The document provides an analysis of the September 2009 edition of NME magazine featuring Dizzee Rascal. It analyzes various design elements of the front cover including the masthead, images, headlines, and footer. It also analyzes the contents page layout and band index. Finally, it examines a double page article spread analyzing the images, captions, bylines, headings, and four column text layout. The target audience is identified as 66% male, 34% female, with a median age of 23. Students make up 35% of readers. The magazine aims to engage this music obsessed audience through music news, reviews, and connections to upcoming tours and artists.

1. Analysis of magazine
NME September 2009
Dizzee Rascal Edition

2. THE MASTHEAD THE HEADER
FRONT COVER ANALYSIS
The masthead is bold and stands The header at the top of the
out on the page. The masthead is magazine is used to sell the
located in the top left hand corner magazine through the “16 Page
of the page takes up a fifth of the Autumn Tour Special”. The special
page. relates to the content of the
magazine.
USE OF A FLASH
THE SELL/COVER LINES
The use of the flash engages the
target audience to read, as it The cover lines and sell lines match the
contrasts with the rest of the colour scheme of the whole magazine.
magazine. The use of the flash The more important the information
selects important information that then the increase in font size occurs.
the reader of the magazine might The cover/sell lines all relate to the
be attracted to. music genre of the magazine.
BACKGROUND THE MAIN IMAGE
The background of the magazine The main image of Dizzee Rascal is
cover adds life to the image and bright and exciting relating to NME
not just use a white or black magazine. The main image targets the
background. The background fans of Dizzee Rascal.
helps create the specific genre of THE MAIN COVER LINE
the magazine.
The main cover line “Dizzee
Rascal” is big and bold so that the
USE OF A PULL QUOTE audience can see it from a distance
The use of the pull quote attracts when looking at a variety of music
the target audience as it magazines.
introduces that there is going to
THE FOOTER BARCODE-DATE/ISSUE/PRICE
be an interview with Dizzee
Rascal . The use of the pull quote The footer at the bottom of the front cover The barcode is located on the bottom
pulls out a specific quote so that adds more information to what is included in of the front cover so that the date/issue
the target audience feels the magazine. The additional information is and price can be easily located to
intrigued and targeted directly. music based, due to the genre of NME check when the issue was released.

3. NME MASTHEAD CONTENT PAGE ANALYSIS BLACK BANNER
The masthead at the top of the The black banner at the top of
contents page shows that the page makes the headings
contents belongs to them. The stand out.
same colour code has been DATE
used throughout the contents
page as well as the front cover, The date of the weekly issue is
placed under the word contents
MAIN IMAGE to emphasise the release date.
The main image is tilted to BRIEF HEADING
create a diverse caption on the
The sections are given a brief
contents page. The image is
heading and line of information to
quite large so that the text does
describe the page ion which they
not take over the page to much
are showing the content for
and make it hard to
understand. The main image SUB HEADING ABOVE PAGE
also relates to the “Autumn NUMBERS
Touring Special”
BAND INDEX The sub headings such as
“features” and “radar” are located
The band index is used to on the top of each section to split
break up the contents page so the information up so that it is
that it is not just a list of easier to read and find the
everything in NME. Instead the information
bands and artists are written
on the left hand side of the SUBSCRIPTION
contents page in a
The subscription for the magazine
alphabetical order so that it is
is advertised on the contents page
easier to read and find the
so that it attracts the attention of the
artist that the target audience
reader. By positioning it on the
wants to actually read about.
bottom right of the page and the
EDITORS LETTER bold colours it is clear that the
reader of NME will notice it and may
The editors letter is used to also break up the information on the contents page. This helps
think about investing in it.
the reader take in the information more quickly

4. ANALYSIS OF LAYOUT/DESIGN FEATURES OF CONTENTS PAGE
MASTHEAD AND WORD CONTENTS –
BOLD AT TOP WITH DATE/ISSUE
NUMBER
NEWS
RADAR
REVIEWS
IMAGE OF A WOMAN
WITH A TOUR BUS
THE LIVE!
BAND
INDEX FEATURE
OF THE
BANDS PLUS!...
IN NME
EDITORS LETTER TO
THE TARGET HOW TO
AUDIENCE SUBSCRIBE TO
THE MAGAZINE

