UNIT 1

1. OCR –
Level 3 Cambridge Introductory Diploma in
Media
Unit 01:
Analyzing Media Products and Audiences
Evidence
Name: Tom Hibbert
Candidate Number: 2063
Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic School
Center Number: 64135
Set Brief - Print
Project/Brief –
Music Magazine & Promotion

2. Contents1. Focus publisher and product – Slide 4
2. Ownership Structure – Slide 5
3. Ownership Model – Slide 6
4. Brand Ideology – Slide 7
5. Technological – Slide 8
6. Other Products – Slide 9
7. Market Position – Slide 10 to 13
8. Competitors of Bauer – Slide 14
9. Competitors of Kerrang! – Slide 15
10. Publishing Process – Slide 16
11. Production Process of Kerrang – Slide 17
12. Purpose – Slide 18
13. Contents Page – Slide 19
14. Meanings – Slide 20
15. Form and Style – Slide 21 to 23
16. DPS Connotations – Slide 24
17. Appealing to Target Audience – Slide 26 – 28
18. Spending Power – Slide 29
19. Target Audience – Slide 30 to 33
20. Primary Research – Slide 34 to 43
21. Reviews – Slide 45
22. Advertising – Slide 47 – 49
23. Distribution – Slide 50
24. Retail Outlets – Slide 51
25. Stereotypes – Slide 53
26. Relevant Issues of Representation – Slide 54 - 55
27. Legal Issues – Slide 56
28. IPSO – Slide 57
29. Editor’s Code of Practice – Slide 58 – 63
30. What does Kerrang! have to be accurate with – Slide 64
31. What does Kerrang! have to avoid discriminating against – Slide 65
32. How does Kerrang! uphold regulatory issues – Slide 66
33. How to make a complaint – Slide 67
34. Copyright – Slide 68
35. Watermark – Slide 69
36. Conclusion – Slide 70

4. Focus publisher and product
1. Europe’s largest privately owned
publishing Group
2. The seeds of the company’s radio
business were planted in 1990
3. In 1994, the company bought a small
magazine called For Him Magazine which
is now the core of the best-selling
international multi-platform brand FHM.
4. Bauer Media spans over 80 influential
brand names covering a diverse range of
interests including heat – the must have
weekly celebrity title, Parkers, MATCH!,
CAR and Yours.
5. In 1996, Bauer Media acquired digital
music TV channel The Box, as a route into
the small screen business, which has
grown into Box Television, a seven
channel joint venture TV business with
Channel 4.
6. The Bauer Media Group has set the
course for sales growth in its domestic
market.
7. Bauer media group holds a 56 per cent
retail market share of the popular
magazine segment, and is also the
leading private radio provider.
1. Kerrang magazine was first published
on June 6 1981.
2. Kerrang magazine is the Uk’s no.1
rock magazine.
3. Releases weekly copies.
4. The editor for Kerrang is James
McMahon
5. Kerrang is not only a magazine but
also has their own channel on TV
6. Kerrang have their own music chart
for rock music.
7. The magazine includes interviews and
‘exclusive’ talks with the rock band
artists featured in the magazine.
8. James McMahon was appointed as
editor on 6 June 2011
9. 37,603 copies of Kerrang had been
sold by June 2013
10.Kerrang is published by Bauer media
group.
Genre

5. Ownership Structure
Bauer media was first found in 1875.
Bauer Media is a global publisher because it has its headquarters in
Hamburg. By being a global publisher it is open to a lot of brands
which can help them reach their insight which is “to be able to
deliver ground-breaking consumer insight to media professionals,
having more market leading brands across a wider breadth of
markets than any other media owner”.
On each page of Bauer’s website they have the social networking
icons on the left hand side. This shows continuously that they are
on social networking sites. This attracts younger audiences that are
in fact with these networking sites that they can interact with a
magazine that they like within their own environment and reach
out to Bauer about their magazine.
http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/about

6. Ownership Model
Research Sources
https://www.bauermedia.co.uk/about/our-company
PAUL KEENAN
CEO
DEE FORD
Group Managing Director Radio
ROB MUNRO-HALL
Group MD, Magazine Media
ABBY CARVOSSO
Group MD, Advertising
ANNE-MARIE LAVAN
Group Marketing Director
SAM JONES
Group MD, Digital
SARAH VICKERY
Group Finance & Strategy Director.
SARAH BARNES
HR Director

7. Brand Ideology/Ethos
Slogan: “We think Popular”
The logo with the slogan contains bright feelings
with a range of colours. This range of colours in the
image connotes the ethos of the magazine which is
to have a wide rang of brands and products. The
bright colours reflect how their purpose is to
entertain and the wide range of colours show the
rang of brands and ideas they have. The slogan also
connotes that they ‘think’ that they are popular and
are therefore considered popular. This could also
suggest that if you read the magazine you will be
popular.
Purpose

8. Technological Convergence
Bauer media Group can be found on
twitter. They also have a separate twitter
account for jobs available at Bauer Media
Group. This not only promotes the
publishing group, but also extends the
range of people who know about Bauer
Media Group as a significant amount of
people are on social networking sites. The
website also gives access for purchasing
an ‘e-version’ of the magazine.

