Media Presentation

Christina Barnes

Front cover

Masthead

Lead Article

Skyline

Flash

Price,

Website,

Issue Date

Main Image

Contents Page

Features,

Regulars, Extras

Main Image

Pull Quote

Masthead

And Page Heading

Double Page Spread

Featured

Article

Artist Logo

Featured Images

Article Heading

Masthead

Ways In Which My Media Magazine Develops Forms and Conventions

Masthead- a masthead allows the reader to recognise and relate to the magazine on purchase and perhaps repurchase, thus making a masthead a critical aspect of any magazine. I wanted my masthead to evoke rawness, attitude and flare as to attract my target audience. This is because, from research, these are some of the aspects/ personality traits that my target audience carry and by having a masthead that portrays these they are immediately attracted and can personally identify with the magazine.

Main Image- this is another way a magazine attracts their reader as, again, the reader can personally identify with the featured artist(s) and relate to how they appear, portray themselves and what they value and aspire to be like. With my main image, I wanted to follow the house style of the magazine and keep it raw, much like the masthead. The artist shows she has attitude from her pose and facial expression and is striking on the page because of this. This shows the reader that she is the main focus and this could persuade them to find out why and for what reason, or just so they can gain more of an understanding of her.

Content- every magazine has a content to it, be this just features, or extras and/or regulars. I decided to include all these aspects within my magazine as I found this is what most other successful magazines do. This shows that my magazine has a professional feel about it and can compete successfully with all those already on the market. Moreover, it also entices the reader to buy the magazine because with all the different areas it covers; there will be at least one aspect they can relate to.

Ways in Which My Media Magazine Challenges Media Codes and Conventions

Skyline- a skyline is usually situated at the top of a magazine and offers additional information to the reader about topics which directly relate to each issue. With my magazine, I chose to have my masthead at the bottom of my magazine as I felt I suited the rest of the front cover better (the simplistic look) and because it could get my magazine noticed for this direct challenge of a code and convention. Moreover, it could also help build brand identity as few other magazines do this.

Contents Layout- stereotypically, contents pages consist of one page only and tend to be packed full of information which allows the reader to navigate easily from page to page. However, there are some magazines that have a double page for their contents page and tend to be more simplistic, but just as effective. I chose to do my contents page like this as I wanted my magazine to have an overall “poster style” as I felt it, again, sets my magazine apart from the rest. Keeping to this poster style, I wanted a simple, effective contents page that doesn’t require a lot of effort for the reader. Being ordered and easy to understand will settle the reader and allow them to really fall into its contents.

Poster Style- although poster style magazines do exist, they are quite an exception in the media magazine industry. This is because they aren't as mainstream and well-known as stereotypical magazines and therefore creating a magazine like this could ultimately be a large risk on the success of the magazine, especially when it’s a new magazine. I chose to do a magazine this way as it could act as its USP (unique selling point) and therefore stand out from those that already exist. Moreover, it eases the reader into the magazine well and doesn’t overwhelm them with information.

The main way my magazine represents a particular social group is though the artist, Nisse. This is done through my article, my images and the overall appearance and how the artist is represented.

My article portrays to the reader that Nisse is just like them, but famous- thus meaning that the reader can more easily personally identify with her and feel as though they are accepted by her. Moreover, by the fact that she is famous, it also means that they can aspire to be like her. This means that they can further relate to her for the things that she offers that are different from their lives, which they wish to have. Also, the tone which she is talking in is the same as that in a friend conversation. This again makes the reader feel settled within the magazine and reinforces the fact she’s still like them and is interested in the same things; she provokes a raw, edgy attitude which directly relates to the values and aspirations of the social group of Alternative, or Indie. With these strong similarities between the artist and the target audience the reader is persuaded to view the magazine vicariously.

Alternative focuses on the “I don’t care” attitude, a laid back view on the world which my artist portrays through the images. The main central image on the front page provokes the audience to feel her anger and frustration and be able to relate to it as they may have felt this way at times in their life. Furthermore, visually Nisse will appeal to this social group as she is dressed as fits the stereotype- classy but with flare and a bid to stand out shown through her blue hair. Also, on this point, her facial expression also reinforces her frustration and makes it clear to the reader of the social group she fits into. The images within the double page spread show a different side to Nisse and again shows how she can represent the alternative social group more, but still break the moulds of the stereotype.

