This document evaluates Cain Mackenzie-Yapa's music magazine called "Sound". It discusses how the magazine represents teenagers and rock music fans through its content focusing on an alternative rock band and chances to win music festival tickets. It also describes the visual elements used on the cover, contents page, and double page spread, including photos of the featured band that have been manipulated through editing. The document suggests the magazine would be distributed by publishers of similar underground music magazines in order to expand their audience and business. The target audience is described as male and female aged 16-18 interested in alternative rock music.

1. Evaluation of My
Music Magazine
By Cain Mackenzie-Yapa

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

3. Key ingredients that a music magazine will commonly use include; A banner this is used on the front of the magazine cover. The masthead is the title at the
top of the front cover that identifies the magazine – all magazine have a
masthead. A banner is a headline that goes across the full width of the page.
Brand identity is used to make the magazine easily distinguishable from any
other magazine that is out there. On the front of magazines, the uses of cover
lines are greatly used - cover lines summarizes the most exciting features and
articles which are inside of the magazine. A lure is often used on the front
cover of music magazines- Lure‟s are a small section of a story that is printed
on the front cover. Music magazines often use „features‟, these are often
longer than a normal article and are more in depth for example, this could be
something like an interview. For every article, a headline is used - this is the
main heading with the biggest font which relates to the main story. Music
magazines use straplines; a strapline is a smaller headline that appears over
the main headline. In the magazine, a byline is often used; this is the name of
the journalist who has written the article or feature. Music magazines often use
captions under an image to anchor the image. An editorial is a comment by
the editor. The editorial is placed near the front of the magazine. Graphics are
often used in music magazines; graphics are the use of word symbols, words
and images. Magazines often have and use a certain „house style‟ – A house
style is a rule for the magazine on spelling, punctuation and abbreviation.
Each page in a magazine has a layout; this is the design of the page. Music
magazines often vary on the mode of address, as there are various different
genres of music.

4. The front cover of a magazine has to include and usually includes having a
masthead; the masthead most often placed at the top of the page. The
masthead is a logo of the magazine that is recognized by the audience by
the easily distinguishable brand image. 3/4 fonts are often used on the front
cover of the magazine to have a variety of different fonts and to make it
more appealing and interesting. Cover lines (also known as tag lines) are the
main text on the cover; they advertise the articles that are in the magazine to
entice the reader. On the front cover, the colour scheme is picked wisely so it
is appealing to the eye and makes people want to buy the magazine. The
magazine will have the date of the magazine when it was published and will
normally include the web address of the magazine – the magazine will usually
have the barcode at that location as well. Straplines are usually placed at the
bottom of the page, this is often the case to highlight stars in the magazine or
other stories of which are in the magazine. Features are mostly always used –
the feature article cover line is always bigger than the rest and dominates the
page. A single picture is most often used on the front cover of a magazine,
the picture is often a close up (head and shoulders shot) or a medium shot
and in music magazines, a group shot is most often used. There is also a
possibility that the magazine can have a slogan and so, the slogan is often
placed under the header.

5. Contents Page
The contents page of a magazine
has to include, and usually includes
a banner at the top. This banner is
used to show the importance of
this page – which is to inform the
reader of the contents of this
magazine. The date is often put on
the contents page somewhere
near the top or bottom of the
magazine as it is then out of the
way. Larger subheadings are used
to focus the readers to inform them
of what features are in the
magazine and where they can
find them. A brief summary of
content is also used; this gives extra
information before you read the
actual article and gives you a
sneak preview. An editor‟s note is
also placed on the contents page,
this adds an extra insight into the
magazine – the language is often
chatty and is most often informal.

6. Double Page Spread
A double page spread in a
magazine has to include and
will usually include having a
basic layout. The double page
spreads that are in magazines
have a certain column width
and positioning which is used to
have order. Throughout the
whole double page the use of
font and type size must be
maintained to keep the
magazine looking professional.
The use of space has to be used
evenly and used well and not
wasted. The colours, which are
used on the double page, have
to compliment the picture(s).
The use of pictures must to be
related to the context of the
article. Page numbers are
shown on the bottom of each
page – if on the left page, the
number is shown on the bottom
left; if on the right page, the
number is shown on the bottom
right.

7. Strapline
Masthead
Main image
– Group shot
Coverlines
Banner
Graphics
Barcode
region

8. Date
Magazine‟s logo
Heading
Editors Note
Subheading
Featured
stories
Main
Pictures
Page number
indicated on
photo
Secondary
image

9. Graphics
Graphics
Logo of
Band
Graphics
Image
Quote
Main text
body
Caption
Page
number

10. EXCLUSIVE!
In my music magazine, I do not
think that I have any
conventions which are too
different compared to other
music magazines that are out
there however, I do believe that
my music magazine, „Sound‟,
pushes the boundaries
compared to other magazines
out there. This is because my
magazine is produced and is a
product that is aimed at a mass
market audience which are
interested in a specific type of
genre of music – alternative
rock. On the front of the
magazine it says the word,
“exclusive”, as something is
exclusive in my magazine this
means that the gossip about
Date Night is only available in
this magazine.

