The document summarizes the student's evaluation of their media magazine project for an AS media studies course. It discusses how the magazine develops conventions of real music magazines by focusing on indie/alternative music and festivals. It represents social groups like music lovers and festival attendees. The intended distributor is Bauer Media Group, known for magazines like Kerrang. The target audience is younger people aged 16-30 interested in music festivals. Technologies learned include Microsoft Publisher, photography equipment, and photo editing software. Research was more extensive for the final project compared to the preliminary task, leading to improvements in photos, layout, and understanding the audience.

1. Media AS Studies – Evaluation

2. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real media products?
The music magazine market is very large with different genres/style of music having its own
individual market. When producing my music magazine I looked at whether or not there was
many real media products out there which were similar to mine. Although there are many
music magazines there isn’t a large music magazine which focuses on the genre of indie rock
and alternative music. The magazine also focuses largely on festivals which take place
throughout the summer reviewing line ups, rumours and the festival themselves.
Again, there isn't many magazines which focus a lot on festivals. I feel that my music
magazine does help develop current real media products as it is bringing about a more
modern genre of music. A lot of indie/alternative music isn't necessarily mainstream and in
the public eye regularly; however due to my own magazine I believe the lesser well known
genres of music will make a move into the mainstream public eye through their own music
magazine. This is how I think that my own media product helps to develop the forms and
conventions of real media products.

3. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Social groups are very important in any form of media products as social groups which the
product represent is generally make up the target audience of the product. For my own
media product I believe that I determined my social group who the product represents early
on in the process of producing the magazine. The social group which the product largely
relates to is festival goers and also genuine music lovers. I found this social group easy to
represent as I feel that I fit into this social group myself.
I went about representing these particular social groups by focusing the genre of the music
magazine and also by focusing the content of the magazine on something which they would
enjoy. The lead articles in my magazine which can be seen on the front cover and then in
more depth on the contents includes the titles of the lead articles. My main article ‘Q&A with
Ryan Deall’ is one way in which I used the articles to represent social groups. The question
and answer article allows the readers to get close with the music icon and for him to open up
to them. As they learn more about hit life readers will be able to relate to him and then
hopefully his music. From the question and answer article it also opens up more social groups
which the media product could represent. For example when talking about his personal life
problems people who are associated with that or can associate something with that are
possible social groups which could be represented.

4. What kind of media institution might distribute your media
product and why?
Distribution is a key element in making a media product successful. Without good
distribution being carried out the magazine will not sell. The worlds largest
magazine distributor is Bauer Media Group. Bauer is a German company which
operates in 15 countries worldwide. I hope that the media institution to distribute
my product will be Bauer. Bauer have a vast proportion of the market in their
products. For example Bauer has a %50 stake in British box television which
accounts for music on the TV. Having a distributor of Bauer's size and experience
would help to make the product even more successful.
Perhaps the most famous magazine which Bauer Media Group is behind is the rock
magazine of ‘Kerrang!’. Kerrang is the largest music magazine in the UK which has
also experiences spin offs from the magazine. For example there is now Kerrang
TV, Kerrang radio and Kerrang music awards. As this is all launched from one music
magazine I think it has been extremely successful and would like to see the same
level of success in my own magazine. Although Kerrang is an entirely different type
of music magazine due to the genre, I still feel that my own magazine can emulate
Kerrang.

5. Who would be the audience for your media product?
From research I carried out before producing my music magazine I was able to determine who my
target audience was. For research I came up with a series of questions which I handed out to
people around sixth form in the form of a questionnaire. People around sixth form filled in
the questionnaires honestly so that I could use the results to produce a high standard.
However to make the results from my research more reliable I handed out questionnaires to
teachers as well as students to get a mixture of an age range. From the results I was able to
mould the final product of the magazine to suit the needs of the target audience.
The target audience I eventually decided on was that of a younger age group. Although the age of
reader wont determine whether or not they like the product the content involved in the
product wouldn't be suitable for middle aged/older generations of people. Younger people
between the ages of 16-30 are the type of people more likely to go to music
festivals, although this isn't always the case. As these age groups will be interested in and will
attend music festivals it is important that the media product includes things about festivals
which mine does. My audience is gender neutral with no distinction between male and
female. When carrying out research I found out that males and female both enjoy music
equally and are equally as likely to buy my music magazine which is why it remains gender
neutral. As well as these the target audience is someone who will enjoy the genre of the
magazine. I have aimed my product to appeal to my target audience by keeping the genre the
same all the way through the magazine as well as keeping my theme of interviews and
festival stories the same also.

6. How did you attract/address your audience?
In order to attract my audience I tried to make the front cover of my magazine that of a high
standard. As the first thing the possible buyers of the magazine will see is the front cover I
felt that I should try and grab their attention straight away. The main way of doing this was
the use of the large image located in the centre of the page which would hopefully grab the
attention of passers by immediately. The Model in the image is a well known music artist and
therefore will help attract possible buyers. As well as this I used the left third of the page
effectively. The left third is one thing which even someone passing by can see even when the
magazine is stacked on a shelf. The left third is one way of attracting the audience so I used it
to include the lead articles of the magazine so that someone browsing would quickly be able
to see what was included in the magazine. I also used the Title as a form of attracting
audience. The title itself ‘Off-Beat’ I believe stands out to the audience and is very catchy;
helping in attracting the audience.
As well as using these media devices I also attracted the audience by my articles included in the
magazine. I thought it was important to have good interesting articles which fit in the with
the theme of the magazine. This Is why I tried to include a range of articles which are
involved in the magazine on the contents page.
If I were to re-do my front page cover I would improve slightly so help me attract my audience. At
the moment there is no catch/hook to really get the reader into the magazine, I believe by
possibly including a competition I would attract more readers into buying the magazine.

7. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of
constructing this product?
Whilst producing my magazine I used a range of different technologies
to produce the final product. Firstly, I made my whole publication
on Microsoft Publisher. I chose to use Publisher as I was familiar
with the program as I use it regularly for other pieces of work.
However moving the pictures, wrapping text and also making
textboxes were all new skills I learnt in producing the magazine.
When taking photos for my magazine I used a Kodak camera. I used a
camera of good quality as I wanted the pictures to look of a high
quality and not shabby. Once I took the photos I put them onto my
computer and was able to use them on the front cover.
However, the photos I used needed editing slightly whether it be
the background or eyes of the model. To edit the photos I used
both Picture Manager and also Macromedia Fireworks. I gained
knowledge in both of these and learnt that technology is vital in the
modern day production of media.

8. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have
learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Looking back at my preliminary task I feel that my magazine has progressed massively. My
preliminary task I thought was very poor. The pictures were one thing which I thought had
considerably improved. On my final magazine I properly took the pictures taking into
consideration angles, background and the look I wanted off the model.
Another noticeable factor on my preliminary front cover and also the contents page. On both
there was a lot of blank space which impacted the final look on the preliminary task. In my
final music magazine I tried to eliminate as much blank white space as possible and I think it
is noticeable and had has considerably improved the look of my front cover and also
contents.
My preliminary task has a layout which I wasn’t pleased with. I really struggled when making it as
I'm not the most creative person and I didn't really have any ideas. However, due to my
research for the main coursework task I was able to view other magazines and take
inspiration from then in order to improve my own.
The most important thing I feel I have learnt in the progression from the preliminary task to the
final task was the important of research before hand. Before the preliminary task I did limited
research so when it came to making the preliminary magazine I didn't really know what I was
doing. When producing my final task I found my research vital as it gave me ideas and let me
know what my target audience wanted in the magazine. This has helped me to make a
considerable improvement from my preliminary task to my final task.