The student created a newspaper, poster, and website to simulate a real media product. They researched conventions from local newspapers to make their newspaper look authentic. This included using a bold masthead, relevant advertisements, and captions under photos on the front page. Feedback from an online survey and social media comments helped the student evaluate what the public wanted and how to improve. Technologies like Google, SurveyMonkey, WordPress, Serif applications, PowerPoint, and SlideShare were used at different stages for research, planning, construction, and evaluation.

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of
real media products?
I researched local newspapers to get familiar with what conventions apply to a
typical newspaper. When doing this I took note of the
masthead, adverts, articles and the price of the newspaper.
I think my newspaper looks real as I have used the conventions of other local
newspapers. I have made the masthead big and bold and used a bright colour
so it stands out from the white background and attracts the readers. The area
of where the newspaper is from is small as everyone would already know the
area as this is where the newspaper is sold. The title of the article is bold as this
also attracts the audience. All the newspapers I had researched and this in
common so I knew it was a convention that I should also use.
I had noticed that in other real media products there is a negative main story
and a positive second story on the front cover. I took this in to account and
used this convention in my newspaper. Having a negative story on the front
cover is a good convention to use as it is dramatic and interests the reader. I
also have a caption under the pictures to tell the reader what the picture is
about. Other newspapers mainly had people in the pictures of the front covers.
I did this as it adds a human touch and attracts the audience.
I also included advertisements on my front cover and in my inside page. As the
newspaper cost less than £1.00 the adverts pay for the newspaper production.
The adverts stand out and attract the readers. They are relevant to the readers
as it is about the local area and local businesses.

2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary task?
Most newspapers now have a website which is updated frequently as news changes everyday.
Having a website, along with the hard copy newspaper, makes it easier for the public to read the
latest news. They can check the website in seconds instead of going out to purchase the
newspaper. Having a website also makes it easier to get in contact with the newspaper company
as there is an option in the website to send me an email.
My newspaper, poster and website link together in several ways. I have used the same colour
scheme, black, red and white, in the three products. I have also used the logo in them. This is
effective as it can be easily recognised that these three media products are from the same
newspaper. I have also put the website address on the poster and newspaper which informs the
readers of the link from the newspaper to the website.

3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?
As part of my research and planning I created an online survey to find out what the public want
from a newspaper. The results helped me know what I should put in the newspaper so it would
be successful.
After making my media productions I posted them on social media websites and people
commented on them to say what was good, bad and what I could improve. The responses I got
back was the layout was good and it looked like a real newspaper. The colour was just right as it
was bold and stood out. The font is simple which is effective as it is a formal product. This is what
they had said about the productions:

4. How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and
evaluation stages?
I used Google as my main search engine to find local newspaper to do my research on. This was
a quick way to find the information I needed. I used SurveyMonkey to create my survey. This
was a good site to use as many people use it and I got a good range of results. I used WordPress
to post my work and keep track of my production. Serif applications were used to create my
productions. I found these very useful as it gave me a lot of options to make it easier to make
my newspaper and website. PowerPoint helped me make presentations for my research which I
was comparing newspapers to their websites. I then had to upload the presentation on to
SlideShare which allowed me to post in on my WordPress account.