9. Associated Products
Bauer media produces other
products outside Kerrang like:
Q, MOJO and other magazines
which are unrelated to music
magazines. By not only
producing music magazines,
Bauer have attracted different
target audiences which will
overall give the publisher a wide
range of media to publish and
entertain their audience with. It
also shows how the company
have diversified over the years
in order to attract a larger
readership using a range of
media platforms.
Other Products

10. Market Position
The chart to the left denotes the circulation
figures of 7 magazines.
The magazine I'm researching ‘Kerrang’ has
circulated 40,203 at the end of June.
http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/article/1145894
/magazine-abcs-nme-q-suffer-major-
circulation-falls
Out of these 7 magazines Kerrang is
circulating the second to worse but their
publisher however has Empire, Kerrang, Q
and MOJO in this sample of 7.

11. Market Position - Genres
Bauer Media produce 50 different magazines in
the style of Women’s, men’s lifestyle,
entertainment and music , specialist.
http://magazines.bauermediaadvertising.com/magazines
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Women's Men's Lifestyle Entertainment and
Music
Specialist
https://www.bauermedia.co.uk/brands-
magazine

12. Market Share - Publishers
IPC Media
IPC Media is the UK’s largest publisher by circulation as of 2014 and is growing in the
home interest and lifestyle sector.
Hearst
In 2010 Hearst
were recorded on
the graph below as
17% total
circulation which is
the second to
lowest out of the
publishers.
Future PLC
Future was founded in 1985 and they have a net worth of $3.5 million.
Bauer
Bauer’s circulation in 2010 was recorded as 89% circulation, this is the
highest out of the other publishers included in this circulation by publishers
graph.
http://www.medi
aweek.com.au/ba
uer-media-notes-
increased-
magazine-market-
share/
http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/article/1307934/magazine-abcs-top-100-glance
http://www.spyglassintel.com/visualization-of-circulation-revenue-for-the-top-12-us-consumer-magazine-publishers/
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/node/49874

13. Market Share - Publishers
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/how-magazine-sectors-performed-abcs-first-half-
2015-childrens-titles-womens-weeklies-down
The circulation within the rock music genre has declined because more people may be
downloading the magazines and reading them digitally as opposed to buying and reading
physically.
“All publishers are looking to diversify” because of the decline in print
sales of their products may be damaging their business and risking
their market share, if all UK publishers diversify then they have more
chance of keeping a product on the market.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/aug/14/uk-consumer-magazines-print-sales-2014
Bauer are the 8th leading
publisher in the global
magazine market because they
currently hold $371 million
from circulation. This is just $79
million below the leading
publisher in the global
magazine market ‘Time Inc.”.

14. Competitors of Bauer Media
IPC Media
IPC media is a similar company to Bauer Media Group. IPC media are a worldwide company that have
global offices.
IPC Media is within Timeinc. UK which have over 60 brands including “NME”. Despite being cheaper
than most of Bauer’s magazines IPC media have still to achieve the no. 1 spot in music magazine
publishing.
Hearst
Hearst publishing started in 1910 by Randolph Hearst and the company had made up to 9 billion in
revenue. Hearst publish Best and All about soap, which both have high readership in the UK.
Future PLC
Future PLC publishes Total Film, EDGE and SFX. The CEO of Future PLC is Zillah Byng-Maddick but the
company was founded by Chris Anderson in 1985. The assets of the company of worth £22.5 million.
Source Used
http://www.timeincuk.com

15. Competitors of Kerrang! Magazine
Rock Sound
Rock sound is a similar magazine to Kerrang in the sense that they
are both covering the same genre. Rock sound uses a completely
different shade, tone and variety of colours in the magazine where
as Kerrang has one colour scheme per issue that connotes the
content mood and theme of that particular issue.
Publisher: Freeway Press.inc
MOJO
MOJO is similar to Kerrang! but differs because of the type of rock
music that features in the magazines. MOJO focuses on classic rock
music where as Kerrang! is punk and hard-core rock.
Publisher: Bauer Media Group

