This is my analysis of a double page spread from a TV listing magazine, including the codes and conventions.

1. Analysis of a TV
Listings Magazine
By Eleanor Carter

2. Magazine logo: ‘TV Times’
Article
headline
Main image
Other
images
Captions on
images
Pull Quote
Drop cap
Captions
under each
person
Subheading/st
rapline
By-line
Q&A

3. Magazine logo: ‘TV Times’
• It is a convention of a magazine page to include the logo.
• The main purpose of the logo on the double page spread is to remind the
audience about what magazine they are reading.
• The logo ‘TV TIMES’ is likely to become known if it is repeated throughout
the magazine.
• They have also included the section of the magazine which the double page
spread belongs to- the ‘REALITY’ section. This gives the reader a clear
indication about what content to expect on this page.
• Therefore, it acts as a guidance for the reader as well as a way of the
magazine becoming known.
Here is an extra example of the logo being in
the left hand corner of double page spread
from ‘BUZZ’ magazine.

4. Main image
• Main images should be the focus of the page. They are conventionally very
large, and can sometimes take up a half of a double page spread.
• They vary in shot type. The type of shot used in this particular magazine
spread is a medium shot of a group of people.
• The amount of people used in a main image varies also, but is
conventionally one or two. Therefore, this particular main image is fairly
unconventional.
• The purpose of this image is to show the potential audience all the people
who are involved in the TV program. They are all smiling for the photo and
wearing their normal daily clothes- which will make the reader feel
comfortable and make the program seem more inviting.
This is another example of a main
image. As you can see it’s taking up over
half of the double page spread and is
therefore the largest item on the
spread.

5. Other smaller images
• Smaller images are a convention of TV magazines, placed in different
sections of the spread, like this particular article.
• The purpose of the smaller images is to add interest for the reader, as
they can view the images whilst reading the text- they are a visual
stimulus.
• The images also tend to link with the articles- e.g. images of people who
have written the article or people who are mentioned in the article. This
magazine shows images of people included in the program which the
article focuses on.
• Images can be placed within text or around the edge of the page.
This is an example of smaller images- as you
can see these images are placed around the
page and relate to the article.

6. Captions on images
• The purpose of captions is to state what/ who is shown in the image, as shown in this
article.
• Captions are a common convention on images. Credits can also be featured on images
to show who took the photograph. This magazine doesn’t include credits.
• Captions give the reader further information about the image, such as the person’s
name, age and where they are from.
• All captions are kept consistent, with the same font and color, and in this case, a box
around each caption.
Here is an example of captions used on the main image and
smaller images around the page. There is also a credit.

7. By-line
• The by-line is sometimes, but not always, used in TV listings double page spreads. In
this example, it is clearly used underneath the article.
• The purpose of the by-line is to reveal who has written the article and a way of
crediting them.
• It adds authenticity to the magazine.
• It is usually a journalist but, in a TV listings magazine, it can also be written by an actor
discussing their TV show or a director/producer. Here, it is a journalist.
• The by-line is usually in a different font or has an effect on the font to stand out from
the rest of the text.
This is another example
of a by-line placed at the
end of the article. As you
can see, this particular
by-line is in bold font to
stand out.

8. Q&A
• Q&A’s are commonly used in TV magazine double page spreads-
as actors and producers are interviewed about upcoming
shows/films.
• In this example, the questions stand out as they are in a different
colour to the article- red, and the names are in blue.
• The purpose of Q&A’s are to inform the readers about TV
programs or films, or getting to know characters/actors featured.
The readers will become more involved and be persuaded to view
the program or film.
• The Q&A will relate to the rest of the page, including the
subheading, headline and images.
This is an example of a
Question and answer
text. As you can see,
questions are in bold
to separate from the
answers and names
are placed before the
answers.

9. Pull Quote
• Pull quotes are conventional within articles on double page spreads.
• The purpose is to capture the reader’s attention and draw them to
the page, and the article in particular.
• The chosen quote is often from the most interesting part of the
article- which will make people want to read it.
• In this pull quote, it stands out by being blue and bold.
• The text in a pull quote is bigger than that of the article, and usually
larger than the subheading. It would be one of the first items on the
page which the reader would be drawn to.
This is an example of a pull quote. As
you can see, it is in large font, within
quotation marks and a box. The text is
the same colour as the article text,
maintaining the colour scheme. The
pull quote here is placed to the side of
the text.

10. Drop cap
• A drop cap is often used in articles- a large capital letter to begin
the text.
• The purpose is to indicate the beginning of the article in a way
which will attract the audience.
• As well as this, the drop cap looks professional in a double page
spread.
• Drop caps are usually in bold, and conventionally cover three or
four of the lines of the article. However, they are not always used.
• On this particular page, the drop cap is used conventionally as it’s
in bold font and is large, covering at least three lines of the article.
Here is another example of a drop cap. As
you can see, the letter is larger than the
article and is in bold font. It is taking up
three lines of the article, like the one which
I am analysing.

11. Subheading/strapline
• Subheadings are a common convention of double page spreads in TV magazines.
• They are placed underneath the headline.
• They attract the reader by summarizing the article/text in a concise way which will
interest people.
• They tend to be very brief and easy to read.
• In this subheading, they have used bold font for someone’s name- making it stand out
from the rest of the text.
• They have also put the program name in italics.
• The text is larger than the article, but smaller than the headline.
Here is another example of a subheading
which summarises the article and
introduces it in a way which will interest
the reader. It is in white writing, keeping
the text colour scheme consistent.

12. Article headline
• Article headlines are a main convention on TV listings double page spreads.
• The title very commonly is the largest text on the page.
• Sometimes, colours are used to make the title stand out even more. It should be one of
the main attractions of the page. As you can see, in this particular example, yellow has
been used to stand out. This differs from the colour scheme of the rest of the page.
• The reader is likely to notice the headline first.
• The headline is supposed to effect the reader in the way that it will make them
interested and want to read more. It should give the reader a clue about what the
double page spread is about but leave them guessing as well.
This is another example of a headline. It is
in bold font and stands out on top of the
main image. This particular example
follows the colour scheme of the rest of
the page, in white.

13. Conventions which this double page spread
follows (include text, layout, colour scheme)
• This particular example of a double page spread from ‘TV TIMES’ has conformed to
conventions as it uses a column structure. As well as this, the main image covers half
of the double page spread. The text used is conventional as it is an average size for
double page spreads. The article headline is the largest text, then the pull quote, then
the drop cap, then the subheading, and then the article text. This is the order in
which the reader should look at the items on the page. The article headline and main
image are the main attractions of the page.
• This analysis has enabled me to discover how to
apply the codes and conventions of double page
spreads to a TV magazine, by looking at a few
different examples of TV listings magazines. I looked
at the layout of the page and where items were
placed, as well as the sizing of items. I have also
studied the colour schemes and how to apply this to
my group’s double page spread. We are likely to
conform to many of these conventions in our spread.