Q Magazine targets a male-dominated audience of young adults aged 20-30 who enjoy alternative music. They are portrayed as rebellious and dressed in black, relating to artists like Lily Allen. The ideal reader "Chris" lives in Leeds and has a reasonable income to support his passion for music through attending gigs and festivals. The magazine aims to be a serious publication for fans of alternative music genres. Under the Radar similarly targets young adults who are educated and technologically savvy. Its audience skews slightly older than Q's and is predominantly male, which aligns with stereotypes of indie music fans. They have disposable income to support attending live shows and an interest in independent artists.

1. Reader Profile Analysis
Q Magazine and Under The Radar

2. • First published: October 1986
• Founders: Mark Ellen and David Hepworth
• Publishers: EMAP
• In 2008 EMAP sold Q magazine to the Bauer Media Group
Changes made to the magazine over the years:
• The original subtitle was “the modern guide to music and more”
• The original target audience were older people who were buying CDs, meaning the
magazine was aimed at a new market as CDs were a new technology
• The original name was “Cue”

3. Q

4. For their reader profile Q have a picture of
Lily Allen on a motorbike with a smokey
background. This relates to the sort of artist
that feature in Q magazine. It also relates to
the type of audience the magazine is targeted
at. This is because she looks fairly rocky and
alternative, which relates to how the
magazine is a rock/alternative magazine.
Therefore their target audience are more
rebellious, which would relate to how Lily
Allen is on a motorbike, which have
connotations of rebellious natures.
Lily Allen is also dressed completely in black,
which would relate to Q magazine’s target
audience.
The smokey background, creates mystery and
a more defiant atmosphere. This would also
appeal to the target audience as they would
be able to relate to her.

5. • For Q’s reader profile they refereed to their
ideal reader as “Chris”. This shows how their
audience are mainly male targeted and
dominated.
• Chris is also 29 years old. This show how
their target audience are young adults in
their 20s and 30s.
• The reader profile says that Chris leaves in
Leeds, this suggests that their target
audience are people who listen to more
alternative music, as this is a stereotype
people from the north of England.
• The reader profile highlights how important
music is to Chris. This suggests that their
magazine is aimed at people who truly enjoy
music and music is an important of life.
Therefore suggesting that Q is a serious
music magazine.

6. • Referring to “gigs, festivals and those
electrifying moments”, suggests that their
target audience like more alternative
music, which is the genre of the magazine.
• The reader profile suggests that their
target demographic are of the socio-
economics A, B and C1
• The reader profile also suggests that their
target audience are technologically able,
and use a variety of technology to listen to
music.
• The reader profile also highlights how most
of the audience are employed and have a
reasonable amount of disable income

7. Under The Radar
Under the Radar publishes five issues a year and is exclusively
distributed across North America by Curtis Circulation. Under
the Radar can be found at all major newsstands and
bookstores, including Barnes & Noble, Barnes & Noble College
Bookstores, Bookworld, Books-A-Million, Hastings,
Waldenbooks, B. Dalton, as well as a large network of
independent record stores and college bookstores. Additional
promotional distribution occurs each year at the SXSW Music
Festival as well as at one-off events. Under the Radar is also
distributed internationally.

8. Under The Radar

9. • Under The Radar, has
a male dominated
audience, which is
stereotypical for Indie
music magazines
• The magazine as a
young adult audience
• The audience would
be of the socio-
economic groups B.
C1 and C2
• A majority of the
audience also have
completed higher
education
• The audience is also
very technologically
involved