16. Publishing Process
Pick a Subject/Genre/Topic
When the decision to make a magazine arises you need to have a good genre and subject that is popular and will gather profit.
Choose a name/title
The name of your magazine will need to be chosen strategically and methodically as you will need to put great thought and time into what your magazine will
be recognised as.
Choose the article you are going to cover
The article covered in the magazine should be interesting for readers and your target audience as if it is not interesting then your readership will reject t the
magazine completely.
Choose the cover image
This image will have to catch the reader’s eyes and draw them into reading the magazine because of the look of it.
Design your masthead for you magazine
The brand identity of the magazine lies in the masthead, a font style that is readable and aesthetically pleasing will be best for the magazine.
Write body articles
More than one article will help to collect the largest amount of information for the readership.
Improve photos/Incorporate graphics
The photos in the magazine need to be of a professional standard and to a high quality so that the target audience and those reading the magazine can
compliment and appreciate the presentation.
Decide on feature articles
Feature articles are the articles that will be featured in the magazine and will hold the magazines unique content together with the overall presentation of the
magazine.
Place thumbnails
The thumbnails will need to preview the article enough that the reader will know what will be in the article.
Create table of contents
Source Used
https://www.lucidpress.com/blog/20
14/02/20/how-to-make-a-magazine-
in-twelve-steps/

17. Production Process of Kerrang
Evidence
I contacted Kerrang
magazine to ask them
about their production
process but received
no reply so I have
included this
screenshot of the
email as evidence.

18. Purpose
The purpose of the magazine is to ‘inform’ (Katz) and entertain people who favour their
music genre on the latest music for the bands. The magazine is very much based around
the people that are a part of the ‘rock’ genre.
The magazine meets the purpose as it contains highly detailed interviews and articles
with rock artists and those related to the magazine.
The magazine is mainly focused on rock and metal based
music which limits the target audience and consumer range.
The ideology of the magazine is to inform and entertain
people who favour their music genre on the latest music for
the bands.
The magazine also provides live tour dates so that their
consumers can actually meet the celebrities they have been
reading about.
The verbal code of the strapline “LIFE IS LOUD” connotes
that everyone should like Kerrang.
Verbal Codes
Kerrang magazine focuses on loud and crashy and bold music
and in this strapline they describe life as loud which draws
readers into read the magazine which is life according to the
strapline.

19. Purpose - Magazine contents page
Consistent Colour Scheme
There is a consistent colour
scheme in use of red, yellow,
black and white.
The colour red connotes the
idea of stopping, therefore is
used on the contents page to
make the reader stop and
read what is on what page.
Yellow would suggest bright
and cheery, this is used on the
contents page to show
different sections of the
magazine.
White symbolises purity and
is used here to show a clean
background to the contents
page.
Black connotes something of
a dark and sinister nature and
is used here as a background
to artists images, perhaps
suggesting the nature of the
music they produce.
Images
The use of an image that takes
up most of the contents page
and does not have a link to any
rock artist is unusual as an
artist would usually be here in
this size as a pose to a member
of a random audience at a
concert.
Layout
The layout of the contents page
is not very organised, this is
maintaining the rough, tough
rock image that the readership
are looking for in this genre.
The editorial has also been
included at the bottom of the
contents page, this connotes
ownership with the contents
page as suggests a contrast
with the un-organisation of the
genre making this a unique
magazine.

20. Meanings
Verbal Codes
Kerrang’s verbal codes are the text that
the magazine displays on the magazine.
The verbal code “ROCK STARS WHO
CHANGED YOUR WORLD” is a perfect
example of how they use verbal codes
connotes their genre of rock music.
“Rock “ is literally written on the front
cover and makes the reader very aware
that they are in fact a rock magazine.
Kerrang is a rock music
magazine and their front
covers clearly display this.
On this particular front
cover of Kerrang they
have used non-verbal and
verbal codes to show this.
Non-Verbal Codes
The magazine’s front cover has a picture of many rock music artists
and does this as a constant feature for the magazine each week.
This specific front cover has multiple rock artists such as: Billie Joe
Armstrong, Gerard Way and Kurt Cobain.
These are not only rock artists but very well known artists that
symbolise rock music.
Barcode
The barcode for this magazine has the logo
inside of it as well as the price and issue
number.
The connotations of the logo in the barcode
are the consistency to advertise the
magazine’s title. By having the logo in the
barcode
Headline
The headline of Kerrang’s front cover is ‘ICONS’.
The text is presented in a bold, bright and
coloured format which draws in the readers’
attention as it is the biggest title on the page.
Masthead
The masthead has sharp,
broken and destructive
connotations. This
matches the consistent
style of Kerrang
magazine because they
are a punk rock
magazine.
Anchorage text
The Anchorage text on
the front cover makes
the reader more
interested in reading the
article because it tells us
that more rock artists are
featured in the magazine,
this makes the reader
become more interested
as more of the artists
they like are in the
magazine.
Adverts/Freebies
The advert on the front cover of this issue
of Kerrang is the free download option for
a festival. This encourages readers to buy
the magazine in order to get the freebies
advertised.

