The document discusses conventions of magazine covers and contents pages and how the media product challenges or develops these conventions. It describes conventions for elements like mastheads, cover images, headlines, quotes, and photos. It notes how the cover develops conventions by having a typical cover image and masthead but challenges little. The contents page takes inspiration from other magazines but doesn't include some usual aspects. Billboard magazine is said to challenge conventions by having its masthead and images resemble a fashion magazine.

1. By Annie
Davies
Q1. IN WHAT WAYS DOES
YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT
USE, DEVELOP OR
CHALLENGE FORMS
AND CONVENTIONS OF
REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?

2. USING CONVENTIONS - COVER
Masthead: Normally at top centre
or top left hand side of page.
Largest piece of text usually,
although headline may be bigger.
Cover image: Normally fills the majority of the cover. Subject
makes eye contact with camera and normally top half of body
– head shown.
Headline: One of the largest lines of text on the
page – this is used to draw the reader in and
make them buy the magazine.
Cover lines: Used to draw the reader in and make
them buy the magazine. A rock magazine typically
has a lot to make the cover look busy.

3. USING CONVENTIONS - COVER
Dateline and Barcode: This is
conventionally really small
and placed in the corners of
the page, such as under the
masthead.
Quote: Used to draw the reader in
as it shows authenticity of
magazine and therefore persuades
the purchase of the magazine.
Insert image and Splash:
Adds colour and dynamic to
the cover.
Subheading: Adds more information
about the cover article, often talks
informally at the reader.

4. USING CONVENTIONS - CONTENTS
Photos – either lots or one main image, tell us the
genre
Contrasting colours –
writing on photos
Editor’s letter and photoSubscription details
Quotes

5. USING CONVENTIONS – CONTENTS
The Issue number,
name of
photographers, date,
brands worn on cover
and copy of cover are
usually small and kept
to a corner of the
contents page.
Title – ‘contents’ normally covers majority of top of page.
The bottom of the page has chronological information about each of the pages. This is
where the detail that makes the customer buy the magazine comes in. I have included
columns so that the contents page looks busy, in keeping with my theme. I have been
careful not to miss any page numbers so that the page makes sense and looks as
realistic as possible. I have also highlighted important information, such as band names,
so that the customer can quickly see if the product I what they want to buy.

6. USING CONVENTIONS - ARTICLE
Text – the text is broken up by using paragraphs,
which are formatted by the questions and answers in
the article. The whole body of text is aligned left, and
not hyphenated so that it is easier to read. The
question and answer format can be seen by the
change in font and colour of the text. As I changed
two features of the text, I felt I did not also need to
change the text size.
Columns – I chose to include 4 margins per page
because this makes the page look busier and I can
fit more information on the page.
Margins – although I did not want the margins to be
too big as I wanted to include lots of the interview, I
needed a decent sized gap so that the text was easy
to read. This was important as the font size is so
small.

7. Images – I chose to use a single image because this is usually
used for an artist instead of a band. As the image is cut out, the
article still looks edgy and is in keeping with my house themes.
Pull quote – I have created interest with
the pull quote as it is unusual to hear a
rock artist talk about their family. I also
included the word ‘Rock’ as this is a pun.
Page number – This is in
the corner of the page,
which means that it is easy
for a reader to flick
through and find the page
they are looking for.

8. USING CONVENTIONS - ARTICLE
Drop Cap – I chose to make the drop cap only two lines long,
whereas it is normally anything up to 8. This is because I did not
want a huge indentation as a larger drop cap could also been
seen on the page as a graphic, and there was already a large
graphic on that page, behind the title.
Footer – these normally include
links to social media, expanded
content and web links. I have
used the web address for the
magazine website, as well as
advertised the album as
expanded content.
Background – I have followed convention and chosen to use both black and white
backgrounds. This is so that the text is easy to read as the main body of text is either
blue or white.
Index tab – placed at
top right hand side of
page, to allow easy
flicking through.

