Magazine Evaluation

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

My main image is the

most confrontational
and distinct item of
my front cover. The
person/creature in
the image is looking
straight at the
camera which means
that there is a direct
mode of address. It is
also a good way to
make the image
stand out from the
crowd and convey
dominance.
The image is related
to the main article
and is anchored by
the main headline.
 My masthead is in large
block capitals so that it
stands out from the rest of
the text. It is written in the
same font as the rest of the
text on the front page.
Like NME it covers almost
half the diameter of the
page in width.

I have used a barcode

for my magazine so that
if it were for sale it could
be scanned digitally. I
have also attached the
magazines website
address to the barcode
like NME.
My main heading, with
help from the main image,
attracts the audience from
a distance. It gives the
reader brief details about
the main article and what
it will be based upon. The
anchorage line tells the
reader slightly more
information but in smaller
writing. This is so that the
reader has to come closer
to the magazine to read
more about the article.
This follows the
conventions of most
magazines.
My front page has a fairly
large border at the bottom
of the page suggesting that
you are getting free posters
when you buy the
magazine. This is a lie
because although you are
getting extra item with your
magazine. You still have to
pay for them. However
people still feel like they are
getting a bargain and are
more likely to buy the
magazine. Many magazines
like NME do this to attract
customers.
 My magazine has kickers to
show some of the other articles
of the magazine. Other
magazines like NME also do
this.

Cover lines are

used to tell the
reader what the
article is about

Menu lines show what bands

will appear in the magazine.
This persuades the person
looking at the magazine to buy
it if there is a band in the
magazine which they like.
 Text and colours
follow the house
Large picture to show one
style
of the main articles

Features,
news and
reviews are
split up to
help the
reader
quickly find
the page
they are
looking for

A band index was used

so that the reader can
find the article on the
band quickly
An offer was used to try
and persuade the
reader to subscribe to
the magazine. Many
other magazines also do
this.
 A short introduction to the
main body of text was used

The magazines The text is split up

name is used to into columns
help keep the which follows the
house style convention for a
double page
spread

The main image is on the left

hand side because this follows
the conventions of most
magazines.
I have used an arty
looking object in my
magazine because
magazines often have
some sort of artistic
feature on their double
page spread
How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My media product appeals to people who prefer a certain type of

music genre and therefore a small amount of social groups. My
magazine generally will attract teenage to middle-aged males with a
taste in independent music.

The clothes used in the

magazine are modern
and up to date. They
are usually worn by
people between the
ages of 18 – 35 and
therefore are
applicable to the social
group.
The colour scheme that the
magazine uses is modern and
unique. This is an
independent style because
the magazine is aimed at
people who like independent
music.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

My magazine is based upon the conventions of both NME and

Kerrang. I chose these two magazines because indie music is often
featured in both. Because my magazine is similar to both Kerrang and
NME, I think that the Bauer consumer media group would be the best
institution to distribute my magazine. I have decided this because the
magazine follows their conventions and therefore should be similar to
what they already publish.
Who would be the audience for you media product?

My magazine is aimed at teen to middle-aged males who have an

interest in independent music. They generally wear modern, up to
date clothes.
How did you attract/address your audience?

I attracted an audience to my magazine by showing a list of bands which

my target audience will be interested in at the top of the front cover. I also
included an eye catching main image on my front cover.
What have I learned about the technologies from the process of constructing this
product?

I have learnt many interesting things whilst producing this product. Before I made
the magazine I did not know how to use adobe photoshop. I learnt how to layer
items on a page and to cut round objects. I now know how to change the colour
of objects on the page and how to make text layers.

Different layers
Looking back at the preliminary task (the college magazine), what do you feel you
have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

When I started to create my college magazine I found it very difficult to make it

look professional because of my lack of photoshop skills. I was unaware of tools
such as blending and rendering. However when I came to make my final magazine
I had a better understanding of photoshop and its features, this made my
magazine look far more professional. The college magazine helped me greatly
because it was when making this that I could play around with photoshop and find
features which I liked and made my life easier. Creating my college magazine also
made me realise that my photography skills were not brilliant. I worked out that it is
best to take pictures of people in front of a light coloured background so that it is
easier to delete the background in photoshop. I feel that because of the knowledge
learnt in the first piece of work, I have created a professional product that would
not look out of place on a shelf in the shop.