21. Form and Style
Colour Scheme
The colour scheme for Kerrang! is different in
most issues. There are usually three colours which
are across the whole of that issue. Yellow and
black and mostly used in each issue.
The form and style of the magazine has very dark
and black colours. This connotes the style of rock
music that they display in the magazine and lets
the reader know whether this magazine is for
them straight away.
Something else on the magazine that denotes the
form and style of the magazine is their constant
use of colour schemes per issue.

22. Form and StyleDimensions
The dimensions for Kerrang! magazine
are 28 x 22 cm. This is roughly the
standard and most common size. The
standard size is 8 x 10 which is (20 x 25).
Positioning
Kerrang! magazine issues can be referred
to as picture lead which means that they
are very picture orientated. Every issue of
Kerrang! has pictures on the front and
inside which helps capitalize on the
artist’s ‘star appeal’ (Richard Dyer).
The images on the front cover pages are
always in front of the masthead. This is to
further their importance and to make
them stand out more.

23. Format
There is a digital format of
Kerrang available on the
newsstand of the google play
store for android.
You can purchase an individual
issue for £1.99, subscribe for
£5.99 per month or £49.99 for
a year.
Form and Style
Once you have purchased issue of the
magazine it is downloaded onto your phone
and then you can read it when you are on
the go.

24. Drop Capital
A drop capital draws
attention to the
interview and article
instead of having
readers just ‘flick
through’ the DPS
they will be drawn to
read it because of
the drop capital’s
size.
Consistent colour scheme throughout
This double page spread of Kerrang magazine has a consistent
colour scheme of black, red and white. The colour red connotes
anger and fire which fits the stereotype that rock stars are angry
and perform angry music as artists.
Credit to interviewer
The significance of giving credit to the
writer and photographer is that it tells the
reader who put the page together which
adds a more personal touch to the whole
DPS.
Differential
questions
By having
different
colours for
the different
person
speaking in
the
interview it
allows the
reader to be
able to see
who is the
interviewee
and
interviewer.

26. Appealing to the target audience
The masthead is in a broken font style. This appeals
to the readership and influences people who like
rock music to read it because it looks like a rock
music magazine with its broken, distorted and
rough look.
Each issue has an image of the main artist of the
issue on the front cover. This utilises the ‘star
appeal’ (Richard Dyer) of the artist which influences
the target audience to read Kerrang! because the
target audience are fans of rock music and would
therefore see an artist they like and want to read
about them.
There is also an advertisement for a free poster and an
exclusive article. This connotes that the article can only
be found in this magazine issue which influences the
target audience to read Kerrang!.

27. Appealing to the target audience
The language in Kerrang is informal. This appeals to the audience because
stereotypically Kerrang magazine’s audience talk in this way, the magazine being
informal may allow the audience to relax more when reading the magazine
because its casual as a pose to a formal looking magazine such as Q or MOJO.
With Kerrang using modern, casual and ‘slang’ language it appeals to the target
audience because this makes the magazine fun to read and this furthers the rock
music theme across the magazine, appealing to the audience.
For example on the front cover to the right, the quote in the banner reads “IT’S A
BIG MIDDLE FINGER!”. This is near explicit text and informal language which draws

28. Appealing to the target audience
On a Kerrang DPS the
interview with the artist is
about controversial and
personal topics, this appeals
to the target audience
because it makes the reader
learn more about the artist
being interviewed and makes
the DPS more unique if it is
covering things that are
controversial which no one
else will cover.

29. Spending Power
Kerrang’s target
audience’s spending
power is low. This is
because the
demographic is E/D,
this has most likely
influenced Kerrang
to price their
magazine at £2.20 in
the UK as everyone
in this demographic
can afford this.

30. Katz’ Uses and Gratifications
Theory
The uses and gratifications theory was made by theorist Katz.
The theory depicts how we understand communication and how the media affects
us. The theory suggests that people interpret the media they are consuming into
their lives with ‘objectives’.
Kerrang’s reader’s objectives would be to gain insight into themselves. This is
based on the theme and mood of the magazine which is quite dark, this connotes
how they may be a dark person.
The typical reader of Kerrang! will be ‘informed & educated’ about the lives of
rock artists in and outside of music performing. This allows the audience to
indulge themselves in the lives of these artists and escape from their own.
“The return” is very
informative and is a
USP for this issue.

31. Hierarchy of Needs
The theory was built by Maslow. The
theory states that people do things for
self-actualization, esteem, love/belonging,
safety and physiological reasons. People
would read Kerrang magazine to fulfill
their esteem needs. This based on the
simplicity of Kerrang magazine and the
artists and bands that are featured in the
magazine which have been involved in a
rough upbringing, alcohol and drugs.