11. How does your media product
represent particular social
groups?

12. In the music magazine that I have
recently created, I have represented
both teenagers and rock music fans. I
have done this to these two social
groups by saying there is a chance to
win tickets to a music festival – this is
aimed at music fans and teenagers,
as this is the sort of things teenagers
and music fans get up to. The main
subject in the first issue of „Sound‟ is
the band, Date Night. Date Night is a
typical rockband, their face‟s are
placed everywhere in this issue of the
magazine to try get the readers
attention to them – this is the use of
celebrity endorsement. The language
which I have used in my magazine is
quite informal however gets the
information across in a „chatty‟ way I believe that the use of language like
this suggests that this is for an elderly
aged teenager, aged around 16-18.
You should get the impression that this
magazine is for both genders as this
magazine is a magazine about
rockbands to get information on new
hot topics. This magazine is aimed at
working class to middle class people.

13. On the Cover
I used this image on the front
cover of my magazine as I think
it shows power and unity. I
believe that this picture was the
best picture to use on the front
cover of my magazine as it was
taken in portrait and so got the
full body of the band and also
the surrounds (worn brick wall).
The picture has been
manipulated by skin blemish
being taken out as well as a
colour correction.

14. On the Contents Page
I used this image on the
contents page of my music
magazine as it is a similar picture
to the one on the front cover,
however is been take in
landscape and has been take
close to the band members. This
shows their facial expression and
emotion. This picture, again, has
been manipulated by skin
blemish being taken out as well
as a colour correction. The eyes
of the member in the center of
the photo‟s eyes have been
edited to make them appear
much brighter and bluer than
they actually are.

15. On the Contents Page
This image is also used on the
contents page of my magazine.
The picture was taken
landscape and showed their full
body and extra surroundings.
The picture has been
manipulated by skin blemish
being taken out as well as a
colour correction.

16. On the Contents Page
This image is used on my
contents page as an extra
image which was not at all
related to the featured band.
This is an album of which I
created. I believe that the
photograph works well as a
album cover as the figure is
placed off of the center and
has been photo manipulated by
darkening the figure and
making him look as if he is a
silhouette and I have also
added various dots in the sky
which are stars.

17. On the Double Page
Spread
I used this image on my double
page spread. I used this image
to fill the whole of the right page
to give the reader a full sense of
what the band is like. This picture
shows power because the band
member closer to us is larger
than everyone behind. On the
top left of the photo the sun is
leaking in which I believe give a
good effect. This picture has
been manipulated by skin
blemish being taken out as well
as a colour correction.

18. What kind of media institution
might distribute your media
product and why?

19. The publisher, „Freeway Press
Inc.‟ sells a similar magazine that
is released every month called
„Rock Sound‟. Any music
magazine distributer will want to
publish and sell my magazine as
it offers individuality and a new
style magazine into the
magazine industry – this is
simplicity with a sense of style to
it. There may also be a possibility
of my magazine being
distributed by „Future Plc
Publishing‟ – This distributor is
know for publishing
underground music however,
will be an advantage to them
and will allow them to expand
their business as many people
will wish to buy „Sound‟.

20. Who would be the audience
for your media product

21. As stated previously in my
treatment sheet, I am going to be,
“targeting an audience of both
male and female and are aged
around 16-18 year or around that
age group.” The audience which I
would like to attract is a specific
group of teenagers that listen to
bands such as “You Me at Six, Bring
Me the Horizon, etc.”

22. How did you
attract/address your
audience?

23. To make Sound an attractive magazine to my target audience, I referred
back to my audience questionnaire – this showed me what the potential
audience wanted in the magazine. To convince the audience to look in my
magazine I used celebrity endorsement by using pictures and showing names
on the front of my magazine. Lots of people said that they were interested in
gossip, reviews, free items and competitions, so I included all of these features
in my magazine to make it the best it could possibly be to the audience. The
audience also said they would like vibrant colours to be included into my
magazine, so I tried my best to stick to my „style‟ and try to add vibrancy into
my magazine without it being too vibrant as I find that quite off-putting. The
language that is used in my magazine is often chatty and is most often
informal however gets the message across pretty well.
Celebrity endorsement

24. My Front Cover
I believe that the front cover of the
magazine I have created is very
attractive to my target audience; this
is because of the way it is presented.
Everything that is placed on my
magazine is used and placed for a
specific reason. The masthead is in
that particular font, is bold and is that
font size to stand out and get
people‟s attention of this magazine.
The strapline is used to get the
reader‟s attention more by the
audience seeing what they could
have a possible chance of winning in
this issue if they bought it. The
coverlines, which I have used on the
front cover, are short and snappy - I
think that is good as then the cover
page is not crammed. The banner is
used on the front cover of this
magazine to get the reader‟s
attention as it has the name of a
famous rockband‟s name on it. At the
bottom right of the magazine it shows
the barcode region where it also
shows the price and the website – this
shows that the magazine has already
expanded their audience by being
online.