This document provides details about a student's media studies assignment to produce a music magazine focused on R&B music. It includes sections on preliminary task progression, a log book, target audience research, and conventions of music magazines. The target audience is identified as young black teenagers interested in R&B artists. Key details researched include the history and genres of R&B music, an established magazine called Vibe as an example to follow, and tailoring content to inspire the target demographic.

1. OCR Media Studies – AS Level
Unit G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media
Preliminary Task, Log Book and Evaluation
Name: Megan Saunders
Candidate Number: 8032
Center Name: St. Paul’s Catholic College
Center Number: 64770
Set Brief - Print
Music Magazine – Production
Preliminary Task Progression, Log Book and
Evaluation

2. Preliminary Task Progression–
Evidence
Front Cover
Step-by-step

3. Preliminary Task Progression–
Evidence
Contents Page
Step-by-step

4. Section 1) – Log Book

5. R&B
• R&B stands for rhythm and blues. In the 1940/50’s it
was more known as African American music, in later
years this then spread and was performed by different
nationalities and races.
• In the 1940’s R&B was mainly a mixture of jazz, electric
blues, gospel and soul music. It was reality and put
their feelings and emotion into their songs. The style of
R&B ranched off and helped to create rock and roll in
the 1950’s.
• R&B now has many different forms these are;
contemporary R&B, new jack swing, neo soul, funk.
R&B music is mainly dominated by African-Americans.

6. Established Magazine for my Research

7. Features of R&B music
• “R&B music broke away from the more traditional "big
band formula" of earlier years, and R&B artists began
performing in small, musical combos. The music
tended to emphasise blues-style vocals and song
structures. As in the bands of the big band era,
saxophone and piano were still present, but electric
guitar and bass started to add a different power and
electricity to the music, which translated well to radio
and jukebox play.”
http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_6577928_r_b-music.html

8. Target audience
I am aiming my magazine at young black teenagers between the age of 13-17.
This magazine is aimed at both genders as I believe that the music artists that my
magazine presents are most commonly linked with this. My magazine helps to
boost self esteem and purpose as it provides articles of the artists linked to my
target audience. It should help to inspire and help show readers the life of pop
stars, it should show the struggle they went through and how they are happy that
they have overcome these barriers. The target audience for my magazine can be
denoted as R&B genre.
What is the USP of the magazine?
From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is the
hybrid of content for my magazine production as it provides articles of artists
and the behind the scene background. This may be deemed as appealing to
the target audience as it helps to show an insight of the aspiring artists.

9. Publisher
research
http://www.vibe.com
Vibe magazine is a music and
entertainment magazine. The
magazine was founded by the
producer Quincy Jones. The
publication mainly features
R&B/Hip-Hop artists, actors and
some entertainers. Production was
shut down in summer 2009 but
was the purchased by a private
equity investment that was funded
by Intermedia partners. The
magazine is now issued in a semi-
monthly edition that contains
double covers and online presence.
The magazines target audience is
predominantly young, urban
followers of the hip-hop culture. In
2014 the magazine transferred to
online only.

10. Conventions of a Music
Magazine
Barcode
Headline
Main cover image
Website
Masthead
Cover lines
Convergence

11. Target Audience
The magazines target audience is predominantly young, urban followers of the
hip-hop culture. In 2014 the magazine transferred to online only. This may be due
to technology purposes and convergence, teenagers tend to use technology a lot
more than they do to sit down and read a magazine, this way the magazine can
still be read but through a phone instead making it more easily accessible.
What is the USP of this magazine?
From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is the
divergence of the ethnicity. The magazine is the only magazine to only ever
star black R&B/hip-hop artists. This attracts an audience of young black
teenagers aspiring to be a music artist. It helps them build confidence if they
know more background knowledge of the artists, and how they struggled but
fought to be the music artist they are today.