32. Demographics
Demographic: Demographics are used to pick out potential audience growth and to spot
underperformance. All types of media are targeted to certain audiences. In relation to
Kerrang, I think that the demographic for the magazine would be in the D/E sector. I think this
because Kerrang is too un-formal for C1 and above as skilled office workers and those in
‘white collar’ jobs would not be interested in low-end showcase rock music.

33. Psychographics
Psychographics are parts of a specific media group which have been split up in the
market to define a form of media’s reading group or target audience. The
psychographics group that I think Kerrang’s readers fall into would be the
strugglers. This is because they stereotypically buy alcohol and our disorganised.
This matches with some of the types of artists in the magazine and the general
look of the magazine may appeal to this psychographic group.

34. Primary Research
P3
https://www.surveymonkey.com/

35. Question 1
This set of results
determine the age group
for Kerrang magazine as
they show that these set
of readers are between
16 and 21. These are
fairly young ages which
connotes that Kerrang
appeals to a younger
audience than other
magazines. It is
important to be aware of
the readership age range
in order to make sure
the articles included
meet their needs.

36. Question 2
These results show that the content is in
fact the most important feature in a
magazine to its readers which means
that the success and popularity of the
magazine exists mainly on the content.
The content of Kerrang magazine is
mainly focused on the artists of the rock
music genre which is clearly what
readers want to see and read about.

37. Question 3
These results show that against other
magazines MOJO and Q, Kerrang has a more
favoured colour scheme. However, when it
comes to the images used in the magazine the
surveyors felt that Q used better pictures in
their magazine.
Kerrang has always had its unique and
controversial font and these results show that
the font has 30% more votes then the MOJO
and Q font, this outlines the uniqueness of the
font.
On the other hand the results show how the
headlines for Kerrang are not an appealing
feature which the magazine needs to gain all
support on top of the huge amount that they
have already.

38. Question 4
These results confirm my
theory about how the
Psychographics for the
audience of Kerrang magazine
are those seeking security in
the mainstreamer group. This
suggests a difference in what I
initially thought would be the
predominant group, for
example ‘strugglers’.
On the other hand the
audience could be aspiring to
be mainstreamers as they strive
for security whereas actually
reading a magazine of any
genre is really about escapism.

39. Question 5
This survey question’s results show
that music magazines are not the most
popular type of magazine. This reflects
on the expectations of target
audiences and the public. Film
magazines tend to have very detailed
information on their films and actors,
since Kerrang is quite an ‘informal’
magazine the audience may feel that
there is not enough detail in the
information they include in their
issues. It could reflect the needs of the
average music fans which is to find out
about their favourite artists and new
and upcoming artists whereas film
fans might be more concerned with
the technology of the film industry.

40. Question 6
The results show that music
magazine’s publishers do in fact make
the outcome of the magazine better
and successful. If a publisher has
already produced a popular and
successful magazine it could suggest
that the readership will be more open
to reading a magazine produced by
the same publisher. Magazines
produced by the same publishing
house will also take advantage of
synergy and market their produces on
the pages of their own magazines.

41. Question 7
This piece of market research
tells me that Kerrang
magazine is not the most
popular magazine among
teenagers. If I wish to access
the same target audience
then it will be worth
considering the ways in
which the magazine uses
form and style to present
their articles.

42. Question 8
This question’s results show
that ‘word of mouth’ is still
an effective way of
advertising. Young readers
are more likely to sit and
chat about an article they
have read in a magazine
with friends and encourage
them to do the same so
that they have something
to converse about.
Including captions such as
‘tell a friend’ or
‘recommend to a friend’
could be an effective may
to increase market share.

43. Question 9
This question shows a
direct relationship
between the style, font
and form of a magazine
and its proposed
readership. It is clear that
people are drawn to
certain colours and
images when deciding
whether to buy a
magazine or read an
article. It also suggests
that front covers and
mastheads are key selling
points for magazines. It is
vital to have a USP that is
clear to a potential
reader.

44. Secondary Research
P3

45. Reviews
http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews9591.html#Reviews
On the ‘review centre’ Kerrang magazine has mostly
positive reviews except for one review where the writer
states how the magazine has changed from a classic rock
magazine to modern stereotypical magazine.
The positive reviews however suggest the complete
opposite and how well that the magazine is written and
how it is ‘awesome’.
One particular review states that the posters the magazine
give away are an important feature to them, I will reflect
on this when creating my own magazine as promotional
giveaways are important to my audience and Kerrang’s.

