Media coursework, music

magazine: Evaluation
Alex McCormack
 1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media products ?

My music magazine uses the conventions of a real magazine as the front cover has a
masthead, selling line, feature article photo with a headline, a menu strip, barcode,
price, flash, anchorage, plugs, a date line and a visual feature. These conventions all
work together to sell the magazine. The contents also uses the conventions of a real
magazine. I have listed the contents of my magazine under different headings to make it
more organised. I have also used different pictures and give them page numbers to
indicate where about in the magazine you can find that certain artist. I have also added
JPEG’s of my front cover for both the editorial and subscription. The subscription section
especially sells the magazine to the audience. Finally my double page uses the
conventions of a real music magazine as I have used a title, images, an opening
paragraph, an article and quotes. All my pages link together similar to a real music
magazine as they use the same type of text and all have the pink, green, black and
white colour scheme. This shows that all the different parts communicate to promote
Thesell
and fullthe
magazine pages on my blog
magazine.
http://alexhindmarshmedia123.blogspot.com/
Selling line
Masthead

website
Secondary
lead

kicker
Feature
coverline article photo

headline
anchorage plug

Date line
Graphic and price
feature
Menu strip barcode
 2. How does your media product represent
particular social groups?
My media product definitely represents a certain social group.
The bands used all come from the same ‘emo/ rock/ screamo’
genre. The title ‘Underground’ also suggests the genre. My
magazine communicates with the social group by giving away
free downloads and posters. There is also a free yearly gig
guide suggesting the social group is one to often attend gigs.
This creates a lifestyle and ideology for the reader. There is an
image for the social group created by the use of images,
colours and the band names that are used.

Band photography and the ‘emo’ genre on Scribd:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/38460118/Band-Powepoint
 3. What kind of media institution might
distribute your media product and why?
IPC Media-
Dennis Publishing-
IPC Media produces over 60
Some of the magazines they produce:
iconic media brands. -The Week
Men's magazines they produce: -The First Post
County Life, Horse and Hound, -Auto Express
Rugby World, Decanter, Nuts -Evo
and Mousebreaker. -Car buyer
-Octane
Women's magazines they -Landrover
produce: Chat, WomanLook, -PC Pro
Now, Marie Claire, Instyle, -IT Pro
Essentials and Women&home. -Computer Shopper
-Men’s Fitness
Others: NME, What’s on TV, TV -Poker Player
Times, TV and Satellite Week, -Maxim
Ideal Home and Housetohome. -Viz

http://www.ipcmedia.com/ http://www.dennis.co.uk/
Bauer Media: Hearst:
Bauer Media is Europe’s largest Hearts is one of the nations
privately owned media group. It offers largest diversified media
300 magazines in 15 different companies. It deals with
countries as well as radio, TV stations magazines, newspapers, cable
and online. Some of these are: networks, television and radio
-Closer broadcasting, internet businesses,
-GRATZIA TV production and real estate.
-Kerrang! These include:
-Q- -Cosmopolitan
-What bike? -Seventeen
-Car -Marie Claire
-Rock FM -Redbook
-TFM -Town&country
-Kerrang Radio -Country living.
-4music http://www.hearst.com/index2.ph
-The box. p
With most having an online website.
http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/home
Although Hearst seems to be the biggest media company. I would
chose to have my magazine ran by Bauer Media as Hearst is
nationwide and seems to centre it’s products in America where as
Bauer Media is based in Europe therefore will have a better idea
about publishing magazines in the UK. Because it is a large media
group it means it will have a lot of money to spend on and
advertise my magazine. Bauer Media also produce the magazine
Kerrang! As Kerrang! Is similar to my music magazine, the
company will have experience of how to produce that sort of
music magazine. Also being in the same company as it means
there would be no rivalries between companies as the two
magazines are similar. As Bauer Media run TV stations, radio
stations and online web pages, it means that my magazine could
therefore potentially get a radio station, TV station or website.
This combined with the vast amount of money the company have
means that my magazine would have many opportunities.
What is a corporation?
A corporation is a formal business association firm whose articles have been
approved. It has a publicly registered charter recognizing it as a separate legal entity
having its own privileges. Corporations exist as a product of corporate law, and their
rules balance the interests of the management who operate the corporation,
creditors, shareholders, and employees who contribute their labour.
What is a conglomerate?
A conglomerate is a combination of two or more corporations
engaged in entirely different businesses together into one corporate
structure, usually involving a parent company and several (or many)
subsidiaries. Often, a conglomerate is a multi-industry company.
Conglomerates are often large and multinational.

What is a cottage industry?

A small-scale industry that can be carried on at home by family members
using their own equipment.

For my magazine I would have a conglomerate as it is a multimedia company.