9. USING CONVENTIONS - ARTICLE
Graphic – I used the initials ‘GR’ as a graphic
to give atmosphere to page as the font has
connotations with rock as it is not clean cut
or straight angled.
Subheading – This tells the reader more about the subject of the article so that they
know whether or not they want to read it. I used a blue colour to highlight the name of
the artist as I had not included her full name in either the title or the graphic, and the
blue also links to the main body of text, where the questions are highlighted in blue also.
Headline – These usually include the name
of the artist, which I have used as a pun to
create interest in the article. I have used
contrasting fonts – the typewriter is
structured and orderly, whereas the sans
serif font is more free flowing. This is to
show the diversity of the rock genre and
links to Gabby’s change in mood towards it.

10. DEVELOPING CONVENTIONS - COVER

11. DEVELOPING CONVENTIONS – COVER
Cover image: I think my cover image goes with the conventions
as it fills the majority of the cover and Gabby has maintained
eye contact with the camera, which draws the reader towards
the magazine on a shop shelf. I have kept editing the photo to
a minimum as I found, by flicking through Kerrang! Magazine,
that they rarely airbrush skin tones. The top half of Gabby’s
body is shown, also keeping in line with conventions.
Masthead: I based my masthead on NME’s as it has a simple,
yet eye catching format. The font is in keeping with the genre
of music, and the colour relates to my target audience. It is a
similar size and shape to the NME masthead, and therefore
follows convention.

12. DEVELOPING CONVENTIONS - COVER
Dateline and Barcode: This is
conventionally really small and
placed in the corners of the page,
such as under the masthead. My
barcode and dateline therefore
follow convention.
Quote: My quote stands out as although the pink and
green contrast, it is in keeping with colour scheme of
the page, as well as clear and easy to read.
Insert image and Splash: Although I did not include an insert
image, I included two splashes. These create a 2D feel to the
page, but also help certain cover lines, or quotes, stand out.
This is because they overlap other images and text, therefore
keeping in line with conventions.

13. DEVELOPING CONVENTIONS - COVER
Strapline: These appear at the top and
bottom of the page – following
conventions. The footer goes across
the whole page, which is very
common.
Headline: This follows convention as it is one of
the largest pieces of wording on the page. It is
the name of an artist, which is also not
uncommon, and follows the colour scheme. The
font is also clear to read.
Subheading: It is
underneath the
headline, therefore
following
conventions.

14. DEVELOPING CONVENTIONS – COVER
Cover lines: I think my cover lines are quite
conventional as they fill in the gaps left by the
image, and are to the edge of the page. They are
bright and contrasting, which draws the reader
in, and are of a topic that would interest a
potential buyer of the magazine. A rock
magazine typically has a lot to make the cover
look busy, and I think the colour scheme helps
with this. I have taken inspiration from NME’s
cover by highlighting words.

15. DEVELOPING CONVENTIONS - CONTENTS
I have taken
inspiration
from Rock
Sound
magazine
with my layout
as it is bright,
colourful and
busy looking. I
liked the idea
of putting the
page number
over the
image, along
with the name
of the band /
artist
pictured.

16. CHALLENGING CONVENTIONS - COVER
I do not think that I have challenged any
conventions with my magazine cover as I
have tried to follow inspiration I took from
Kerrang! And NME very closely. This was to
ensure sales of my magazine – I did not
see any point in challenging conventions
when the ideas already work well for so
many popular and well-known magazines.

17. CHALLENGING CONVENTIONS - CONTENTS
I do not think I have challenged conventions of a
contents page hugely, although I have not
included some of the usual aspects. This includes
the name of magazine, or website.
I have also not included an advert or a mixture of
cut out photos and non-cut out photos in the
conventional way. This is because the yellow star
in the middle of the page could be described as an
advertisement for the magazine subscription,
although it is not an advert for an external
company. The majority of the photos are in a very
regimental format, although the photo of the
editor is at a slant, therefore could be described as
cut out from the layout of the page.

18. CHALLENGING CONVENTIONS –
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
Billboard magazine have shown to challenge conventions of a music magazine through their masthead
and images, as well as their cover lines.
The masthead, traditionally featured in the top centre or left, has been rotate 90° and appears down the
left hand side of the page. The image and cover lines can be compared to fashion magazines such as
Vogue, using similar fonts and concepts. The cover image is of Selena Gomez, an artist who last year
brought out the clothing line ‘Neo’. The similarities between the photo shoot then, and the cover of
Billboard are obvious through the colour schemes and scenery.
A music magazine that conforms to the conventions of a fashion magazine is, in itself, going against the
norm, and therefore challenging conventions of its own genre.