47. Advertising: How does Bauer advertise Kerrang! magazine?
Social Media
Facebook is extremely
popular in the modern age
and Kerrang have taken
advantage of this by creating
their own Facebook page.
The page has got 717,901
likes. This means that almost
720,000 people can see
information and promotion
for Kerrang issues without
even having to click onto the
page itself. This is reaching a
wide range of people and this
is only the people who are on
Facebook let alone the
people who like it outside of
social media sites. Kerrang’s
audience is huge.

48. Advertising - Social Media
Joined twitter in 2009
Kerrang magazine has ‘535K’ followers on twitter. This not only publicises the magazine but
advertises its popularity. By doing this they are showing their audience or people debating to
read the magazine that they are a good magazine of high quality which is why they have so
many people following them.
With Kerrang on twitter it connects them to a young audience that is constantly using social
media. With so many young people on twitter currently and reading magazines Kerrang have
taken advantage of social media and created the perfect way to gain the most readership and
popularity possible.

49. Advertising - Kerrang Radio
Kerrang furthers their
existence on their own radio
station called ‘Kerrang!
Radio’. The radio station is on
the web where you can listen
live and you can listen on the
radio.
The radio station advertises
Kerrang because if people
like the radio station then
they will be more likely to
buy the magazine as they
both have similar if not the
same content.

50. Distribution
Network is Australia’s largest magazine distribution and
subscriptions management company and has a market
share of 53% of copies sold at retail and 52% of the
consumer subscriptions market.
Network represents 270+ publishers and sells over 170
million copies of magazines, worth over $500 million in
retail sales. With over one million subscribers, Network’s
subscriptions team manage Australia’s largest consumer
subs business.
Network’s distribution reach also covers New Zealand for
both retail and subscriptions through its sister company
Netlink Distribution.
http://www.bauer-
media.com.au/services/distribution

51. Retail Outlets
Kerrang is available in the following shops
• WHSmith
• Newsagents
• Online
-Their website www.Kerrang.co.uk
• Sainsbury's
• Tescos
Buying Kerrang! online
To buy Kerrang online you need to log
onto their website and select the tab at
the top of the page which reads “Get
K!”. Once on the page you can select
the issue you wish to purchase and
then you will be redirected to a page
dedicated to that issue and describe
the issue’s content.

53. Stereotypes
A stereotype is a
widely held but fixed
and oversimplified
image or idea of a
particular type of
person or thing. In
Kerrang magazine
they refer to ‘rock
stars’ as sex, drug
and bad mouth
fuelled punks that
appear ‘cool’ and as
idols.
Other stereotypes that Kerrang magazine use are the angry mood of the rock stars. On every
front cover that Kerrang has all the artists featured on it possess angry faces which suggest
that all rock stars are angry and reckless, this creates a bad influence for those who read
Kerrang as they read with a negative image of the artists, making their interviews
(populating them) pointless.
Ethical Issues

54. Relevant Issues of representation
This rock artist on the front cover of this magazine appears as the stereotypical rockstar. The artist
connotes unhygienic and a drunk stereotype which could influence Kerrang’s readership to follow.
If a younger audience was
to see an image like this on
the front cover of a
‘famous’ magazine then it
may allow them to think
that it is ok to do these
things if you are famous or
not and could lead to
further promotion of
inappropriate behaviour in
society. This is a good
example of how a rock
artist can be completely
misrepresented.
This would be considered a
negative role model as most
adults wouldn’t see this as a
socially acceptable way to
behave. The magazine lacks
positive role models for its
readers.
The hypodermic needle
theory would suggest when
applied to this topic that if
other readers and audiences
were to see this influential
artist’s image, they would be
inclined to follow the artist’s
actions/behaviour.

55. Relevant Issues of representation
John Berger (1972) – “Men act, women appear”
The theory suggests that men look at women and women watch
themselves being looked at.
This theory applies to Kerrang! because if a woman is used to draw in the
attention of a male member of the public then they are more likely to
receive material gain, for example if Kerrang use a stereotypically
attractive woman to advertise the magazine then male readers (the main
focus in the target audience) are more likely to purchase the magazine.
Laura Mulvey (1975) – ‘Male Gaze’
‘Male Gaze’ is a theory that suggests film audiences have to view
characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male. This applies to
Kerrang! because if the front cover contains a woman and she is
presented in a sexual manner then the theory suggests that a reader
would be ore likely to purchase the magazine.
If Kerrang! used a female front cover, for example the issue to the right,
then male readers which are their main readership would be more likely
to buy the magazine issue due to their mode of address (eye contact) and
seductive body language.

