Understand existing print-based media products and how they are created

2. Contents
1. LO1
2. Contents
3. Purpose (Q)
4. Form and style (Q)
5. Content (Q)
6. Meaning (Q)
7. Genre (Q)
8. Target Audience (Q)
9. Frequency (Q)
10. Production Process (Q)
11. Production Process (Q)
12. Production Process (Q)
13. Purpose (Billboard)
14. Form and style (Billboard)
15. Content (Billboard)
16. Content (Billboard)
17. Meaning (Billboard)
18. Genre (Billboard)
19. Target Audience (Billboard)
20. Frequency (Billboard)
21. Production Process (Billboard)

3. Purpose
The purpose of Q is to inform the readers of new music and artists, this
is through interviews, photos, reviews and music related information. It
is also to entertain as it is a leisure magazine rather than a business
magazine. It can also have the purpose to sell products that the artists
create, this is through advertising the artist in interviews and
advertisement spaces in the magazine.

4. Form and style
Q is a music magazine, that uses a complex content layout to create a varied
magazine between issues. There is no set place for each different part of the
magazine, this creates a unique read for each issue, it also avoids being
boring or repetitive.
Q magazine uses red and white colours in each issue. This means the
magazine can be easily found on shelves and can also be easily read. This is
because red and white are fairly bright colours and stand out when used
together well but are also easy on the eyes so that the journalism is not
ruined by the graphic design of the magazine.
Each of the front covers are laid out in a similar way to each issue. There is
always one constant, the logo in the top left hand corner of the cover. This
logo is always present and allows the audience to easily recognise the
magazine in shops.

5. Content
Q covers multiple genres in each issue; however, it tries to focus on one
slightly broader genre per issue. The general content in each issue
includes interviews and images from musicians. This gives an insight
into their lives that members of the public would not normally know.
There are also review sections that inform the readers of Q’s opinion on
particular albums, songs or musicians, for example. This means the
reader can form an opinion on the product before purchasing it
themselves.

6. Meaning
The stark contrast of the large, white ‘Q’ with a red, squared
background makes the magazine stand out against other magazines in
the shop.
The connotations of white on red is the power of the red over the
white perfection of the product.

7. Genre
Q magazine is a music magazine that publishes multiple different
articles of music in each issue. Q magazine is very eclectic, meaning
they have a large variety of different types of music and artists
published in their magazine.
This means that they have a much larger readership as they cater for
most people in their magazine; for example they publish rock music,
R&B music, indie music, pop music, hip-hop music, and more.

8. Target Audience
Gender
• There is no different gender appeal to Q magazine this means that they cater for a wider audience by not
being specifically for one particular gender.
Age
• Q interviews and reviews artists of all genres and eras so they can fill a wider audience all with a range of
different ages
Lifestyle
• Can be more relaxed lifestyle with more time for pleasure reading and other leisure activities
Spending power
• Have a larger disposable income as Q is a leisure magazine, that is not needed for a specific task. Like
economic magazine etc.

9. Frequency
Q is a monthly magazine that is released on the 4th Tuesday of every
month. This reliability is key to increasing magazine sales and
subscription numbers.

10. Production Process
Q does not have any way to be contacted through their website, this shows poor
communication with their readers and potential readers. If the customer does not
have a clear way to contact Q, they are less likely to look further.
As shown below, I emailed Jess Blake at Bauer Media instead to gather information
on Q’s production process.
I did not get a response, so I researched a general
production process instead.

11. Production Process
• Date of publication
• This is the final deadline and when the magazine is to be published and released to the general public.
• Create and manage a schedule
• This allows the magazines to be published on time even with errors occurring, as the schedule should allow for this
to happen.
• Editorial and budgetary decision
• This is the decisions made of what is to be included in the issue, this includes the images, interviews, news and all
other content. After this the team will make the budgeting decision, this is looking at all the money available and
dividing it between all parts of the issue.
• Content Acquisition
• This is where all the content is gathered to be put into the issue of the magazine. One way of doing this is through
the Q writers or through external specialist writers. At this stage all photography, graphic editing, interviews and
reviews can be completed.
• Sub-editing
• This is the checking of facts, spelling, punctuation and grammar checks, ensuring the house styles are followed and
working on the next stage.

12. Production Process
• Page layout
• This is to typeset and layout all the magazine pages, at this stage, advertisements are placed in the magazines.
• Proofreading
• This is when a hard copy of Q is produced and the editors read through it and edit this on the desktop publishing
program. This continues to happen until all editors are happy that there are no errors remaining.
• File emailed to printer
• The file is emailed to the printing company and they then print a few copies and returns them to Q for final
proofreading called the printer’s proofs. When the Q editorial team are happy they tell the printing company to print
the large amount of copies Q has requested
• Distribution
• This is the part where all copies are packaged neatly and send them to warehouses for distribution and selling to the
public.
https://hosbeg.com/the-magazine-production-process/

13. Purpose
Billboard educates and inform people of all things pop related, with a
specialty of music charts and news. They are bets known for their
tracking and recording of the top music weekly in the Billboard 100.