5. ANALYSIS OF ARTICLES- DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD 1 NME
MISE-EN-SCENE CAPTION
The mise-en-scene The caption says
of this double page Dizzee at the top so
spread represents that it is easy to locate
rebellious and hip- in the magazine.
hop. The graffiti
background
BYLINE
creates the soul to
The byline shows
the double page
credit for author or
spread showing his
photographer.
background.
MAIN HEADING
MAIN IMAGE
The main heading
The main image
dominated half of the
takes over the full
page so that it
double page
stands out on the
spread but is
page.
faded on the
second page so
that the copy can SUB HEADING
be seen. The The subheading
image dominants introduces the
the whole double reader to the article
page spread. and what the article
is about.
PAGE NUMBER/ NME MASTHEAD/ SECOND IMAGE FOUR COLUMNS
DATE The second image is over righting The text wrap around the radio makes
The page numbers, NME masthead and the main image of Dizzee Rascal. the stereo stand out and get noticed. The
date are all situated on the bottom left of The stereo and beer bottles create copy is in four columns so that it
the page. This is used to show the target the mise-en-scene for the double separates the text up so its easier to
audience what page the articles are on . page spread. read.

6. ANALYSIS OF WRITTEN ARTICLE
The article itself is basically about Dizzee Rascal
and his appearance at the NME photo-shoot.
Dizzee Rascal is shown to be a “diva” asking where
his name is on the graffiti wall. The article then goes
on to comment about his awards that he has
received in 2009.
The style of the article is very friendly and chatty.
This style makes the audience feel like they are
actually there at the photo- shoot and feel like they
are part of the whole interview with the audience.
The article is written in to four columns with
approximately 75 – 100 words in each column so
that it is easier to read. If there was too many words
on the page then this may turn away the reader
from actually reading the article and causing them
to skip the pages and not read it.
The main heading/headline is quite dramatic
because they want it to catch the readers attention.
By making the heading the size of half a page the
heading stands out. “FROM TAGS TO RICHES” is
a play on words with “from rags to riches” so that it
gets in to peoples minds.

7. TARGET AUDIENCE OF THIS MAGAZINE
The target audience of the magazine is
66% males and 34% female. The median The “Autumn Tour
age for the core buyer of NME is 23 years Special” connects to
old. The social class of the core buyer is the target audience
upper middle class (A), middle class (B) because in September
and lower middle class (C1). 35% of the most students recieive
readers of this magazine are students. a loan froma university
There is a readership of 239,000 so they will be able to
afford going to different
The target audience of this magazine are tour.
obsessed with music and are strong users
of their mobile phones.
NME readers enjoy watching films both at The use of the “wowee
home and at the cinema. The average zowee” connects to the
reader of NME buys a new DVD every 35% of the target
month, which is higher that the average audience that are
national. students because the
wording is simple
NME readers have a strong relationship
with the magazine NME.
NME targets their audience by The naming of the
understanding that they are keen on their bands and artists
mobile phone so they have now got their throughout the cover of
own App in which they are using which this magazine relate to
gives the target audience the chance to get what the target
involved with magazines by the forums. audience want from
NME. They are all
The products that NME offer include: Music music based because
Apps, Radio Stations, Clothing Shop, that’s what the target
Music Videos, Festival Tickets Sales, Free audience want from
Music Emails, NME Blog, NME Nightclubs, NME magazine.
Fast Music News.

8. USE THE HYPERLINK FOR DIRECT ACCESS TO NME
http://www.nme.com/magazine
New Musical Express, popularly known
as NME, is a music publication
founded in the United Kingdom in
March 1952 NME first started off as
music newspaper and gradually
moved towards a publishing magazine
in the 1980s. NME was the first British
paper to include the singles chart, in
the 14 November 1952 edition. During
four years in the 1970s (1972 - 1976)
NME was particularly associated with
gonzo journalism, written without
claims of objectivity, however it then
became closely associated with punk
rock. NME is published weekly by IPC
Media.
The online version of NME - NME.com
was then launched in 1996. It is now
the world’s biggest standalone music
site, with over seven million users
each month.
Mike Williams, NME editor since 31st
May 2012 after taking over Krissi
Murison, is helped alongside the
NME.com editor Luke Lewis to create
the magazine and website appropiate
for the target audience.