Task 9

1. Task 9 -A summary of research
A)My research consisted of a combination of primary and secondary data collected from focus
groups , questionnaires and internet sources etc.
I now understand music magazines can often reflect the times they were published in which many
changes happening in the world and music world it can become difficult to survive in the long term
for a music magazines and there are many examples of failures across the decades with most
failing to adapt to the times and falling out of touch with their readership, my research has also
allowed me to understand what has been done by the successful music magazines such as NME
to have a lifespan half a century old and still be the most popular music magazine in the U.K.
Moreover I will use this information to allow my music magazine to stand the test of time and be
relevant for the foreseeable.
I have researched the possible target audience that my magazine could appeal to and by
understanding this I will be able to give the target audience what they want therefore increasing
interest in the magazine. To achieve this I will need good articles which reflect the magazines
identity which will be its own individual style as to help it stand out from others while following the
similar basic conventions of most music magazines. The magazine will also need a unique selling
point something that each issue will be different and new for the reader, something that will
separate it from the competition.
B) Research into real music magazines
My research into real music magazines such as NME and Kerrang allowed me to understand the
many conventions of music magazines as a whole and how they to need to be followed or in some
cases ignored an example to this would be on the front cover of NME there is always a masthead
on the top and cover star/striking image in the centre which is the main selling point, the footer of
the page would always have barcode,date,etc. these features are all a must. The contents page is
full of basic conventions such as have having the word ‘contents’ at the top, having date/issue
number present, having the name of the magazine somewhere on the contents page. The double
page spread will also need be to very image dominated and use anchored text, paragraphs must
also be used.
All three parts of the magazine should be linked together throughout ,they should use the same
colour scheme/themes, they should also have the same information displayed on the front cover
carried through into the contents page and double page spread. The contents used on each page
most importantly must relate to the genre I am going to target e.g rock. Another common
component that is convention is having the magazine slogan/tittle on each of the three pages. A
similar or identical language style should be used throughout to keep consistency for my music
magazine being centred around rock a more rebellious tone would be appropriate.
Summary of research into my chosen genre
. Rock magazines colour schemes tend to be very dark and threatening with red a colour for
danger often used and black a colour for death featuring prominently
.Rock magazines tend to use many unconventional features in the design of the magazines to
show that they are rebelling and trying to be different.
.My style magazine NME would always keep the convention of linking the 3 pages together
through theme,colour scheme and language used.

2. -Covers I would like to base my
magazine on.
-Contents I would like to emulate in my final product along with
other examples.
-These are examples of articles I would like to
use as style models.

3. I have also found many different adaptions of the double page spread articles in which the image
based side of of the two in place in the centre with the text placed around the image rather than
next to it.
C) Target audience research
My overall conclusion of my target audience research by using the questionnaire results I gathered
is that
1. The cover should be :
.Follow a colour scheme of red,white and black
.Have a cover star whom is chosen from not his or hers gender and so the magazine will feature a
range of the best artist from the specific genre.
.Understanding its target market by including bands such as arctic monkeys.
2. The contents should include:
A consistency from the front page e.g colour scheme
Easy and understandable to locate artists and interviews
Interviews with artists such as arctic monkeys,royal blood etc.
3.The article should be :
. Have one main image
.include a Q/A style session
.A consistency from the front page e.g colour scheme
Informal and chatty style writing.
4. General information
I large majority of target audience have bought a music magazine before and many are already
subscribed to other music magazines however they are unwilling to pay anything over £2 for music
magazine especially a new first issue magazine, the majority of my audience was male and
ranging in age from 17-25.
With my research summoned from these results I am now ready to complete my formal proposal
and start planning my own music magazine.