magazine tasks and research

Task- To familiarise yourself with the range of magazines; To work out the conventions of design and of attitude which they all share

Comparing Covers

-mid-shot photos, more inviting

-using colours to appeal to certain audiences - bright colours may be for a more feminine audience and maybe a younger audience

     -> the colour theme is focused around the band - appeals to a smaller audience, maybe more of an enthusiast

     -> got the bright colours but has also got the black - wider range of audience

-less writing on smash hits - younger audience - more focus on one person, simpler

     -> Mojo has slightly more sub-headings but is still focused on the band - narrows down range of audience - focused on those who listen to a wide range of music rather than the Hits

     -> NME has a lot of subheadings - more about a different range of music - bigger audience

-all photos cover part of the mast-head - highlighting that the magazine is all about the content.

 -Roughly 30% music - Pulse
-very varied music - wider audience and natural attitude

(Note - Not necessarily the same magazines)

Metal Hammer Magazine- Case Study

• monthly heavy metal magazine published in the UK by Future Publishing and in other countries by other publishers
• Features a range of popular and more unusual/unknown music therefore giving it a slightly larger audience
• currently the larger selling metal music magazine in the UK, outselling Kerrang and NME
• The website is mainly posts published about bands and their latest information, however there is also a range of competitions with prizes ranging from CD's to band souvenirs to concert tickets.
• large advert celebrating the release of Iron Man 2 on DVD - shows they know that they're readers like other things
• concert tickets hyperlink - makes it easier to buy tickets to the bands they're advertising - 'Viagogo' - links to other tickets such as sport and theatre
• Link to a dept problem sight; HMV store to buy Iron Man 2 in bluray; information sight about Future publishing
• widget - changes every time you click on the website - tescos, british airways, fatface, moonfruit, HHONOURS hotel, glasses direct
• however - a competition to win an iphone came up the most - because it can be a direct link to their music?

Music

-define music audiences

• gender
• age
• categorisation by music genre
• fashion groups

-how is music consumed today?

• itunes
• CD's
• vinyl
• You Tube
• ipod/mp4
• music sharing sights
• phones
• TV
• internet

-what is the value of music to different media?
different genres for different media

• gossip
• info
• bad news

Is music aural, visual, social?
Aural - appeals to different people
visual - music videos, dress code
social - compare/trade with friends - parties

Magazines
-Print - permanence, portability, how well you read it, comfort
-why? - money, advertisement, difference for audience
-what for? - advertising, inform, entertainment

New Magazine in print
Task - compare the front covers and editorials of 2 similar music mags
                              Rock Sound                                                             Kerrang
Colour           - blue and black (unisex, wide age)                          - grey, black and red (attitude) male, dark
Free Stuff      - less (focused on content)                                       - more (bribery)
Image            - same size (inviting)                                                - same size (inviting)
Mast head     - bold, calmer, more varied                                      - cracked, bold, agressive, very
                                                                                                      loud language, !! capital letter
                
                       More informal, "bloody excitied", more                   Nichola - 'talks 'nice'' e.g. "have a happy
                       expected language, "scare some goths"                    hallowe'en". Very personal, signs her
                       mockery, tries to relate to you                                 name. "Healing process" - complete
                       Coversational                                                         opposite to nature of mag - very polite -
                                                                                                     female, older audience

Total Guitar
Contents page analysis - sections/layout, images

• Lists 57 different pages on the contents page
• 5 different images - only one picture doesn't feature a guitar - emphasizes focus
• the layout is pictures dominating most of the page then the contents written down the edge
• contents over 2 pages
• no colour theme

Analysis of a double page spread - headline, layout, image, language

• headline - block capitals - black
• one page article, one page image
• large image - black background faded guitar- draws focus to his face
• language - casual, personal informal
• FUTURE

NME

Content

• band index
• one image on the first side - agressive and manly
• advert for subscription
• List of 15 articles to read
• colour the same as front cover, black white and red
• double page spread - the main image text on one side
• main headline in big print in same colours as before
• album cover on show
• IPC Media

Metal Hammer
Content

• Two contents pages, one named This month, the other Every Month
• First issue on this month starts pg 46 with Arch enemy
• Black white and red contrasts to flame theme
• 5 page key features
• Sub heading - incoming - 2 articles
• main band on contents page
• agressive masculine features
• smaller picture of cover with explanation of why used
• 'band finder' efficient and helpful

Double page spread

• sectioned writing
• 2 big pictures
• black red and white colour theme
• Future