Emma Davie created a music magazine called St. Paul's as part of her media studies coursework. She provided step-by-step details of creating the front cover and contents page, including adding lines, images, text, and logos. Emma used Billboard magazine as inspiration and researched its genre, target audience, and publisher. Her goal was to apply proper conventions to attract readers and follow her school's brief of including convergence elements.

1. OCR Media Studies – AS Level
Unit G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media
Preliminary Task, Log Book and Evaluation
Name: Emma Davie
Candidate Number:6630
Center Name: St. Paul’s Catholic College
Center Number:64770
Set Brief - Print
Music Magazine – Production
Preliminary Task Progression, Log Book and
Evaluation

2. Preliminary Task Progression– Evidence
Front Cover
Step-by-step
Step
1:
Step
2:
Step
3:
First of all, I placed the blue lines onto my
template so I knew where certain aspects of my
front cover were going to go. I then added the
mast head to the front cover and colour
schemed it to match the St Paul’s logo. I placed
the St Paul’s logo next to the masthead and
deleted the background by using the magic
wand tool. I then added more blue lines to my
template after seeing where other aspects of
the front cover needed to be added and where I
would like them to be. I had inspiration from
‘Billboard’ magazine and I used this to help me
place certain things around the page.
After I had added the blue lines I then
started to make up the cover stories that I
would include on my front cover. I hadn’t
made my cover stories up before so they
took me a while to think up. I then lined
them up with the template that I had
created and made sure that they were all
level with one another. I made the writing
the same as the masthead because I wanted
the writing to be similar with all of the other
writing on the front cover.
My magazine was supposed to have
convergence so I included the web address
for my magazine at the bottom and
included the social networking sites beside
it. This would then allow readers to get
more information about the magazine and
get more stories. I also then added a read
box behind it so then the convergence
stood out over the rest and this would
mean that it would stand out to readers
when looking at the front cover.

3. Step
4:
Step
5:
Step
6:
Step 4 was that I added the barcode onto
the front and placed it into the corner like
the magazines that I had looked at for
inspiration. I then added my main headline
into the front cover and made it the same
colour as the mast head. I added a black
outline to the writing so it stood out more
than when there wasn’t a black outline.
This would make readers notice the writing
more as the writing stands out more than
if the writing had no outline around it. I
placed the main headline at the bottom so
then I could later on add the main image
above so then it is clear to understand and
see from the readers view.
When I was adding the picture I made
sure that the background was gone and I
did this by using the magic wand tool.
When I was taking the picture I took the
picture in front of a plain background so
then it would be easier to edit out. The
main image had to be a mid-shot of the
person so I took a full length shot and
then cropped it to the size I wanted it to
be. I put the main headline in front of the
main image because this is what
magazines did in the previous issues that I
looked at, the magazines of inspiration
helped with me sorting out where
everything would go.
Step 6 was when I added puff onto
the front cover to promote to readers
something that they had the chance
of winning. I also added a picture of
the school in the background but I
then thought of changing it because it
looked too much for the overall look
of the front cover. I then added the
school’s mission statement at the top
of the front cover so readers remind
themselves of it and I used the same
font as the cover stories so then it
was the same colour scheme and
look.

4. Step
7:
Step
8:
I changed the background from the picture
of the school to the two colours that I had
put onto my contents page. I thought this
would look better because the writing
would then be easier to read as it is on a
plain background. I used the same colours
as the contents page because then this
would be sticking to the colour scheme that
I was using. The colours that I used for the
backgrounds were the colours on the school
badge but I made them lighter so reading
the writing on the cover would also be
easier to see.
When I had changed the colour of the
background there was a gap in the middle
of the page so I made the picture bigger
and moved the puff so then the gap
wouldn’t be as big. I also moved the cover
stories so they were aligned with the blue
lines that I had added to the template
before adding everything on.
This gap was too big on the front cover so
I move aspects of my front cover so then
the gap wouldn’t be as big as it was
before. I chose to do this because I
thought that the gap was off putting and
made the magazine look unfinished,
which it wasn’t.

5. Preliminary Task Progression– Evidence
Contents Page
Step-by-step
Step
1:
Step
2:
Step
3:
The first thing I did for my contents page
was that I included the blue lines onto my
template so I knew where aspects of my
contents pages where going to go. The
code and conventions were going to be the
same as other magazines that I had looked
at. I added the heading of the contents
page and I used the same font as I did on
the front cover so it was ‘repeated’ (Steve
Neale). The cover stories were copied from
the front cover but I had to create new
ones so there were more than four in the
magazine.
Step 2 was adding the school logo onto
the contents page and like the front
cover I added the logo next to the
heading. As I used a coloured
background the background of the logo
can be seen so I needed to edit this
out. I added a heading for the cover
stories and added a box around it to
make it stand out more. This was so
then it would catch readers attention
and the colours where from the school
logo but lightened a bit as I was sticking
to my colour scheme.
I added page numbers next to the
cover stories. In the right hand corner
I then added the convergence for my
magazine which included a web
address for my magazine, twitter page
and Facebook page. This was so then
readers could get more information
about the magazine and get more
stories than others who don’t
subscribe to the magazine. I put the
addresses to the different
convergence in a different colour to
make them stand out more.

