This document summarizes how the media product uses and develops conventions from real music magazines. It analyzes the front cover, masthead, images, headlines, columns and other design elements. For each element, it provides examples of magazines that commonly use that convention. However, it also discusses some ways the media product challenges conventions, such as using unconventional color schemes and including social media links. Overall, the document demonstrates an in-depth understanding of how music magazine conventions are both applied and adapted in the original media product.

1. Question 1
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media
products?

2. FRONT COVER
MASTHEAD
HEADER
ANCOR TEXT
MAIN COVER LINES
SELL LINE
MAIN IMAGE
COVER LINES
FEATURES
PULL QUOTE

3. MASTHEAD
Large, simple, sans serif font, capital letters, bold,
placed behind the artist head, contrasting colours to
the background, stands out, eye catching, creates
brand awareness.
Magazines that use (some of) these conventions:

4. SELL LINE
I decided to use a common convention of the sell linen
my front cover. It acts as a mini headline, and is
normally placed near the masthead, it stands out, is
informing (uses and gratifications theory).
Magazines that use these conventions:
Q Mag ‘the worlds
greatest music magazine’
NME mag ‘the musical express’

5. MAIN IMAGE
Medium close up, one person in the shot which links to
the main story of the magazine, uses direct mode of
address (connects audience to reader and creates a
personal relationship - uses and grat), prominent on
page. Main focus of the page centred in the middle,
with the artist shot in high key lighting and with
makeup on complimenting the artists image - attracts
woman and also the male gaze as the artist is
classically feminine.
Magazines that use this convention:
NME magazine
Billboard Magazine
Q Magazine

6. HEADER
Eye catching, other artists names and is an inside to
the article. Not much else on the article except the
name creating questions and curiosity.
Magazines that use this convention:
VIBE magazine
NME magazine

7. FEATURES
Insite into the other features and stories of the
magazine, informative (uses and grat) - draws in the
audience. House style and colour theme links, stands
out again the background, bold don't but smaller than
the main cover line.
Magazines that use this convention:
NME magazine Billboard magazine CLASH mag

8. PULL QUOTE
Creates questions and engages the audience but
intriguing them into the article.
Magazines that use this convention:
NME
Billboard
Q mag

9. ANCHOR TEXT
Artists name, draws in fans, links to the image and main
story, in a bold text, one of the larges things on the page,
contrasts the background and stands out.
Magazines that use this convention:
Q Mag
Billboard
Clash

10. COVER LINES
Creates questions, want to find out the answers and more
about it - informative (uses and grat)
Magazines that use this convention:
Q Magazine
Billboard
Rolling Stone VIBE Magazine

11. MAIN COVER LINE
Very common convention of music magazines, placed near
the anchor text of the artists name and picture. Insight into
the main article of the magazine, informative (uses and
grat), entices audiences to read the magazine.
Magazines that use this convention:
VIBE Magazine
NME
Billboard

12. HOUSE STYLE
The house style i chose challenged conventions for ‘typical’
music magazines. I chose the colours white, pink and blue
(plus a green header) as I didn't like the way red (a common
house style) contrasted with the photo and black (another
common colour) didn't stand out enough against the
background. I also wanted to appeal to more woman so I
used softer more feminine colours to appeal to that gender
more. By using different colours it creates brand awareness
and is unique.
Magazines that challenge the convention:
Magazines that use the convention (red, black white):
The billboard
subscribers issues
goes against
conventions more
than the normal
issues do.

13. CONTENTS PAGE
DATE
NUMBERING
IMAGES
PAGE
NUMBER
COLUMNS
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
REGULAR TITLES
COMPETITION
INSIGHT INTO WHATS
IN THE MAGAZINE
MASTHEAD
SELL LINE
TITLE

14. DATE
Date - recent information (uses and grat), keeps regular
readers up to date. It’s also placed high up on the page
making it one of the first things you read but the text
isn't to large that it drowns out the rest of the page.
Contrasting colours easy to read. The use of spring
edition also keeps regular readers up to date.
TITLE
One of the largest fonts on the page, helps you navigate
round the magazine. Stands out because of contrasting
colours. Informing as to whats on the page.
Magazines that use this convention:
NME
Q
Billboard

15. IMAGES
The photos I took vary from close up to long shot. The
last photo I have counted as long shot even though I
cropped off the legs to fit it on the magazine. I used the
last photo to add a variation to the page as I didn't want
all the images to be similar. The artist in the image also
isn't using direct mode of address so that also makes it
different from the other images. My first and second
photos use direct mode of address and create a personal
connection to the reader (uses and grat). The second
photo would of also used direct mode of address but I
decided to place something over the eyes to give it a
more arty feel. I also used smaller images instead of
huge ones so I could fit in more text and images and
tried to keep them in a organised manner.
Magazines that use this convention:
NME
Billboard Rolling Stone

