FOCUS GROUP

And Focus GroupAnalysis

Questioner: Hi there, everyone, okay today I’m going to be asking you a series of questions related to both the indie rock genre, popular indie rock magazines, and a magazine that I am creating. So, firstly, to start things off, you are the group who I distributed my questionnaire to, yes?(unified): Yes.Q: Good. So, you all have an interest in indie rock magazines?(unified): Yes.Q: Okay. So, what attracts you most about the genre, as opposed to other genres?Danul: Mainly, it’s because it kind of balances heavier music with lighter music, if you know what I mean – it’s somewhere in the middle of proper gritty rock and soulful acoustic stuff.Xavier: Yeah, it’s because it has loads of subgenres, too.Q: What subgenres are you interested in, then?X: Loads – erm, blues rock, alternative, all sorts.Chantelle: I like electronic music.Matty: Folk bands like mumford and sons, for sure.Q: And do you feel, personally, that existing magazines

(continued) provide sufficient coverage for these subgenres?(unified): Not really/no.Q: Would you feel more inclined to buy a magazine that did cover both the mainstream indie rock genre, and some of the subgenres you mentioned?(unified): Yes.Q: Okay. So, what kind of bands would you like to see in your ideal magazine – who are your favourites?X: I’d like a range of eras and subgenres – focus on the old and new. Pink Floyd, to Bjork, to Animal Collective.M: No, I’d actually rather more modern stuff – the Vaccines and all that.Conor: My favourite band has got to be Radiohead, so anything along that ilk is fine by me.Q: I see. After seeing the results of the questionnaire, it seems that a large number of you don’t actually buy music magazines such as NME. Why not?(unified): The price.D: They do not focus on alternative genres at all. It just doesn’t appeal to me to see the same recurring artists on the front cover all the time.

Q: It seems as though everyone is agreed on the idea that they are far too expensive then. Right. So, apart from it being cheap and catering to your favourite genres, what specifically would you like to see from your ideal music magazine?X: More emphasis on music instead of making everything look glossy and flashy.D: Yeah, what he said. Tours, tours, tours.C: Album reviews as well, the only decent place I can usually find them is online.M: Maybe a section celebrating icons of the genre?X: Yeah like The Stone Roses and all that.Q: Okay, I think I’ve pretty much got what I need here. Thanks for taking part people – I hope the final product suits your needs, and I hope to show you when it’s done. Or near done, at least. Thanks everyone.

FOCUS GROUP ANALYSIS

The results of this focus group are similar to the questionnaire results in the sense that they allow me to understand what the reader is looking for, in terms of their ideal music magazine. However, the focus group allowed for a more clear expression of ideas and desires, and therefore gave me more specific ideas to work with in the construction of Symbal magazine. This can be seen in the range of subgenres discussed, which allow me to see what the popular subgenres are amongst my target audience and therefore how I can utilise them and include them within my magazine. Furthermore, the fact that the majority of the focus group agreed that the biggest deterrent against buying music magazines is the price indicates that I will need to lower the retail price of Symbal so that it is one of the cheapest and most sought-after magazines of its genre. Also, it is clear that a fluctuation between classic, iconic artists and upcoming, unique modern artists will be needed, to satisfy the two kinds of people available in the target audience – those seeking new, developing ideas within the genre, and those reminiscent of influential, groundbreaking artists who helped pave the way for many others.