56. Legal issues
One of the legal requirements, for the lead editor of a magazine is that
they have to follow the ‘Editor’s code of practise’ as set out by the PCC (
Press complaints Commission). This code sets out a number of
requirements that editors have to follow when publishing their
magazine. The IPSO have since superseded PCC as a governing body for
magazine regulations.
Accuracy
The code of practise states that the press must not publish inaccurate or
misleading information, including pictures. If there is an issue where
great inaccuracy is the case, a published apology is required where
appropriate.
Discrimination
The press have to avoid references of an inappropriate nature involving
an individual's race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability.
Confidential Sources
If confidential information is given then the source must remain
confidential as journalists have a moral obligation to do so.
http://www.pcc.org.uk/cop/practice.html

57. Role of relevant regulatory bodies -
IPSO
IPSO is an organisation that is in charge
of enforcing the ‘Editor’s code of
practise’. By enforcing this code, they
help to maintain the highest
professional standards.
If you wish to make a complaint, you can
make it directly through IPSO and they
also handle issues of harassment.
https://www.ipso.co.uk/IPSO/cop.html

58. Editor’s Code of Practice
1. Accuracy
i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or
distorted information or images, including headlines not supported by
the text.
ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion must be
corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and — where
appropriate — an apology published. In cases involving IPSO, due
prominence should be as required by the regulator.
iii) A fair opportunity to reply to significant inaccuracies should be
given, when reasonably called for.
iv) The Press, while free to editorialise and campaign, must distinguish
clearly between comment, conjecture and fact.
v) A publication must report fairly and accurately the outcome of an
action for defamation to which it has been a party, unless an agreed
settlement states otherwise, or an agreed statement is published.
2. *Privacy
i) Everyone is entitled to respect for his or her private and family life, home, health and
correspondence, including digital communications.
ii) Editors will be expected to justify intrusions into any individual's private life without consent.
Account will be taken of the complainant's own public disclosures of information.
iii) It is unacceptable to photograph individuals, without their consent, in public or private places
where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.

59. 3. *Harassment
i) Journalists must not engage in intimidation, harassment or persistent pursuit.
ii) They must not persist in questioning, telephoning, pursuing or photographing individuals
once asked to desist; nor remain on property when asked to leave and must not follow them. If
requested, they must identify themselves and whom they represent.
iii) Editors must ensure these principles are observed by those working for them and take care
not to use non-compliant material from other sources.
4. Intrusion into grief or shock
In cases involving personal grief or shock, enquiries and approaches must be made with
sympathy and discretion and publication handled sensitively. These provisions should not
restrict the right to report legal proceedings.
5. *Reporting suicide
When reporting suicide, to prevent simulative acts care should be taken to avoid excessive detail
of the method used, while taking into account the media's right to report legal proceedings.
6. *Children
i) All pupils should be free to complete their time at school without unnecessary intrusion.
ii) They must not be approached or photographed at school without permission of the school
authorities.
iii) Children under 16 must not be interviewed or photographed on issues involving their own or
another child’s welfare unless a custodial parent or similarly responsible adult consents.
iv) Children under 16 must not be paid for material involving their welfare, nor parents or
guardians for material about their children or wards, unless it is clearly in the child's

60. interest.
v) Editors must not use the fame, notoriety or position of a parent or guardian as sole
justification for publishing details of a child's private life.
7. *Children in sex cases
The press must not, even if legally free to do so, identify children under 16 who are victims or
witnesses in cases involving sex offences.
In any press report of a case involving a sexual offence against a child -
i) The child must not be identified.
ii) The adult may be identified.
iii) The word "incest" must not be used where a child victim might be identified.
iv) Care must be taken that nothing in the report implies the relationship between the accused
and the child.
8. *Hospitals
i) Journalists must identify themselves and obtain permission from a responsible executive
before entering non-public areas of hospitals or similar institutions to pursue enquiries.
ii) The restrictions on intruding into privacy are particularly relevant to enquiries about
individuals in hospitals or similar institutions.
9. *Reporting of Crime
i) Relatives or friends of persons convicted or accused of crime should not generally be
identified without their consent, unless they are genuinely relevant to the story.
ii) Particular regard should be paid to the potentially vulnerable position of children who
witness, or are victims of, crime. This should not restrict the right to report legal proceedings.

