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

2. Main
Image
Tune magazine cover
I have used my research of various existing and successful music
magazines to influence my idea used in my own magazine. I have noticed
certain conventions that successful magazines use such as a large
overpowering mid shot image in the center of the front cover with the
subject being a well-known, recognizable artist. The subject must be
displaying an appropriate representation for them and their music genre
by their pose, facial expression and the costumes.
A magazine I researched was Billboard, which is a successful chart
music magazine, in a particular issue they features the well-known pop
artist Rihanna representing her as a seductive red head which
Billboard magazine cover
corresponds with her recent music style. I have also found that most
successful main images have the subject showing eye contact with the
camera to connote a connection with the audience and to also catch their
eye.
Therefore I believe I have succeeded in using all of these methods in
my main image as it uses a seductive and mysterious facial expression and
pose which will intrigue the audience in what the subject has to hide and
what is in store with regards to her music. I also made sure not to us any
props within It is also a mid shot image to allow the audience to feel close
to the artist be to also be able to see her clothing and create a more
dramatic pose.

3. Masthe
ad
I also used my reaserch to create a good conventional masthead as I noticed that most music
magazines on the market, whatever the genre, have a basic, bold masthead at the top of the
cover. This allows it to stad out to the audience and to allow the audience to instantly know the
name of the magazine.
I got the idea for the font style of my masthead from the magazine ‘Vibe’ as in my opinion it
does the purpose of the masthead well and effectively, I also believe that this font looks stylish
and professional as it is a san serif font with no flicks or swirls on the end of letters so that the
reder will notice the title and be able to read it with ease. I also decided to make the masthead
Capital as this would differentiate it from Vibe magazine, however I do think that with the
masthead set in capitals it will be more effective and stand out more amongst the page, there is
also the fact that it has been proven capitals are easier to understand and read than lowercase. I
used a single space between each letter as in my opinion it makes the text easier to read.
I chose the title ‘Tune’ as this word connotes music which will link to the magazine and its
contents. I also believe that as it is a basic short ord that it will be catchy and memorable
meaning the audience will be able to recognise the word and therefore link it to the magazine.
Vibe magazine masthead
Tune magazine mashead

4. Layout
I also used my findings on how to layout the front cover. I used conventional
features such as the masthead, subheadings and main image and placed them
in appropriate locations on the cover to where they would be most effective at
fulfilling their purpose. For instance I used the method left side third to locate
the plug containing the compotition inside the magazine, I believe this was a
good place to locate this plug as it allows it to be more noticable and be read by
the audience. This will also be a convention which makes my magaine origonal
as this is a compotition made specificly and only for this magazine. I created my
cover chosing to only use simple conventions and making sure I did not
overcrowd he page as in my opinion this makes the cover look messy and
unprofessional.
I created the contents page similarly creating it in a fairly basic layout but
making sure that there were no empty spaces on the page to connote that the
audience are getting their moneys worth buying the magazine.
The double page spread was inspired by Q magazine as I incorperated some
of there ideas and mixed them with my own (keeping the magazine consistantly
original) to create the spread. I particuallly liked the colour scheme used in
some of their interview features however in my opinion they used too much
black and white on the page and not enough red therefore when creating my
own double page spread I features more splashes of red as I think this will make
it more entertaining, bright and appeal more to my target audience.
Tune magazine double
page spread
Q magazine double
page spread

5. Written
Content
The writen content in my magazine was also influenced by my research as I found by reading
existing articles and magazines and using them to decide on a language style which will be
appropriate and suit my target audience. As my target audience are females aged between 1120 and in sections D-E in the audience code, this means that the majority of them will be
students and could not be as educated as others. Therefore I chose to use fairly basic language
with not many interlectual or highly developed words. I hav used informal language as this is
more modern and will connote friendliness to the young target audience.
The text on the front cover and contents page show this as I have oly used the most
important text to back up the articles the text is representing.
The written language within the interview on the double page spread is very informal as the
interview was set as a casual chat and the artist being interviewed is also young, therefore has a
modern lingo using slang and informal language.
This is a setion from the interview with ‘Kai’ within her
response she demonstrates her personal language style,
especially with the use of the word ‘gonna’ which is modern
slang for ‘going to’. This also shows comfort as she has shown
herself to be comfortable with the interviewer being herself
and connoting that the interview is her genuine answers

6. People
Used
I chose the artists I used within my magazine carefully as it is essential that
the artists appeal to the magazines target audience as if not they would not
be interested in the articles and will not purchase the magazine.
All of the people I included within the magazine are popular music atists
wihin the magazines genre (chart music), therefore they will suit the
magazine and attract the target audience. The majority of the artists
featured are young females as this corresponds with the target audience
meaning they will be able to relate to them and be interested in what they
have done/have to say.
I also chose to include males, such as the well known boy band One
Direction, who are young and modern, currently doing well within the
music industry and are very popular with females. This is why I chose to use
this particular band within the plug compotition featured on the cover. The
audience would be interested in winning this compotition, therefore will
enter also getting themselves involved within the magazine and their
favourite artists.
The age range of the artists featured are very similar as since the
magazine is aimed at younger people, they will feel closer and more
appealed by people of their same age range. I have however included
artists worldwide as this therefore means that the magazine would attract a
larger range of inderviduals in oher contries and would be more successful
on the market.

7. Reflecting the
Genre
I managed to reflect the genre throughout my magazine by uing variou conventions and
features.
For instance the colour schemes I used were chosen speifically to show the purpose of the
page, to help the audience navigate round the page understanding it easily and to compliment
the artists featured. I used the colour scheme pink, black and yellow on both the front cover
and the contents page as I believe these colours work well together and connote girliness and
the music genre pop, which is ivolved within the large spectrum of chart music. I used the colour
scheme red, white and black. I changed this colour scheme as I believe this will make it more
entertaining fr the audience but also to suit the artists personality and music style of R&B and
rap, which is also involved within chart music.
The certain artists I used throughout the magazine also reflect the music genre as they are all
well known artists within the genre who the audience know and can relate the genre to.

8. Conclusion
Overall throughout my magazine I have both challenged and followed certain conventions of
a music magazine.
I created my magazine basing it areound the target audience, their wants and needs. It is
essential that what that would like to see and what would entertain them is included in my
magazine as if not they would not purchae the magazine thus meaning it would not be
successful.
I used my knowledge I found out from my research to influence me in following the
certain major conventions of a chart music magazine for instance when creating the main
images and the masthead. I did however challenge some conventions such as the colour
scheme. I did not follow a specific house style throughout my magazine as I believe this
would make it more entertaining for the target audience as I believe it would be too bland to
have a constant colour featured throughout the magazine. I also used a range of genres
throughout the magazine, this is not conventional however each of the genres featured I
believe still compliment the chart music genre. I also believe that this would make the
magazine appeal to a wider audience with articles that appeal to different indevisuals.and
give the readers a vaster variety of context which could broaden their music taste. This
would also make the magazine more successful with an extension of customers than just a
classical pop magazine.