This document provides a step-by-step progression of the preliminary task for a music magazine cover and contents page created by the student. It details 16 steps taken to create the front cover including adding shapes, images, text, and logos. It also outlines 19 steps for designing the contents page layout with headings, stories, photos and consistency of branding. The student provides research on the production process of magazines, declining sales trends in the music magazine genre, and establishes conventions and target audiences of Q and Mojo magazines for their project.

1. OCR Media Studies – AS Level
Unit G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media
Planning & Research
Name:
Candidate Number:
Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic School
Center Number:
Set Brief - Print
Music Magazine – Production
Preliminary Task Progression and
Planning & Research

2. Section 1) –
Preliminary Task

3. Preliminary Task Progression–
Evidence
Front Cover
Step-by-step
Step 1: I inserted a shape
to form the background
for the masthead
Step 2: I inserted the
barcode

4. Step 3: I then added the issue, date and
the price on the top yellow band to
present it neatly on the cover using the
text tool.
Step 4: Next I added the website for
the magazine to include some cross
media convergence.

5. Step 5: I typed in the masthead in the same
font as the date, issue, price and website to
maintain the brand identity of the magazine.
The font is MV Boli.
Step 6: I typed in the strapline on top of the
masthead to make it look professional and
able to be seen.

6. Step 7: I have added the idents of
Facebook and twitter for extended cross
media convergence.
Step 8: Next I inserted the St. Andrews logo
to enhance the magazines brand identity.

7. Step 9: To assert the brand identity
further, I added the masthead in
smaller version on top of the barcode.
Step 10: Then inserted a medium close up of
Mrs Spreckly, removing the background
using the quick selection tool and the
transform tool to resize so that it overlapped
the masthead

8. Step 11: I typed out the headline over
the image, moved the text over to the
jacket so that it was more readable.
Step 12: I then typed all of my cover lines in
keeping to the brand identity of blue and
yellow. The grey text is to make it more
readable.

9. Step 13: I added the shape that would
make up the puff promotion.
Step 14: I typed the puff promotion next.

10. Step 15: I then added the st Andrews
logo to the bottom right hand corner to
add to the brand identity.
Step 16: finally I inserted an image of an
Odeon voucher to complete the puff
promotion and the front cover.

11. I made the “win” have a blue stroke effect to make it
look mare professional.
I moved the puff
promotion up to fill in the
dead space in the top left
corner. Then to fill ion the
space that the puff
promotion occupied I
typed another cover line
from the contents page.
I cut part of the
text to make it
more catchy and
less cluttered.
I deleted and
replaced the shape
layers sop that they
fitted together
better without the
red line that
occurred before.
I made the word
“opinion” fit onto
one line so that it
was easier to read
and looked more
purposeful .

12. Preliminary Task Progression–
Evidence
Contents Page
Step-by-step
Step 1: I created shapes to
house the headings to
indicated the categories
of the stories.
Step 2: I then copied the
shapes twice using the
“duplicate layer” tool and
moving the copies into
position.

13. Step 3: next, I typed the headings in the
shapes to show the different categories
in he magazine.
Step 4: next, I inserted the st Andrews
logo onto the shapes to form the brand
identity.

14. Step 5: I inserted a shape at the top to
act as the background for the masthead.
Step 6 I copied the masthead from the
front cover by cli8king and dragging the
layer between the two documents.

15. Step 7: I typed out the
main stories in the “whole
school” section of the
magazine.
Step 8: I then typed out the stories
for the GCSE section of the
magazine.

16. Step 9: I then typed out the stories
for the “sixth form” section of the
magazine.
Step 10: I created the shape at the
bottom of the page to affirm the
brand identity and as a housing for
the issue, website and page number.

17. Step 12: I pasted the editorial from a
word document and changed “pupil
power "to the same style that I used
for the masthead.
Step 11: I added the st Andrews logo
at the bottom to further the brand
identity and act as a break between
the issue information and the page
number.

18. Step 12: I then added the editor
information such as the signature to
form a relationship with the reader.
Step 12: I typed and changed the drop
capital to make it big and sty Andrews blue
to make it stand out and keep the house
style of the magazine.

19. Step 13: I inserted the pictures that I
took around the school to accompany
the main cover lines.
Step 14: I then typed out the story
information to anchor the pictures

20. Step 15: I copied the picture of Mrs
spreckly from the front cover by copying
the layer.
Step 16: I inserted the social media link
from the front cover to present multi
media convergence.

21. Step 17: I inserted the
editor photo in the space in
the editorial and gave it a
blue stroke effect to
continue the brand identity.
Step 18: I typed the editor email
contact details to form a
relationship with the reader
because they have access to contact
me if they have questions.

22. Step 19: finely I inserted the
thumbnails top accompany the
cover lines.

23. I have changed the
colour of the “pupil
power” text to make it
readable but still in
keeping with the
masthead style.
I have moved the
image so that it
doesn't overlap the
editorial text.
I changed the
masthead text to
read “contents” so
that it indicates the
page better and in
the style of the
masthead.