How My Magazine Represents Particular Social Groups

What Kind of Media Institution might Distribute your Magazine and Why?

http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/

Bauer Media is the most suitable institution for my magazine. Reasons for this could be:-Many magazines they already distribute are similar in style to mine, such as and

This means that as these magazine have proved to be a success in the market they wish to target, then Mashup could do the same- as it is in this very same market. Moreover, it also means that my magazine not only fits into the “Men’s entertainment” category, but also may be featured in the “Women’s” Category because of the current featured artist and the relation to fashion.

-Another reason may be because, although I stated above, they do have magazine that are similar, there is a gap in their market for a poster style magazine- such as Mashup. Moreover, Mashup also featured sections such a fashion, which other stereotypical music magazine don’t have. This means that my Magazine could ultimately attract a larger audience as it has more to offer.

-Moreover, Bauer Media are a UK-based company and to have a UK based magazine within their company would emphasise this further and show how the UK are just as successful in producing media products as much as any other part of the world.

Who Would The Audience Be For Your Magazine?

These images show my results from a survey to find out who my target audience are. From this, I found what they liked, how they spend their free time and their general likes and dislikes. One of the main features of my target audience was their love for music, shown through bands they liked, gigs and festivals they’ve been to and a lot of them said listening to music was a frequent part in their free time. Moreover, they liked fashion and accessories- both electrical and non-electrical- which suggest they care about their looks and keeping up with trends. Also, it is obvious from my findings that my target audience are teenagers as many of these items/ aspects of themselves fit perfectly into the teenage stereotype. Overall, my target audience are young, fashionable and up to date in terms of both music and trends on the market.

How did you attract/address your target audience?

The main way I attracted my target audience was to appeal to their values and their aspirations, which I found through my first survey. Some ways I did this was through:

-advertising my magazine in the correct genre that my target audience relate to: Alternative/Indie

-maintaining a constant relation to music throughout the magazine: a very high value of my target audience

-using an image that portrays certain stereotypical emotions of my target audience

-included features which they value and can relate to

-offering an artist who they can aspire to be like and personally identify with

-allowing aspects of my magazine to appeal to my target audience in terms of their aspirations

-maintaining a constant house style throughout created around my target audience

-offering my magazine as a poster-style

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing your product

Technology over the years has changed dramatically. In today’s world everything is now becoming available online through downloads or through visiting different websites. This means that the more “old-fashioned” means of broadcasting media products may have to think of more different ways of attracting their target market and selling their product- in this case a music magazine. Some ways they could do this is by:

-Allowing readers to order the magazine online so that it’s delivered to their door. This offers them more ease in gaining their magazine and means that they still get the quality that they always have.

-Offering their magazine as a download. This means that their target market can receive the magazine over the internet for a price relatively similar, sometimes cheaper, than in store.

-Adding to the original USP that the magazine has so that readers are further attracted to the store copy

However, pod casts are now allowing people to talk about “hot topics” within a magazine and more importantly, it’s free once you’ve signed up to the website. Moreover, it also allows the person to publish their own pod casts and have online discussions surrounding them. This again emphasises the difficulties that magazines are facing and that they may become obsolete in the future.

What do you feel you have learnt in the progression of your product?

I feel I have learnt that:

-How to use Photoshop in a more visually interesting away and create different outcomes depending on the task given

-Planning is important. Without flat plans I would have found it incredibly difficult to even start to create my magazine and it also helped is seeing what is successful and what isn’t

-Targeting your audience correctly is vital. You need to show you understand your audience and all their wants and needs that they have

-Research. Background information on the successes and failures of similar media products (CD’s, Magazine) will ultimately help you in creating an effective product

-Gaining feedback can help greatly in making improvements and getting an overall verdict on your product can show you what has worked well.

-Your first attempt doesn’t’ have to be perfect. Improving you work shows how you understand what needs to be done to make your product, which shows how you’re learning