This document summarizes how the media product uses and challenges conventions of real magazines. It incorporates conventions such as a logo, masthead at the top of pages, barcodes, and page numbers. However, it also challenges some conventions by taking up most of the cover page for the main article, including social media logos, and stating interviews in small text rather than big headers. Overall, the product borrows layout and stylistic conventions from magazines like Q and Mojo but puts its own spin on some elements as well.

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

2. Here I have created and
incorporated a logo into my
magazine. This is a convention used
in many media products. I took this
convention from Q magazine which
uses its Q logo in order for readers
to remember which magazine it is
from. Although my style model is
MOJO this is a particular convention
I wanted to use.
This masthead I have used is a convention in
all magazines as every magazine will have a
title in order to give it an identity so that
readers will know the magazines name. I have
used large bold writing for my masthead in
order for it to stand out so that the reader will
be drawn to it upon first sight and therefore be
persuaded to read the cover and possibly
purchase it. I have positioned it at the top of
my magazine so that the reader doesn't’t get
confused as they might if it was centered in
the middle of the page.
Here is a convention used in my
style model MOJO. I have used a
box on the page to advertise that
my magazine is a 70 page special.
Have stuck to my house style by
using a red box to put the text in.
this is alert the reader that it is a
special edition magazine which
may persuade them to purchase it.
Here is my cover line which notifies the
reader of the main article as it is large
and spans most of the page. This is a
convention I have challenged as I have
taken up most of my page to advertise
my main article which is uncommon in
most music magazines as they tend to
include many articles, however this is
common in special feature magazines. I
have also included my other article
cover lines at the bottom of the page
telling the reader they are included but
they are less important as they are in
small text and placed in the corner.
Here I have included a section advertising a
competition within my magazine. This a
convention used in some magazines but
not all. My reason for this was to attract
readers by including something in which
they can win prizes which is similar to using
a buzzword because its used to attract
readers.
I have included a barcode, price, issue number
and date in the corner of my magazine so that
the reader knows that the issue is up to date
and they are aware of the price and that the
price can be scanned with the barcode. This is a
convention used in pretty much all magazines.
The photo’s I have used in my cover have
been set out to replicate the ‘Hard Days
Night’ album cover by The Beatles as my
guitar focuses on bands such as them and
the audience will be able to identify this
album and therefore identify my magazine
as the rock and roll genre.

3. Here I have looked at a convention in my
style models contents where it includes
the date and issue number on either
side on the page. I have also included
three main places in the UK where my
magazine is distributed to show my
magazines diversity in the hope of
attracting more of an audience.
I have included my logo in the bottom corner of my pages along
with a page number. The logo is a convention used in Q magazine
as a technique to make the logo more memorable and the page
number is a convention used in all magazines so that the reader
knows what page they are on which makes it easier to navigate
with the aid of the contents page.
I have included the Facebook, Twitter
and YouTube logo to advertise the
online platform to access the
magazine. This convention is not used
in all magazines and is not used in my
style model so this is a convention I
have challenged.
The layout of my other articles on this page is
similar to my style models contents page. I
have made the page numbers red and the
main text big and bold so that the reader can
distinguish between the main text and the
sub text. I have also marked the cover story
off with white lines so the reader can see
that it is a main article and I have also
included a quote from the article so that the
reader knows that it is of some importance
to the magazine issue.
I have also included my
magazine logo on the top left
of my contents page to keep a
house style with my front cover
and also to make my logo more
memorable.
I have kept my contents
page title the same size
and font as my
masthead to keep a
consistent house style.
The photo I have used was modeled on a
picture on the contents of an issue of MOJO
magazine. To use this convention I got someone
to take a picture of me from a high angle like
the style model and I instructed them how to
take the photo so that I am incorporating my
media knowledge into my photos although I
didn't’t actually take it.

4. I have once again included
my logo and page numbers
on both pages of my double
page spread which are both
conventions in all magazines
especially Q magazine.
I have challenged a convention of
normal magazines here as I have
put the author of the interview in
the footer of my page whereas
most magazines have the authors
name under the interview title.
The main body of my text
challenges conventions to
some extent as most double
page spread interviews have
the interview with quotes and
pictures breaking up the text
but I have kept my interview
fairly simple. I have highlighted
the questions and person
answering in red so that the
reader can distinguish between
this and the questions being
answered. My text is red and
white in order to keep the
house style throughout.
Although I tried to keep my
interview fairly simple I have
included a paragraph
written by the author as this
is a convention in music
magazines as it shows the
authors thoughts on the
interview and the band. This
text is purely in red to show
that it is only the authors
words.
I have challenged a typical convention
here as I have stated that this is an
interview in small writing with my logo in
the top right corner whereas most music
magazines will have it in big writing
across the header of the page.
I have challenged a convention by having my photo
span the entire page whereas most magazines have
a plain background with many pictures on the page.
I have done this to signify the importance of the
bond within the band as the picture highlights the
guitarist, singer and drummer.