24. Section 2) – Log Book

25. Music Magazine – Genre research
The production process:
1. Firstly they need to set a date of publication, once
this is set they have to work to get the magazine
ready for this time.
2. They now need to decide what will go into the
magazine.
3. They then gather the content through writers both
internally and externally. The artwork and graphics
are also worked on.
4. The sub-editor is commissioned to:
•Check the accuracy of all facts in the articles
•Make sure that words are properly spelled
•Make sure that grammar and punctuation are used correctly
• Make sure that all articles follow the house-style
•Work on the page layout.
5. They then have to layout all the pages using programs
such as InDesign or PageMaker.
6. Now they have to proofread there work to make sure
there are no mistakes in the magazine.
7. The DTP file of the whole magazine is sent to the
printing company were it is checked again by the
editor and is they are satisfied then the printers will
print the magazine.
8. Finally the magazines are distributed out to the
public.
Source: http://hosbeg.com/the-magazine-production-process/
• Sales of music magazines are falling, such as at
IPC Media, Uncut suffered the second biggest
circulation decline of them all in terms of
percentages, down 14.2% year on year to 62,305
copies sold each month. Sister title NME’s decline
was only slightly less, 14% year on year to 27,650.
• Rivals Bauer Media’s music magazines didn’t fair
much better though. Although Mojo saw a very
slight rise in sales in the second half of 2011
versus the first half, and is now the biggest paid-for
music title, year on year circulation was down
7.5% to 87,555. Q fell 3.6% to 77,522, and
Kerrang – which, to be fair, is losing sales less
slowly than most of its competitors (remember, at
one point NME and Kerrang were more or less
neck and neck) – saw a 2.1% decline to 42,077
copies.
• Source:
http://www.completemusicupdate.com/article/m
usic-press-see-more-declines-in-latest-circulation-figures/

26. Established Magazine for my Research
The exclusivity of
this cover line helps
sell the magazine
because it will make
the audience
assume that no
other magazine has
this information and
will therefore buy
this magazine. The
words “last” and
“unseen” creates
the connotation of
this exclusivity.
By advertising the “covers to collect” the magazine is attracting
the readers to return and by more magazines to try and find the
collectors editions.
The strapline
“collectors issue”
conveys an essence of
exclusivity that will
tract more buyers.
These reviews will attract
fans of john Lennon as
the reviews will unlock
an in-depth history of
him.
The main image is in
front of the masthead,
which gives the reader
the connotation that
john Lennon is the
most important thing,
even more than the
magazine itself. This
could also suggest a
sense of humility of Q
magazine because it
shows that they are
not getting in the way
of the main story.
The red background
for the masthead is
effective as the
colour red has
connotations of
power and passion,
this illustrates that
Q have passion for
the music they
publicise
The barcode is positioned in the
corner so it doesn't get in the way.

27. Target Audience –
The target audience for Q magazine can be denoted as young adults of 15-24
(Hartley) and of the higher socio-economic needs category of A-C1. The majority
of their readership is males because Q denote a wide range of music genres that
will appeal to all ethnicities.
They could also be described as ‘explorers’ and ‘survivors’ (Maslow) as they are
sure to learn something new about a band or group, for example John Lennon
from the band the beatles
What is the USP of this magazine?
From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is the story
on John Lennon at 70 years old, as Lennon is a massive figure head of rock and roll
music. By having this story covered Q are insuring a wide spectrum of readers and
a big increase in the number of sales.

28. Publisher research
1. Bauer Media is a division of the Bauer Media Group, Europe’s largest privately
owned publishing Group. The Group is a worldwide media empire offering over
300 magazines in 15 countries, as well as online, TV and radio stations.
2. they are the publisher of Q magazine and “Q is the UK’s number one actively-purchased
music magazine “they also say that “Q is about quality and character.
Q’s readers prize its lavish photography, in-depth reporting and sense of
humour.”
3. Bauer has been recognised for it’s innovations in engaging with their audiences
as they have many multi-media platforms, the main two are magazines and
radio.
http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/brands/q

29. Conventions of a Music
Magazine
This free CD is the unique
selling point of the
magazine because
although other magazines
may cover the rolling
stones they are unlikely
to have the CD on offer.
The main image is In front of
the masthead. This states
that the story is more
important that the magazine.
By having the headline in
bold and with a border
around the words the
readers attention is draw
to this much quicker. The
central positioning of this
also helps with
immediately noticing it.
Because the cover
lines are in red to
make the main
part stand out
more.
The masthead is big and
bold to make it more
noticeable. The 3D effect
also helps it to get noticed.

30. Target Audience –
The target audience for MOJO magazine can be denoted as young adults of 15-24
but also as older adults of 45-54 (Hartley). These readers could be classified as
explorers as the magazine will teach them something new about the genre of
classic rock or about the bands (Maslow).
What is the USP of this magazine?
From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is the CD of
The Rolling Stones because as I mentioned previously no one would have heard
this before and no other magazine would have been able to get this CD. the verbal
code “uncovered” will convey the USP as it has connotations of a new discovery
and that will attract the audience as they have the desire to learn new things about
the subject that they are passionate about.

31. Publisher research
Source: http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/press/nrs
• Mojo magazine is published by Bauer media. Bauer media has 19 million costumers per week.
• This graphs the percentage of the readers of mojo in terms of gender. As the graph clearly
demonstrates, the audience of mojo magazine is heavily slanted towards the male audience.
24%
17.10%17.20%
28.80%
10.40%
2.50%
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
15-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
This shows the demographic of mojo’s
readership across all ages groups. This
graph shows that the magazine is popular in
the young peoples market, 25-24 being
24%, but the highest popularity is in the
45-54 Age group with 28.8% . This shows
that Bauer are able to create a magazine
with a wide breadth of target audience.
73.10%
26.90%
0.00%
male female
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