2. *Why I chose to do a Hip-Hop Music Magazine? * I had chosen to do a hip-hop magazine as it resembles the young rhymic generation of today, and it is of the similar age group to me , also the answers of my questionnaire suggested that , most 16-24 year olds prefer a hip-hop magazine as it resembles them and they said it’s the only music genre that relates to them and they like the upbeat rhythm to the music . Category Frequency Question 2 – What kind of music genre do you like best?
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7. Q1.In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS? I believe that my media product which in this case is a music magazine develops the codes and conventions of real media products of the same category rather than challenge it because it follows the codes and conventions of real media products, and I have developed my flat plan in order to create in my opinion a good hip – hop magazine which hopefully would appeal to the 16-24 year old audience. I have demonstrated my use of knowledge by using the codes and conventions, used in real music magazines and have altered my magazine so it fits within the same category. I chose the name “Amplify” as I believe it resembles the hip-hop genre , as hip hop music is usually loud, rhymic and noisy , also because its is associated with music , its means to turn up the volume and to amplify your life, and by reading my magazine you are getting the latest insight of what's new and upcoming in the music industry and , amplify is like turning your life up a notch. Another reason I used “Amplify" as the name for my music magazine was, that is resembles the typical 16-24 year old age group is about, turning from a teenager into a young adult and in sense , you are turning up a level and are open to a whole new widespread world in the music industry, moreover the aspirers which my magazine is targeted at are usually “wanna – be’s” , which follow the trend in terms of what is “cool “ and “in", and by amplifying your life you are making it more exciting and adventurous. I have also used the left – third to attract aspirers to buy my magazine, as I have included top list celebrities which are usually popular among the typical 16-24 age group who are into the hip- hop genre , also by adding the fact that its "exclusive” the reader will be the first to know about there favourite celebrities and therefore alter their lifestyles and idolise them, e.g. if a celebrity has certain diet secret, young aspirers will change there diets to become like that celebrity. As I have mentioned before the left hand third is the left side of the magazine which sticks out for the magazine as they are stacked vertically and my top-list celebrity exclusive interviews will stand out amongst the rest and will, hopefully persuade people to buy my magazine.
8. Q2. How does your media product represent particular SOCIAL GROUPS ? The social groups that are represented in my media product are people in the “typical 16-24 year old” category range because ,the majority of male readers which is biased against females, to solve this I used a variety of images which resemble the 16 – 24 year old age group but in a way which appeals to both genders. My hip-hop magazine portrays a mixture of multi – ethnic readers. The 16-24 year old category are usually “heavy spenders” e.g. buy the latest gadgets such as iPods, concert tickets and designer clothes. They use social networking sites such as twitter,facebook and my space, they are more interactive and use their spare time surfing the web, are normally involved in hip-hop music in any type of shape or form e.g. listen to hip hop music or dance to it etc. In general terms they speak,talk,walk and breathe hip-hop, also money to make a fashion statement is never the issue, as they always get what they want. The type of people who would by my magazine would usually be- C2- Skilled manual workers (The type of people that may work for the week in order to spend money made for the weekends) and D – Semi-unskilled manual workers (May need to get other person to buy them what they want), I believe this because they may not have a lot of money and probably live of benefits or are living in a council house , and since they yet do not earn money they do not know the value of it , so money goes out , faster then it comes in. My target audience is in the aspirers category in the psychodynamics profile, this is when people who desire status and success also the esteem of the people. As well as ambitious and status symbols such as designer labels, and expensive and impressive car ,these people aspire to be wealthy and influential and people who care more about the brand name then the actual product itself. I think my target audience can not be ,succeeders because those are people who have got the status and control and are high earners also they are living a high standard and a lead a life of luxury. However in comparison to this I believe aspirers who want to be succeeders would buy my magazine as a way to get advice, tips or learn methods to a short term goal of getting rich quick. Also Reformers can NOT be in my audience because they are people who are less selfishly motivated and care less about status , but more on they caring professions, or Mainstreamers which are 40% of the population and follow the dominant ideology e.g. like the leisure and sense of belonging . Typical Hip-Hop Aspirer
9. Example of the type of social group/ aspirers my magazine should appeal to …. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv9VKKXwVxU&feature=player_embedded