16. COLLUMNS
I used columns in my contents page to bring order to my
magazine and keep it easy to navigate round. They were
a common convention when I researched different
magazines so I tried to use it in my own.
I used them to split up the page between pictures and
text. I didn't overlap anything and made sure everything
was in straight lines which stopped crowding of the page
and made it look more professional.
Magazines that use this convention:
Rolling Stone Q Magazine

17. NUMBERING
Big numbering - it stand out and is easy navigation. It
creates shortcuts which is a convenience to the reader.
It links with the features articles and images. Its
informing of whats inside (uses and grat). It also fits in
with the house style and isn't to overpowering.
Magazines that use this convention:
Q Magazine
Billboard
Nme

18. FEATURES
The bold titles with dark backgrounds stand out and are
eye catching. They separate different parts of
information keeping it simple and easy to navigate.
The information is numbered also creating short cuts
and I put in small capital titles in to again attract
attention and helps to entice the reader. The short few
lines also informs the reader on whats inside the
magazine (uses and grat).
Keeping the colours and texts simple make it easy to
read and don't over complicate it.
Magazines that use this convention:
NME Q Billboard

19. SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS AND COMPETITION
In my research I didn't actually come across any
contents pages with social medial links of them but I
wanted to use it my magazine because my target
audience is teenagers and young adults and social media
is very popular throughout those ages. It seemed fitting
to add it in as social media is getting more and more
popular as time goes on and I wanted my magazine to be
modern. It will help them help readers keep up to date
with the magazine between issues. By using this I am
reaching out to my audience and marketing effectively.
Competitions aren't something I found much in my
research but they were sometimes used occasionally and
used sometimes in fashion magazines. I think
competitions are good ways to attract audiences
especially when my magazine is new and there are large
competitors on the market already.
The use of competitions in Marie Claire
magazine.

20. PAGE NUMBER
I added page numbers because they're informative and if
I use it in every copy then it would create professional
consistency. It also links to the page numbers on the
pictures and helps people get to certain pages when
they want to read an article. It is also a convention used
in fashion magazines.
Magazines that use this convention:
Q magazine Vogue
Billboard Marie Claire
Rolling Stones

21. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD
ANCHOR TEXT
COLUMNS
PULLING WORDS
ALBUM PREVIEW
MAIN IMAGE
TEXT

22. LAYOUT
I used a regular convention for my two page spread of having one page an image and the other side a whole
page of text. I did this so the image was the most important part of the page and the readers attention is
drawn to it. Putting the image so large made it eye catching. I also put the artist name in large letters so fans
of the artist would want to read it.
Magazines that use this convention:
Rolling Stones

23. IMAGE
For my two page spread I used a medium close up shot as in my research it was very commonly used and I
thought it would be the most eye catching as you can see the body language of the model and see the direct
mode of address. This also creates a personal relationship between the audience and artist (uses a grat)
therefor drawing them in.
Magazines that use this convention:
Q
NME

24. TEXT
I decided to do my text as an interview. I did this because I wanted to draw in fans of the artist as they may
be intrigued by what the artist has to say rather than what someone has to say about them. I also added an
into and outro so the readers knew what the article was about. This wasn't a common convention of music
magazines I researched (it was only occasionally used) but I wanted to use it anyway, it was more commonly
found in fashion magazines.
Magazines that use this convention:
NME

25. COLUMNS
Having the page split up into columns was a convention I researched. I helps to keep the text organised and
makes it look professional therefor I chose to do it in my two page spread.
Magazines that use this convention:
NME
Q

26. ARTISTS NAME
I chose to make the artists name the largest word on the page. This means it is one of the first things you see
when you look at the two page spread and it will also catch the attention of fans of the artist or people who
recognise the name and not necessarily the face of the artist possible making them want to read the article.
Magazines that use this convention:
Rolling Stone
NME

27. PAGE NUMBERS AND ALBUM PREVIEW
Page numbers are simple yet effective in helping to navigate round the magazine. I also placed the ‘platinum’
logo next to it to create brand awareness.
Album previews aren't something Ive come across in my researched but I wanted to add it in as it would draw
in attention as people are curious and would make them read the article as well. It is also an example of
synergy because not only is the album selling the article but the article is also helping to sell the album.
Magazines that use this convention:
Q
Billboard