposal for a rap magazine, and to hopefully measure my success.

3.  I have chosen these particular magazines as the they all use, develop and challenge different forms and conventions of a
music magazine.The first magazine, ‘Hip Hop Connection’ is a famous music magazine which falls into my sub genre.
This particular magazine focuses on rap music and features an iconic rap artist, ‘Jay-Z’.The way in which the front cover
of the magazine is set up for its target audience of rap fans, is extremely beneficial for my own front cover. I chose my
second magazine cover, ‘Billboard’ because it is a worldwide known music magazine which is known for its unique forms
and conventions. It always challenges conventions of a music magazine, through its simplicity, despite it being a pop
magazine, I would find it useful to take on some of the elements used in this magazine. Lastly, the third magazine, ‘The
Source’ is solely known for its focus on rap which is relevant to my rap magazine for male students. I was able to analyse
the different elements of the front cover, and how it is effective in attracting its target audience, which I can utilize in
my own magazine cover.
Similar magazine covers which I have analysed:

4.  For my research, I had to analyse the graphic elements used in my chose music
magazine covers. I also had to analyse the audience profiling of the magazine
covers, as well as the generic codes and conventions. In doing this, I was able to
identify the different elements that would be required for my magazine cover.
 I was able to to show that codes and conventions are universal, but can change
subtly depending on what the brand is trying to connote to the audience.This is
the reason why I included a pop magazine, in order to identify the different ways
the codes and conventions are used to attract a different type of audience
compared to my audience of male students.
 Codes:These are the cultural signifiers that the audience understand such as a
rose connoting love.
 Conventions:These are the defining features of a type of media such as the the
masthead always going on the top left as traditionally everyone reads from the
top left

5. Analysis of magazine cover’s graphic elements:

6. The black background that is used is deployed in
my border, which blends well with the colours
used in my skyline. Also, the main cover line is an
acidic yellow, ‘Jay-Z’ which is really appealing for
the audience and is re-installed in my main cover
line which shows the the way in which I have used
the forms and conventions.
The two magazines have different house styles,
and I have used a different colour which deploys a
swagger to my magazine cover.The graffiti
further promotes rap music as it is more cultural
and conventional which shows how I have
developed and challenged the forms and
conventions of a rap magazine.
I have included a puff on my magazine which promotes a
‘Free CDVoucher Inside’ in a similar way to which Hip
Hop Connection promotes the content inside the
magazine in a circle shaped puff with text inside. Also, I
have used another puff informing of 4 posters.
I have challenged the forms and conventions of the
magazine cover I analysed by including a variety of
colours for the cover lines and the masthead.
My magazine’s front cover was highly influenced by Hip Hop
Connection issue of Jay-Z. It is a hip-hop magazine that
focuses on rap music in this particular issue which means the
same target audience as my magazine.There is a black and
yellow colour scheme on the magazine which I have tried to
implement myself including different colours such as, red and
white. Both models directly address the audience, and it is
apparent that I was influenced by this magazine to deploy a
serious and classy aura in my magazine cover.

7. The black background that is used is deployed in
my border, which blends well with the colours
used in my skyline. Also, the main cover line is an
acidic yellow, ‘Jay-Z’ which is really appealing for
the audience and is re-installed in my main cover
line which shows the the way in which I have used
the forms and conventions.
The two magazines have different house styles,
and I have used a different colour which deploys a
swagger to my magazine cover.The graffiti
further promotes rap music as it is more cultural
and conventional which shows how I have
developed and challenged the forms and
conventions of a rap magazine.
I have included a puff on my magazine which promotes a
‘Free CDVoucher Inside’ in a similar way to which Hip
Hop Connection promotes the content inside the
magazine in a circle shaped puff with text inside. Also, I
have used another puff informing of 4 posters.
I have challenged the forms and conventions of the
magazine cover I analysed by including a variety of
colours for the cover lines and the masthead.
My magazine’s front cover was highly influenced by Hip Hop
Connection issue of Jay-Z. It is a hip-hop magazine that
focuses on rap music in this particular issue which means the
same target audience as my magazine.There is a black and
yellow colour scheme on the magazine which I have tried to
implement myself including different colours such as, red and
white. Both models directly address the audience, and it is
apparent that I was influenced by this magazine to deploy a
serious and classy aura in my magazine cover.

8. Analysis of a double page spread and contents page:
The research involving the analysis of a magazine’s double page spread and contents page further widened my
knowledge and ideas for my own double page spread and contents page. I was able to deploy similar forms and
conventions as well as develop and challenge them through different graphic elements.

9. The similarities and differences between the double page spreads are obvious. For example, I have included an
image on the right side of the double page spread which shows how I have used the normal convention. I have also
used drop caps similar to NME’s double page spread further emphasising the use of forms and conventions.
However, I have not included an informing title for my double page spread, only the artists name and a message
from the editors. I have used a pull quote on top of the image unlike NME’s pull quote which anchors through the
text. I have included a pug as well which encourages readers to read on. My media product also challenges
conventions by including a skyline above my title, which gives the reader a sneak insight about the content on the
page. Also, I deployed a strict gutter between the three columns which are in line of each other, which also shows
how I have used conventions of a typical double page spread.

10. Analysis of magazine covers’ codes and conventions:

11. The direct addressing of both
models resembles their superiority.
They both anchor over the mast
head which shows how I have used
this particular form in effect.
Either masthead is the biggest text in the
magazine cover, which is appealing to
the audience as they instantly become
aware of the magazine they are reading.
The yellow colour carries connotations of
the models wealth, whereas the red
graffiti in my masthead connotes street
rap. Also, the background where brick
can be seen further emphasises a street
culture which shows a development of
forms and conventions in my magazine
cover.

12. My contents page on my magazine
included many forms and conventions
unlike the contents page from ‘The
Source’. In both magazines, there is an
inclusion of the main features within the
magazine.The page number is also
included in a conventional way in my
magazine, where it is located in the
bottom left. I have included a message
from the editor and different activities
that are taking place, unlike the ‘The
Source’, which shows how I have
challenged the forms and conventions of
a music contents page. I have developed
the forms and conventions by including
banners in my contents page and logos
on my page.
I did not take much inspiration from the contents page which I analysed but decided to include more forms and
conventions to present a more detailed contents page for the audience. My contents page is more informing
compared to ‘The Source’ which shows how I have developed the forms and conventions of a contents page. I
have used a colour scheme of black, red and white throughout my contents page which is similar to the colour
scheme on ‘The Source’. Also, I included a small image instead of taking up the whole background in order to give
the audience more information about the magazine.

13. In conclusion, my media product uses many forms and conventions of a rap
magazine but adapts according to my target audience to suit them. In this way, I
was able to develop and challenge forms and conventions by adding unique
elements or changing the layout and colour scheme. My magazine cover includes
different codes which connote to unique ideas about rap, such as the dark red
graffiti masthead mirroring street rap and the struggles of hostile environments.
My magazine effectively uses similar forms and conventions such as the masthead
being the biggest text in the magazine cover or the image being to the right of the
double page spread.This allowed me to produce a high standard music magazine
which would be able to compete with other music magazines such as the ones I
have analysed.