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12. Q2. How does your media product represent particular SOCIAL GROUPS ? Amplify- Double Page Spread My magazine also represents particular social groups , as it acts as a form of escapism. Where teenagers and young adults can rewind and relax from showers of homework, peer pressure and just to aspire and think how they could reach there dreams by reading the success stories of new young artists who have worked hard and already made it to the top , this shows that people can change their lifestyles to suit their needs in terms of how they want society to see them and this helps portray that anything is possible and “Amplify” could help give advice and support to teenagers who’s self esteem is low and therefore help them build confidence and make their first big steps in the big bad world of the music industry. I have represented the social group of 16-24, which my magazine is aimed by reflecting the hip hop genre through the use of posing, facial expressions and clothing. As hip hop artists typically wear designer labels to emphasise their power and wealth , and impact on society .I have dressed my male model in designer labels as I believe this will attract aspirers, as they will idolise them , as usually they have no sense of judgement, because if a certain celebrity or artist is wearing certain designer clothes they would buy it ,just to look like them and aspire to be like them also to believe that by doing this , it will help them to get there foot through the door and use this as a stepping stone to get into the music industry and want the big producers to recognise their talent and make them look no different to the biggest young new comer artist of today. I believe that the uses of different bright colours throughout my music magazine, will influence the colourful and bold side from a teenagers into becoming a young adult, it also resembles the lifestyle you are about to leave behind the careless, money wasting side and bring on the hard work, determination and the skills needed to become successful and get your place in life. The use of the model being quite young helps me represent the social group of 16 – 24 year olds ,as it portrays their interest and appeals to the younger audience.
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18. Q5. How did you attract/address your audience? I believe I have attracted my audience though many ways, firstly by using a wide range of pictures, from both Asian and White ethic groups and had a variety of female and male images to attract a wider audience .These pictures which I had used had a certain impact of what genre my music magazine is about and who is it about just by looking at the main image, I believe it reflected the true personality and lifestyle of the reader and what being a 16 – 24 year old is about. It attracts the audiences by reflecting the codes and conventions of the genre of hip – hop , through the emotions the central images demonstrates, for example the facial expressions are slightly hard core but still are enhancing and therefore encouraging the reader to continue reading. My images was to develop and construct an emotion which mirrors the happier and carefree side of being a young mature adult I did this in order for “amplify “ genres to become more recognisable and attractive to its audience. The use of pugs for free items , also attract my audience of 16-24 year olds because it offer a opportunity to gain something for free. In order to attract my target demographic, I felt that the design is the one of the most important part in attracting the audience. “Amplify” magazines design was not the usual, column layout and boring writing with limited images - , I tried to enhanced my readers and create a different simplistic view of what a actual real hip-hop music magazine should look like, in order to do this, I researched many similar magazines such as Vibe and Chaser, so instead of the normal columns layout I used colourful bold and bright coloured rectangular shapes to make the key slogans and strap line stand out. Amplify - Front Cover I believe I have attracted my target audience with the use of pugs such as “ * FREE poster of LIL RAYNE *” and “ 100 ways to get FREE music”, the fact that this information is freely available to the reader and that they do not have to pay for it can influence whether they buy my magazine for not , also my social group of 16-24 year olds , may be still living with their parents, in full time education or have a part time job so money is tight , also the fact that this is a monthly not weekly or daily magazine will help encourage them to buy as it will only be published twelve times a year , compared to fifty – two times a year if it was a weekly magazine , therefore the quality and standard of the latest information is of the highest class of excellence. ‘ Amplify your life…’ I used the strap life to lure and attract the audience, this is to illustrate to them that “Amplify” is the magazine to read which allows you to access the ‘now’ of fashion, life and of course the latest buzz in the music industry. The mast head is used to attract the audience due to the three – dimensional looked I have represented through the front cover of the magazine. the mast head also address to the audience that the magazine is related to the up coming form being a teenager into becoming a young adult. I used the colours on the magazine front cover to portray the lifestyle of the artist’s represented in the magazine. I did this to attract the audience to the magazine making them feel part of this universe of celebrities, making them aspire to be like the celebrities characterized in my magazine .I used the relevance of the magazine to catch the attention of the targeted audience, I used the language and lifestyle to address the audience. Using them to attract the audience into buying the magazine.