14. Form and style
The layout of the content inside the magazine is logical and easy to
read.
The main colours used are black and white, this is shown in the logo.
This provides a clear contrast between the colours used in images and
highlights the important parts of the report.
The front covers are usually one main colour that has various shades,
this keeps consistency between the magazine front cover and draws
attention the the featured artist, who is normally dressed in a similar
colour to the background. The logo is coloured in a contrasting colour,
so the front cover is not a wash of the same colours.

15. Content
The magazine starts with the Hot 100 which is the most popular chart
and then goes on to show this week’s most important news and
reviews.
• Hot 100 is the first page of the magazine, and shows the top 10 larger
than the rest of the chart.
• Topline is the week’s top headlines, this includes the Sounds of
Hollywood, Corner Office, Noted and 7 Days on the Screen.
• The Beat is the new songs of the week and includes Bookmarked,
Overhead, Hear Say.
• Style is the looks and trends from the world of music right now.

16. Content
• Features are the exclusive interviews and photographs.
• Reviews are of new albums, singles and soundtracks.
• Backstage Pass is an exclusive look behind the scenes at events,
concerts and festivals.
• Charts is the week’s top songs including changes and debuts.
• CODA is a flashback to this week in previous years and the top charts
in that year.
https://www.billboard.com/files/media/Billboard%20Brand%20Assets/Billboard_2017_MEDIA-KIT.pdf

17. Meaning
The contrast on the black lettering of ‘billboard’ against the white
background highlights the magazine name to potential readers among
other magazines in the same shop or shelf.
It also shows that Billboard’s content is very clear and in ‘black and
white’. This is the clarity and extremes of the report in the magazine.

18. Genre
Hot 100
60th Anniversary
Songs Of The Summer
Hot 100
Billboard 200
Artist 100
Greatest Of All Time
Year-End 2017
Holiday
Pop
R&B/Hip-Hop
Latin
Dance/Electronic
Country
Rock
Web
Breaking And Entering
Christian/Gospel
International
Billboard is the go to magazine for charts of:

19. Target Audience
• 77% of readers are male and 23% female
• The average age is 47 years old
• The average household income is US$212,000
• The readers average net worth is US$1 million
• 68% of readers are college graduates and 25%
are postgraduates
https://www.billboard.com/files/media/bb_2015mediakit_050115.pdf

20. Frequency
Billboard is a weekly magazine that is released each Saturday. This
consistency is key to for the regular readers. Having each issue released
on the first day of the weekend confirms that the magazine is a leisure
magazine and is meant to be read for pleasure rather than business.
Being able to subscribe to the magazine also promotes leisure as it will
be delivered to the readers home on Saturday.

21. Production Process
I have emailed the Billboard Editorial Director, Denise Warner about
the production process.
I did not get a response, so I researched a general production process
instead.

22. Production Process
• Date of publication
• This is the final deadline and when the magazine is to be published and released to the general public.
• Create and manage a schedule
• This allows the magazines to be published on time even with errors occurring, as the schedule should allow for this
to happen.
• Editorial and budgetary decision
• This is the decisions made of what is to be included in the issue, this includes the images, interviews, news and all
other content. After this the team will make the budgeting decision, this is looking at all the money available and
dividing it between all parts of the issue.
• Content Acquisition
• This is where all the content is gathered to be put into the issue of the magazine. One way of doing this is through
the Billboard writers or through external specialist writers. At this stage all photography, graphic editing, interviews
and reviews can be completed.
• Sub-editing
• This is the checking of facts, spelling, punctuation and grammar checks, ensuring the house styles are followed and
working on the next stage.

23. Production Process
• Page layout
• This is to typeset and layout all the magazine pages, at this stage, advertisements are placed in the magazines.
• Proofreading
• This is when a hard copy of Billboard is produced and the editors read through it and edit this on the desktop
publishing program. This continues to happen until all editors are happy that there are no errors remaining.
• File emailed to printer
• The file is emailed to the printing company and they then print a few copies and returns them to Billboard for final
proofreading called the printer’s proofs. When the Billboard editorial team are happy they tell the printing company
to print the large amount of copies Billboard has requested
• Distribution
• This is the part where all copies are packaged neatly and send them to warehouses for distribution and selling to the
public.
https://hosbeg.com/the-magazine-production-process/