The NME targets young adult males interested in rock and hip-hop music. It has been published since 1952 and shifted its focus from music journalism to associated more with punk rock in the 1970s. Currently, the magazine aims to keep readers informed of new music through ads and articles, with a typical reader being a 23-year old male. Circulation is approximately 23,924 issues.

1. NME magazine analysis- Audience
and Institutions

2. Masthead Header
The NME masthead is red, white and The header can also be seen as the selling
black and is a bold. The white and black is
used as a sort of outline to make the
masthead stand out more which connotes
FRONT COVER point and the fact that it’s at the very top
of the page implies that is a main aspect of
this issue. The words ‘Autumn tour special’
importance on the page. It also takes up are in bold to promote the article. The use
half the width of the page to give it more of a header and footer also give the feel
depth and dominance on the front cover. that the magazine has got more inside it
The colour scheme of the masthead is that is worth reading.
generic so that the magazine is easily
recognisable. Cover lines
This cover line looks as though it is an
Use of flash extension of the masthead because it is
The use of a flash offers something new in line with it and also uses the colour
and different to the target audience. It also scheme. Magazines usually uses the
uses colloquial language ‘wowee zowee’ to word ‘featuring’ but NME uses
be more relatable to the younger target ‘starring’ which gives a more
audience. It also states that it is ‘news’ sophisticated feel to the magazine as
which suggests that there is different areas it’s normally associated with films.
covered in the magazine. NME also used a san serif font to give
Main cover line the cover lines a bolder look to stand
The main cover line ‘Dizzee Rascal’ out. It also gives the connotation that
followed by a pull quote from the magazine the music they feature is ‘loud and
shows that he is the main feature of this bold’ as opposed to classical music.
issue which also has anchorage to the main Date, Barcode and Price
cover image. The language used in the pull The date and price of the magazine is
quote also supports the fact that it’s an smaller by the barcode. It’s smaller
interview with Dizzee as the word ‘man’ is because in NME it doesn’t take priority. As
the stereotypical way that people in his it’s a well known magazine the audience
genre of music speak. The use of a pull will more than likely already know the
quote is also a way to appeal to the price. The price is £2.30 which is
audience as a sneak preview of what will be reasonable as the magazine is released
inside of the magazine. monthly.
Cover Image
The main cover image is a long shot in order to see the body language of the artist. The position of the photo makes use of his hand to cover up
white space at the top right of the page, the angle also makes it seem as though he is coming out of the page which connotes importance. White
space is also covered with the background as it’s quite busy which contrasts to the simplicity of the front cover. The Mise-en scene of the cover
image including his clothes and facial expressions captures the stereotypical personality of the hip-hop fans. His trainers express a loud personality
and also match the colour scheme which anchors the image to the masthead.

3. FRONT COVER
Rule of Thirds
The magazine uses the rule of thirds to layout the page.
However, the masthead uses the page being split into two
rather than three which shows that it is more important.
The way the image of Dizzee Rascal is positioned breaks the
rule of thirds as he is off centre. However, this contrasts
the fact that the main cover line is offset and anchors the
‘Dizzee’ idea.
The front cover also takes in consideration the ‘C’ effect
where you read the page from the masthead round to the
left third and finally the right side of the page. Therefore,
the main cover line along with the pull line immediately
attracts the audience’s eye and makes the magazine
appealing to buy. The header and footer of the page also
creates a ‘finished’ feel to the magazine and implies that
the magazine is full from start to finish.

4. The masthead is repeated on the front The date of the issue is bigger on the
cover to clearly state the name of the contents page than on the front and is
magazine. It has been pushed over to
the right compared to the cover which
implies that this isn’t the main focus on
CONTENTS PAGE quite noticeable being under the title.
the contents page. The subheading are in black that connotes
less important than the red but it still
clearly stands out to show the different
As this part of the contents is bigger than sections that the magazine is split into.
the section on the right shows that the
magazine focus’ on articles about different
bands. The band and artists names are in
red with the page numbers in red which
connotes that these are the most
important sections of the magazine. This There is a brief summary of the articles
contrasts to the black page titles and red under the page titles which catchy
page numbers on the other side of the captions such as ‘Jigga man recruits the
page. electro-fantastics.’ to appeal the readers
and give an insight to what the article is
The main image on the cover anchors to going to be about.
the cover line on the front cover and the
introduction to the article underneath it.
The photo has more of a ‘holiday snap’
feel to it rather than a staged photo
shoot. This supports the laid back feel to
the article ‘touring special’. The image Advertising themselves not only to take
and introduction is also positioned on up white space but to promote their
top of the outline of a suitcase which subscription service. The yellow of the
again supports the title ‘touring special’ title also contrasts to the black, red and
as you a suitcase is associated with going white colour scheme that is continued
away. throughout the contents page. This also
makes the magazine familiar to the
regular audience.

5. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD
The main image uses the same background as on the contents
page. The mise-en scene of the image has a graffiti wall behind him
which not only supports the stereotype of people interested in hip
hop but also links in to the title of the article ‘From tags to riches’.
The busy background also connotes Dizzee’s personality as being
loud and vibrant.
The main image is of Dizzee Rascal and takes up the whole page. This
makes the article a lot more image based than word based which is
appropriate as the target audience is for the younger generation. The
clothes that Dizzee is wearing is stereotypical to his genre of music which
will appeal to the audience that are also interested in that genre of
music.
The page number, title of magazine and date is at the bottom wich
follows the house style NME has.

6. FRONT COVER Caption
The top right hand corner has a caption
of ‘Dizzee’ so when the reader is
Main heading flicking through the magazine, it is easy
The title of the article is ‘from tags to to tell what each article will be about.
riches’ which plays on the phrase ‘from
rags to riches’. The phrase means when By line
you came from a bad background and
‘tags’ connotes that his bad background Copy
was graffiti. The title also takes up half of The copy takes up 4 columns at
the page which again shows that the about 75-100 words each so the
magazine is not very word based as the article in total is only roughly 300-
actual article is quite small. 400 words long. The language used
in the article is informal in places
Sub heading with ‘loads more’ instead of a more
The sub heading introduces the article formal ‘more than usual’. It also has
with the ‘Dizzee Rascal’ in bold to show a narrative tone to it, as if the
that he is the focus of the article. It also person who photographed and
name drops as a way to catch the readers interviewed him is writing the
attention within the first sentence of the details of the day and the effect that
article.
Dizzee had on people. The text also
wraps around the second images
Drop cap
which gives the page a much fuller
There is a drop cap used that cover 6
lines to begin the article. This makes the
look and doesn’t have as much
beginning word stand out. white space.
Second image
The second image is of alcohol bottles
which connotes the kind of lifestyle
Dizzee Rascal had. It is then placed
next to a stereo which portrays what
his lifestyle is now – music. The
anchorage of the photo with the title
make the article look more appealing to
read.

7. NME
• NME was first published on the 7th March 1952 as a music newspaper which then moved
towards a music magazine in the 1980’s. During 1972 to 1976, NME became associated
with Gonzo journalism which then became closely linked to punk rock. However, since
then it has become a hip-hop/rock magazine and has become less intellectually written.
• NME is edited by Mike Williams and published by IPC Media and has a circulation of 23,
924.
• The main target audience for NME is men around the age of 23 which is the median age.
The magazine has 66% male. NME also aim their magazine at the people who are more
likely to be the first in their social group to know what’s going on. It is also aimed at
people who rely on the magazine to keep them up to date with new music by looking at
the ads and the editorial.