QUESTION 1

PHOEBE JOHNSON

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

FRONT COVER

Masthead

Puff

Pull Quote

Anchor Text

Main Image

Main Cover Line

Tag Line

Features

Cover Lines

Cover Line

MASTHEAD

My masthead is large, bold and is placed above the head so is clearly visible (conventionally in music magazines placed behind head) – prominent colour and fits house colours – gains attentions – in the typical top/middle – easy to detect. Followed NME’s conventions of a simple and bold masthead – to show importanceof the magazine masthead is conventionally placed above the main image – to attract and is easily recognisable, as well as easy to detect.

MAIN IMAGE

Convention of medium close up being used. Imaging using direct mode of address – uses & gratification theory, creates personal relationship with reader. Lips are a bright red colour – used contrast to enhance the colour – symbolism of sex; which is mentioned in Goffman’s theory.

PUFF

Flash of information – black, white & orange fit the house colours. Hypodermic needle by using the word ‘new’ makes reader. Also using the word ‘win’ entices the reader to buy the magazine to enter the competition.

Conventionally in NME magazine.

MAIN COVER LINE

Creates hermeneutic question to audience – what has she reinvented herself as? Positioned onto of anchor text – to show it is to do with the main story. Convention of contrasting with main image and anchor text. Also uses house style & colours.

Conventionally in both NME and KERRANG! Magazine.

ANCHOR TEXT

Uses name which entices fans of the artist – anchors to image – what the main story is about – bold text with white outline – stand out against picture – colour fits into house style.

This is conventionally in most music magazines magazines. (Q, NME, KERRANG!, VIBE)

COVER LINE

Uses and gratification needs model –audience wants to find answers. Hypodermic needle – powerless to resist finding out what the story is about.Different colours used on fonts to separate text.

Magazines that follow this convention are NME and KERRANG!

TAG LINE

Using the word ‘exclusive’ creates engagement with audience – ‘exclusive’ in bold colour, so is clearly visible – exclusivity is informing audience of the unknown, uses and gratifications theory.

Other magazines also use this convention such as NME and Q.

PULL QUOTE

Direct insight into artists life – creates personal relationship (uses and gratification theory). Hypodermic needle – reader powerless to resist reading it.Also creates hermeneutic code as suggests interesting content – entices audience to read the article.

Conventionally in most music magazines such as NME and KERRANG!

FEATURES

Insight into information in magazine – also for entertainment needs (uses and gratification theory).Positioned at the bottom – orange lines to separate (fits house colours) – contrast against background of main image.

This style is conventionally used in KERRANG! magazine.

HOUSE STYLE

My house style consists of three colours ; orange, white and black which contrast against eachother – similar to NME which is my magazine influence, keeping the black & white as they are a classic pair and adding orange rather than red as it is still a bold colour.

Tag line, cover lines, puff and features all contain bold text in orange as it is the main colour used in my magazine.

Similar to NME’s house style.

CONTENTS PAGE

Masthead

Image

Subheading

Page numbering

Subscription box

Editor note

Columns

MASTHEAD

Common convention in NME and KERRANG to have the masthead on the contents page – creates brand awareness – links to front cover, which creates an identifiable image – continue through every issue for professional look – house style is followed through using black and white colours.

Conventionally in NME and KERRANG!

PAGE NUMBERINGPage numbers in contrasting bold colour makes it easy to locate – meets young audience – creates shortcuts which means convenience – informing what is inside (uses and gratification) – fits house style with orange and black.

Similar numbering found in NME

COLUMNSFollowing conventions of NME magazine split onto two columns – meaning it is organised and structured – white spaces around edges, for high standard finish.

Doesn’t fit the common convention of three columns but contents page I took inspiration from had two colours – in NME and KERRANG!

EDITORS NOTEEditors notes are not conventionally in many music magazines but they are in KERRANG! – it creates a personal relationship with reader (uses and gratification) – introduction to the magazine – contrast in fonts to attract readers.

Found in KERRANG!

SUBSCRIPTION BOXEntices reader to buy next issues with the deal – gives an example of the next issue – hypodermic needle, means the reader must know what is in that issue.

Found in KERRANG! conventionally and in NME.

SUBHEADINGS

Contrasting bold colours used to make subheadings stand out – eye catching and simple – easy to navigate the magazine – short definition is beneficial gives reader an idea about story and its information (uses and gratifications theory). Subheadings are conventionally on the left hand side but I have put mine on the right side as it follows NME’s conventions and that magazine is my influence – along with KERRANG! As its subheadings are also on the right.

IMAGE

Image uses direct mode of address – creates personal relationship with reader (uses and gratifications model) Relates to the main double page spread article – entices fans of artist.

Unconventional in music magazines as there is only one main image on contents page, like in KERRANG! And NME but in magazines like Q contain many different images.

Found in KERRANG! and NME.

DOUBLE PAGE

SPREAD

Drop capTag Line

Text

Anchor text

Image

Layout

Columns

Page numbering Social networks

TAG LINEUsing word ‘exclusive’ creates engagement – it is a buzzword – the effects model – exclusively provided.

Found in other magazines such as KERRANG!

DROP CAP Introduction to article – bold & bigger font & different colour for contrast – grabs attention – entices audience to read.

Found in other magazines such as KERRANG! and VIBE.

ANCHOR TEXT

Relates name to image – bold and contrasting colours which entices fans - informative as gives an insight into article (uses and gratification theory).

Doesn’t fit into conventions of KERRANG! Magazine as they don’t use artist name as anchor text. But conventionally it is in NME and Q.

COLUMNS

3 columns that are neatly arranged, on the right side of the page. Informative – informing reader about artist through questions (uses and gratification theory)

Follows conventions of Q magazine with 3 columns, as well as most of NME and KERRANG!.

TEXT

Fits conventions of contrasting colours, bigger size font – orange draws reader into subheading – highlights important things – separates between questions. First opening paragraph in bold to stand out.

Found in other magazines such as KERRANG!

SOCIAL NETWORKS

This is not conventionally found, however entices fans and gives information to reader and an insight into artists real life (uses and gratification theory)

PAGE NUMBERING

Placed in bottom corner, with magazine name and date. Fits conventions of being in the bottom corner, easy for reader to navigate.

Found in other music magazines such as Qand NME

IMAGE

Direct mode of address – creates personal relationship (uses and gratifications theory) – social integrative uses needs model. Medium close up of model – in black and white – fits alternative style of music – conventionally on the left side of the page – image takes up whole space.

Found in most music magazines such as KERRANG!, NME, Q and VIBE

LAYOUT

I followed the convention of music magazines by having my image on the left end side of the page and text on the right. I did this so the image stands out the most meaning it is eye-catching and entices the reader to read the article.

Found in NME, VIBE and KERRANG! Magazine.