This monthly magazine aimed at 11-14 year olds keeps readers informed about music and celebrities. Published by the BBC, it costs £2.30 but includes extras like posters and gifts. It features articles on celebrity gossip, music news, and advice columns. The magazine promotes pop music, BBC shows, and new films to its target audience of curious young music fans.

1. top of the pops magazine case study by kate

8. Cover Analysis This is a typical example of an eye catching magazine cover, not only does it use vibrant colours to attract buyers buy it also has a picture of the most successful soloist of today – Cheryl Cole. Immediately the magazine will appeal to its target audience as Cheryl Cole is a huge icon to millions of young females. Looking at this particular cover, I would say that it appeals more to girls than to boys, purely because of all the information and goodies the magazine has to offer. This issue contained a free set of eyeliners and liquid glitter liners. Although the magazine contains Disney’s Hannah Montana, which typically appeals to girls of all ages, this magazine contains extra content that would not be acceptable for younger ages. Plus the articles suggest an older age range, such as “Your new year makeover”.

9. Cover Analysis There are quiet a few images on this cover which is an advantage for the magazine as the target audience can relate it to bright colourful images or celebrities from movies like “New Moon”, programmes like “Hannah Montana” and worldwide singers like “Cheryl Cole”. It is important for young readers to have something to look at, the more images means the more information to be obtained about the celebrities readers aspire to. The varied use of images allows contrast within the cover showing it’s readers the magazine is not just about music but all other types of media too, of course the central theme being music. The contrast of colours immediately grabs attention. The colours are quite feminine again emphasising the products target audience.

10. Cover Analysis The contrast of colours helps separate the different articles, and helps to vary the information so the reader is aware that the magazine offers many types of media based information as well as music. This makes it available for all young girls as there is such diversity in the articles allowing something for everyone. The use of different fonts for each article also helps show the different articles. The magazine includes original logos e.g. “JLS”, as oppose to a magazine created one, so that readers can easily recognise the band. The range of articles available gives the reader the impression that there is something for them. The use of competitions and cut out posters are interactive components to the magazine, which are fun for the readers.

11. Layout Analysis Colour contrast and layout. The house style consists of four colours, black, white, chalk green and chalk pink. The pages are split up with the use of boxes and images. Each box coincides with one date/detail of “Miley’s tour secrets”. There is a centre image taking up the most space, outlined with the little text boxes around. It is a large image of Miley Cyrus. She is not looking at the camera as the article is about secrets. So looking away from camera create the sense that Miley is not in on the secret. This is the same with all the images. There is a bar across the top of the page, it is used as a heading to imply the “exclusiveness” of the article. All text is neatly placed in boxes, there is no mayhem in the layout.

12. Layout Analysis The use of different colours to show the different topics within the article. Takes the form of an interview with Q and A layout. The use of a quote as the title, informing readers its an interview. The images are of the interviewee One large image of Cheryl Cole immediately stating the interviewee. She is a very famous artist, and her image would get attention from readers. There is more text than images. Suggesting the information becomes more important. The image behind the title is of a rainbow, and there are images of stars dotted all over the page symbolising the ‘stardom’ and beauty of Cheryl Cole.

13. Language Analysis This article is aimed at younger readers due to the use of short and simple sentences ideal for a younger audience, plus the use of informal language and various colloquial terms. “Your” immediately attaches the reader to the article suggesting is is about a readers experience. Colloquial language “oops” is commonly used by young teenage girls when they have done something embarrassing. The use of alliteration in this article adds interest from readers. E.g. “Mud Mask” or “Dad Disaster”. Helps sum up each story with a snappy phrase which is much more entertaining than a longer sub title. “Top Trauma” is another example of alliteration used to make the text appear catchy.

14. Language Analysis Simple informal language is used within this article, it maintains the feeling that the ‘embarrassing stories’ are written for and by readers of the same age range. This is also enforced with the use of names after each story. This helps emphasis that these stories are from real people and happen to everybody. The use of a laughter in the cartoon image (the boys to the right) helps inform readers that embarrassing moments happen to everybody and should just be laughed off instead of turn into major fear and embarrassment. Each article has exclamation marks to emphasis the point of each story. This immediately states the aim of each story for the readers, similar to the snappy headings.

15. Promoting the Industry top of the pops promotes the film industry with the use of adverts for the recent film releases that are suitable to the products audience. The inclusion of a 12 page special pull out section for the best film of the times also helps to promote its popularity. This is due to the extra facts and details about the film which entice readers to want to go out and watch or buy the film. As BBC industries created top of the pops, it includes extra information about other BBC productions such as TV shows. Within this particular issue (December 09) there is an advert for a SKY television programme available for the readers with its time and date of showing.

16. Future of Music Magazines Due to the recent increase of digital media, consisting of mobile phones, internet and interactive television, it appears that music magazines will eventually decrease in the market making way for new media which is not yet available. At the moment all digital media has become a threat to music magazines, however most of the magazine publishers have created websites that coincide with their magazines to keep readers updated for free, whilst also keeping information only for their magazines to persuade readers to continue purchasing their product. As digital media has become a lot less costly as buying weekly or monthly magazines it seems readers numbers may decrease, however there will always be people who do not have access to the digital media or like to read from a screen and prefer hard copies.