Unit G321- Preliminary Task and

Log BookMolly O’Donovan

Preliminary Task – Front Cover

The preliminary task I completed was to help me understand the features of Photoshop and also gave me an insight of what a magazine front cover would need to be successful. Therefore, I found that this task really supported and helped me develop my skills so I was aware of different tools and ways in which to use them.

Preliminary Task –Contents Page

The preliminary task I completed was to help me understand the features of Photoshop and also gave me an insight of what a magazine contents page would need to be successful. Therefore, I found that this task really supported and helped me develop my skills so I was aware of different tools and ways in which to use them.

MastheadLarge and bold with consistency of the colour red. Instantly draws attention to readers.

Main headline(‘Star Appeal’ Richard Dyer)This has been positioned in the centre of the page as it stands out on the page so readers are immediately influenced by the headline. Which therefore conveys to the ‘repetition’ (Neal) of magazine front covers.

Main imageBlack and white to make the bolder colours stand out (yellow and red). Therefore it attracts attention to the readers.

Cover lineThe use of a quote from the story initially gives readers the idea of what the article will be focused on. Also the contradictory of characters within an article intrigues readers why David Attenborough would be included in an NME article with Skrillex and BJORK.

Front Cover Magazine Conventions

Date and price ‘27 November2013’, ‘£2.49’

MastheadConsistency between the front page and contents page so readers are being continually made aware of the NME

logo.

Date1st November 2008

Puff/PromotionAttracting readers so they will ‘subscribe’ to the magazine so that they are repeatedly buying the magazine, even when their subscription ends.

Cover line(s)Supporting the main headline so that they know what other stories are going to be included within the magazine issue.

Contents Page Magazine Conventions

Sub-headingsThese help guide they are made aware of the different sections that the magazine has. As they are bold, readers can clearly read the main focuses of the magazine and choose which areas they want to read first.

AnalysisThe NME magazine has the appropriate conventions in which a magazine does have, however the conventions are not positioned in a traditional way because they do not replicate other magazine conventions. Consequently they are not ‘repeating’ (Steve Neale) the conventions to become innovative within the music magazine industry. Therefore NME is a magazine which has created effects through not replicating magazines, making it more original. An example of this would be that the ‘masthead’ is not positioned centrally, therefore this does not replicate other music magazines. A magazine such as ‘VIBE’ has it’s masthead positioned at the top in the middle to attract readers and make the masthead stand out to them. NME have been successful through these conventions because they are continuing to sell their magazine each week.

NME Genre Research‘NME’(New Musical Express) is a weekly music magazine in Britain which is very popular and has been ever since it was first published in March 1952. ‘NME’ magazine has a genre focus of rock, alternative and indie. Artists similar to ‘Jake Bugg’, ‘Bastille’ and ‘Artic Monkeys’ are portrayed within NME magazine because of they fit the genre of music which NME focuses on for its readers. Although NME is a music magazine, it also has an online version which was launched in 1996. the magazine now has over 7 million users per month. The editor of NME magazine is Mike Williams and has been since June 2012. As a result TimeInc.UK is the publisher for NME magazine because of the music genres it focuses on throughout its magazines.

Established MagazineThere are different codes and conventions which are not used in the front cover and contents page of NME magazine. An example of this would be on NME’s front cover there is no convergence. This could be because readers will already be aware of the social networking sites to NME. Also as there are different subscribers to NME, they will not need to be reminded of the website to research NME weekly updates etc. Furthermore, the contents page of NME magazine does not have the convention of an editorial. This is because it is an older magazine which has been published for over 50 years, therefore readers do not need an editors opening for the readers to be aware of what is going to be in the magazine.

Target Audience – Katz, Maslow, Hartley and/or socio-economic needs The target audience for NME magazine can be denoted as ‘social climbers’ (Maslow) because the readers will read want to be part of the social side of the magazine. This so they are up to date with the magazine and will want to be included on any gossip to do with certain artists or different events etc. Furthermore, the target audience can also be denoted as having a ‘personal relationship’ (Katz) with NME magazine because they will continuously read the magazine either online or through buying the magazine. The audience will do this because of the ‘star appeal’ (Dyer) presented in each weekly issue as they will be able to relate to some of the ‘stars’.

What is the USP of this magazine?

From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is the ‘star appeal’ (Dyer) of the main headline and central image. This is because some readers of the magazine will only buy it or subscribe to it because of the main headline being something or someone they can relate to. Otherwise the readers will not want to buy something they’re not interested in. Consequently, there are some readers which are not loyal to the magazine. Although the USP is the ‘star appeal’ (Dyer), the magazine itself can be its own USP because it has ‘differences’ (Neale), which can attract more people to buy the magazine.

Target Audience & USP