6. Step
4:
Step
5:
I added the editorial to the left hand corner so then
it was next to the convergence and subscription.
The picture that I took of myself needed to be a
mid-shot. I took a long-shot and then cropped it to
the size that I wanted so then I could change it if I
didn’t think it looked right. I did put a box around
the editorial but when I had done this I didn’t like
the way it looked so I kept it simple.
I didn’t think the
colours went well
with the overall look
of the contents page
so I took away the
box and kept the
colour of the
background for the
whole page instead.
I took a picture of some sixth
formers working in the sixth form
Centre so then this would be
relatable to the cover stories and
then added the title ‘Sixth Form
Centre’ to it so readers knew which
one it was relevant to. I moved the
cover stories around a bit so then
they were in line a bit more as they
weren’t all aligned with one another
so this wouldn’t look professional to
the readers.
I added another cover story picture so
then this would make the stories
clearer to the readers of the
magazine. This is because they would
get an idea of what the article would
be on and may draw them to reading
that story. I used the same writing as
the other cover story picture and also
added a outline around the pictures
to make them stand out more. I used
the same coloured writing than the
colour on the school logo so then I
knew I was sticking to my colour
scheme.

7. Section 1) – Log Book

8. Main Image
Main Headline
Mast Head
Cover Stories
Bar code
Cover Stories
Star Appeal
(Richard Dyer)
This magazine needs:
-Strapline
Puff/Promotion

9. Mast Head
Cover Stories
Main Headline
Strapline
Cover Stories
Star Appeal
(Richard Dyer)
Puff/Promotion
Main Image This magazine needs:
- Bar code
- Date
- Issue
- Price

10. Mast Head
Strapline
Puff/Promotion
Cover Stories
Main Image
Bar code
Issue
Date
Star Appeal
(Richard Dyer)
Main Headline
Cover Stories

11. Cover Lines
(secondary stories) Masthead
Star Appeal
(Richard Dyer)
Date
Barcode
Main
Headline
Convergence:
web address
This magazine front
cover needs:
Strapline: this should
be included as it
emphasises the
originality of the
magazine. Examples
of this are “the
world’s greatest
music magazine”.
Puff: this should be
included so then
people are inclined
to buy the magazine.

12. I chose ‘Billboard’ magazine as my magazine of inspiration because I thought that the codes and
conventions related to my genre of magazine more than the others. Also I thought that the
colour scheme and the cover stories suited the pop genre more than the other magazines that I
had looked at before choosing. With ‘Billboard’ I thought that the colours were bright which
would then catch the target audiences attention and I thought that the bright colours would fit
perfectly with the pop genre.
The way that the magazine was set out also helped me in choosing this magazine as my
inspirational magazine because everything was clear and easy to read unlike the ‘Kerrang!’
magazine where there was a lot on the page which then made it appealing, however I thought
that ‘Billboard’ magazine and ‘Top of the Pops’ was presented better than the other two
magazines.
With the cover stars on the front cover of ‘Billboard’ I thought that they were better linked to
pop so this made me want to look at this magazine for inspiration it was better linked to my
genre.
Established Magazine for my
Research
When looking at different
examples of their
magazines, I noticed that
the way they laid out their
codes and conventions
changed and this is what
attracted me to the
magazine.

13. Billboard Magazine – Genre research
Billboard magazine is an American magazine and is generally based on pop music
but can also include other genres. Billboard magazine is owned by Prometheus
Global Media. The genre and target audience for the magazine varies because it
depends on what is in the charts at that time. It is aimed at both genders but can
normally be decided by the cover star. The age range for the target audience is 25-
54 year olds (Katz). Billboard magazine is the most influential music media brand
and is famous all round the world. The Billboard brand is built on its exclusive
charts and unrivaled reporting on the latest news, issues and trends across all
genres of music.
The front covers all have star appeal and this encourages the customers to buy the
magazine. The secondary stories being advertised on the front of the magazine
also makes the target audience want to buy the magazine as they would want to
find out what there favorite star has been up to.
Also by including puff/promotion onto the front cover
this would appeal to the target audience if the star
(Richard Dyer) is linked to the pop genre. If the target
audience are fans of the star then the target audience
would want to buy the magazine.

14. Target Audience – Katz, Maslow, Hartley and/or socio-economic needs
The target audience for Billboard magazine can be denoted as being aimed at
young adults. This is because the magazine is colourful. In addition, the star
appeal used on the front covers of the magazines are generally the pop stars
that are at the top end of the music charts. This would make people want to
buy the magazine if they are fans of those particular people or like the look of
them. Also with Katz theory the audience would be seen as ‘inform and
educate’ as consumers would be able to learn from reading the magazine.
Billboards primary target audience would be seen as ‘social climbers’ and
‘explorers’ (Maslow) as fans are being inspired by their favourite artists to
become more like them.
What is the USP of this magazine?
From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is ‘Star
Appeal’ (Richard Dyer) as the main images are celebrities that have been
chosen to represent that issue. This would make people want to buy the
magazine especially if they like the star on the cover of that issue. The main
image is the first thing the audience are going to see so by having star appeal
it makes consumers attention to be caught straight away. By changing the star
appeal every week it makes the target audience want to subscribe so then be
able to see what would be on the next issue.

15. Publisher research
Billboard Publications became a major trade magazine publisher, acquiring The
Hollywood Reporter, Kirkus Reviews, Adweek and Mediaweek.
It was acquired by Dutch publisher VNU which was then later renamed Nielsen
Company in 1933. This was then sold in 2009 along with other Nielsen Business
Media properties to a new company called e5 Global Media. This was then later
renamed in 2010 to Prometheus Global Media.
Billboard magazine is intended for music professionals which includes: record
label executives, artists, music retailers and some radio DJ’s. It can be found in
many consumer bookstores and magazine stands even though it is considered to
be a business-to-business magazine. Billboard magazine can be found particularly
in cities that are known for a large music industry such as New York, Los Angeles,
Nashville, Austin and Miami.