2. Q1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
3. Front Cover All magazines have a masthead. These are both big and bold. They are in different places on the magazine. A flasher is a feature of magazines that is rarely used. However, it advertises special offers and exclusives. All magazines have a date, title and issue number somewhere on the front cover. Here they are both next to the title. Images are used to make the magazine appealing and look nice. Here I have used an MCU shot, and so have NME. Mine is black and white to make it stand out more and fit the Masthead colours. Cover lines are used to show the main artist featured in the magazine. They’re big, bold and easy to read. All magazines have a barcode which carries information you need upon purchase. Both are at the bottom right corner. The footer is used on magazine covers to reveal more of what’s in the magazine. NME have included more artists featured, in the footer, but I have used it to show features of the magazine.
4. Contents Page Both the contents pages include the magazines title at the top in the middle. The date and issue number are both near the top of the page, however mine is in the corner and it doesn’t attract much attention. Dotted lines have been used to separate the titles from the copy on the contents. Different colours have been used for both the sub titles and the page numbers. This information is in the same place and is a similar font. The main image dominates the page. Both are of males and both have blue/grey backgrounds that make the text stand out. I have used an extra image on my contents page, instead MOJO have used a pull quote from an article. I have also included an Editors Note on my contents page to give it a more personal feel. I have included editorial information at the top of my magazine.
5. Double Page Spread Both magazines have an introduction to the article, revealing who and what are featured. The copy is laid out into readable and small columns. At the bottom of the pages the page number is alongside the magazine logo. I have put the bands name at the top in a big, bold font and with capitals. NME have used an artist for their main image. I have used a band. However, all the images are of females. I have used a pull quote from my interview to instantly show the band are not a typical girl band. My background has a transparent text box behind it so the audience can read the text clearly. NME have used a big character to start the article. I have just kept it the same font. My image fills both pages of the article, this is so that you can see the whole band clearly and equally. It also acts as a background for the copy. NME’s image fills about ¾ of the page. NME have the word ‘USA’ written in big, bold capitals so that you know where the interview is set and what the interview is about.
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7. Q3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? IPC Media produces over 80 media brands. Two thirds of their audience are women and only 44% are men. Their brands reach over 20 million uses every month. They publish a wide range of magazines, catering to a wider audience. One of their most successful magazines in NME, showing they have experience and knowledge of music magazines. Because of these reasons IPC Media would be the type of institution to distribute my product.
8. Q4: Who would the audience be for your media product? The audience for my magazine would be females aged 16-19 and interested in the genres hip-hop and indie. They would be from social class C/B (working class, that’s why my magazine is priced relatively cheaply). I have aimed it at different ethnicities by including artists from all ethnic backgrounds, however my main focus was white-British. However, I have included elements that males would find appealing to- male artists and pictures of males. This is so my magazine is not restricted to one genre of people and it reaches a wider audience.