This means it runs several things such as magazines, TV stations and radio
stations. By working in a conglomerate company means there would be more
opportunities for my magazine.
4. Who would be the audience for your media
product?
My audience for my magazine would be both male and
female averaging from ages 15 to 23. It would appeal to
those that are interested in fashion, media and above all
music. They would fit into the ‘emo’ genre and enjoy, rock,
metal, screamo, poprock and punk music. They would enjoy
going to gigs and seeing live bands as well as owning band
merchandise and also download music. The reader would be
individually minded, independent, passionate about music
and loyal with a lot of attitude.

This is the readership profile I made for ‘Underground’ on

Photoshop.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FYDdy60MQMY/TQnffUvObnI/AA
AAAAAAAE8/iuCszTDXTao/s1600/readership+profile.jpg
5. How did you attract/address your audience?
I attracted my audience by the use of bright colours which makes the
magazine stand out and catches the readers eye. The bright colours
relate to the genre and attracts the younger/ teenage audience. The
free gig guide, downloads and posters advertised on my front cover
attract the reader as it makes is obvious that by buying the magazine
you get free things. The language used, especially in the article
addresses the audience as it is very colloquial, it speaks to them in
their own language. This maintains interest throughout the magazine
and makes it relate to the reader, giving a sense of belonging. The
pictures used, mainly gig pictures create a buzz for the reader. The
use of images and fonts relate to 15-23 year old audience as the
fonts have the style of graffiti and have a grungy look to them. The
bold font, colours and images create an overall lively, vivid and
intense layout.
 6. What have you learnt about technologies
from the process of constructing this product?
Blog:
Firstly I designed and created my blog. I included links, videos, reviews
and slideshows via Slideshare. I also included my questionnaire and
analysis. During the process of designing and producing my blog I have
learnt how to upload slideshows and how to express my views and
work though various mediums. I have learnt how links work and how I
can distribute questionnaires over the internet.

Photography:
I have learnt many different angles to add various effects to my
pictures. For example a low angles gives the subject of the
photography a feeling of superiority. I have researched the angles used
for magazines and which are suitable for different pages. I have utilised
this research in my own magazine to make it similar to a real music
magazine.
Music magazine photography:
http://alexhindmarshmedia123.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-12-
16T01%3A42%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=7
Photoshop:
The most used tool I used on Photoshop was the quick selection tool as it made
me able to cut out images easily. I also used the filter tool. This gave me many
options on changing the image to give it a more suitable effect. I also learnt how
to use the text tool which was very helpful in creating the cover, contents and
especially the article. I also learnt how to use the paths tool which was useful
when writing my article. Overall I have learnt many skills on Photoshop while
creating my magazine.

Web:
For my magazine, I plan on having a website. This would consist of information
on the current magazine out, news, information on free merchandise. It would
also have an online store and forum as well as gig dates and information about
bands and an archive. This would be spilt up into tabs on the website to make it
easily accessible and more organised. Also it could be possible to buy and
subscribe to the magazine online and also have an option of downloading an
online magazine. There would also be a mobile version of the site for hand held
technologies. The forums could also be accessed via mobiles.
 Outsourcing:
To actually create my blog from the design I would hire professionals
online from www.elance.com this would make the website more secure
and stable and also look more professional and have a higher quality of
aesthetics. They would work on maintaining the website and any other
administrative duties allowing me more time to make new designs and
coming up with new ideas on updates to the website.

Syndicating:
I would have a free social networking site to enable users to post to multiple
social networks simultaneously. This means my readers could voice their
opinion on both music and the actual music magazine. This creates a new
dimension of audience-designer interaction which therefore means
improvement for the magazine and more understanding of what the reader
wants.
Video marketing:
http://www.trafficgeyser.com/ and http://www.tubeblasterpro.com/index.php
are video distributers that distribute content you post on social networking sites
and send out bulletins, comments and messages. I would have a site like this for
my magazine as music videos and live footage of gigs is important to the
audience. It would able them to post gig experiences and share new videos by
bands.
 7. Looking back at your preliminary task (the
College magazine), what do you feel you have
learnt in the progression from it to full product?
Looking back at my college magazine I think I have improved my skills and understanding
of making a magazine. My music magazine looks more like an actual magazine as it has
all of the main conventions. I had much more photography for my music magazine which
also looked much more professional as I had researched the type of photography and
angles used for a music magazine. Furthermore, after producing my college magazine
my Photoshop skills have got more advanced which enabled me to do more complex
techniques therefore making my music magazine look more realistic. The fonts on my
music magazine are also better as some of them I got from www.dafont.com. The colour
scheme is also more professional and carried on throughout the magazine. The contents
page is split up into more headings and has more pages and page numbers with images
that also have numbers to direct you to what page they are on. My music magazine
contents also has an editorial and subscription part which my college magazine does not.
This makes it more like an actual magazine. Overall, since making my college magazine,
my photography and Photoshop techniques have improved and also I have gained a
better understanding of the conventions of a magazine and how it should be set out. I
think my music magazine is a big improvement from my college magazine.
College magazine
Music magazine