61. 10. *Clandestine devices and subterfuge
i) The press must not seek to obtain or publish material acquired by using hidden cameras or
clandestine listening devices; or by intercepting private or mobile telephone calls, messages or
emails; or by the unauthorised removal of documents or photographs; or by accessing digitally-
held information without consent.
ii) Engaging in misrepresentation or subterfuge, including by agents or intermediaries, can
generally be justified only in the public interest and then only when the material cannot be
obtained by other means.
11. Victims of sexual assault
The press must not identify victims of sexual assault or publish material likely to contribute to
such identification unless there is adequate justification and they are legally free to do so.
12. Discrimination
i) The press must avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to an individual's, race, colour,
religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or to any physical or mental illness or disability.
ii) Details of an individual's race, colour, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or
mental illness or disability must be avoided unless genuinely relevant to the story.
13. Financial journalism
i) Even where the law does not prohibit it, journalists must not use for their own profit financial
information they receive in advance of its general publication, nor should they pass such
information to others.
ii) They must not write about shares or securities in whose performance they know that they or
their close families have a significant financial interest without disclosing the

62. interest to the editor or financial editor.
iii) They must not buy or sell, either directly or through nominees or agents, shares or securities
about which they have written recently or about which they intend to write in the near future.
14. Confidential sources
Journalists have a moral obligation to protect confidential sources of information.
15. Witness payments in criminal trials
i) No payment or offer of payment to a witness – or any person who may reasonably be
expected to be called as a witness – should be made in any case once proceedings are active as
defined by the Contempt of Court Act 1981. This prohibition lasts until the suspect has been
freed unconditionally by police without charge or bail or the proceedings are otherwise
discontinued; or has entered a guilty plea to the court; or, in the event of a not guilty plea, the
court has announced its verdict.
*ii) Where proceedings are not yet active but are likely and foreseeable, editors must not make
or offer payment to any person who may reasonably be expected to be called as a witness,
unless the information concerned ought demonstrably to be published in the public interest and
there is an over-riding need to make or promise payment for this to be done; and all
reasonable steps have been taken to ensure no financial dealings influence the evidence those
witnesses give. In no circumstances should such payment be conditional on the outcome of a
trial.
*iii) Any payment or offer of payment made to a person later cited to give evidence in
proceedings must be disclosed to the prosecution and defence. The witness must be advised of
this requirement.

63. 16. *Payment to criminals
i) Payment or offers of payment for stories, pictures or information, which seek to exploit a
particular crime or to glorify or glamorise crime in general, must not be made directly or via
agents to convicted or confessed criminals or to their associates – who may include family,
friends and colleagues.
ii) Editors invoking the public interest to justify payment or offers would need to demonstrate
that there was good reason to believe the public interest would be served. If, despite payment,
no public interest emerged, then the material should not be published.

64. What does Kerrang! have to be
accurate with?
Kerrang! has to be
accurate with any
information it displays or
publishes, for example
when interviewing the
artist for the DPS the
information that they
gave to the editor had to
be correct and word for
word what the artist said
and not inaccurate
responses or information.
For example, the front cover
above has a verbal code quoted
from the artist, it is in speech
marks which highlights that the
artist has said this and that it is
‘accurate’ information

65. What does Kerrang! have to avoid
discriminating against?
Kerrang! have to avoid making racist, prejudice, homophobic comments and discriminating
in similar areas.
To avoid this, Kerrang! have to review each issue of the magazine before it is published and
they have to compare it with the editor’s code of practice to ensure that they have not
discriminated against anyone or any topic.
Most issues of Kerrang! Magazine feature white music artists on the front cover, if a
member of the audience in the black ethnic group was to see an issue of Kerrang! then
they may feel excluded from the magazine because of the lack of black artists which
suggests favor over one ethnic group than the other.

66. How Kerrang! upholds these
regulatory issues
Kerrang! upholds these regulatory
issues because on their website at the
footer there are several links under the
‘ABOUT’ tab which users or readers
can contact the magazine, file a
complaint and even read their privacy
or ‘The Legal Stuff’.
When clicking on ‘ The
Legal Stuff’ it will re-
direct you to Bauer
Media’s legal page. On
this page the user can
see the Terms of Use.
If you click on the complaints
then you will be redirected to
Bauer Media where there is
information on how to
complain and what a
complaint is.

67. How to make a complaint
complaints@ipso.co.uk

68. Copyright
One of the main things a magazine has to concern
themselves with is copyright, copyright is the
process of using someone else's work or information
and publishing it without authority or permission
provided by the original author/source. If a
magazine does carry out copyright then they can be
sued for it. If a magazine wishes to protect any of its
written work then journalists make their artists
intellectual property. This can protect it from being
used elsewhere without permission.
https://www.gov.uk/intellectual-property-an-overview

69. Watermark
What is a watermark?
A watermark is a digital stamp which can be used by
businesses to show the product is theirs and can also
be used to display ownership of the business in the
product.
This is relevant to Kerrang! because it is important to
protect the intellectual property of the magazine
otherwise it will lose uniqueness and brand identity.

70. Conclusion
To conclude this unit I have found that Bauer are
currently standing at position 8 in the global
magazine market with nearly $400 million from
circulation of their producst alone. Bauer publishes
Kerrang! which is an immensely successful music
magazine.
I have also learnt in this unit how magazines protect
themselves legally and how to make sure that they
are not subject to discrimination or inaccuracy.