Brandon Doherty

The target audience for my magazine is 16-18 year olds, therefore my analysis will be focused on a range of music magazines which consist of different genres of music, in order to gain an idea on the potential audience segments I can focus my product at.

No only helping with the establishment of the target audience it gives me an idea on the sort of forms and ideas the magazines consist of in terms of actively engaging the potential audience of the magazine. I will gain insight into content tailored to specific members of the target audience certain things appeal to one person, whereas the majority may like something different.

Here are some examples of my annotated magazine covers.

The magazines clearly all have focus on different audience segments; Kerrang magazine focuses more on the music with less focus on fashion and style more rebels of society. Whereas the top of the top of the pops magazine focuses more on the fashion aspect and on the life of the celebrity rather than the music they produce.

The target audience for the Top of the Pops magazine is clearly young girls as the magazine focuses on issues which are apparent in the young girls of today’s society, for example the image of Tulisa with the quote ‘Boys Beware’ this signifies that the magazine is more for girls as it denotes that boys should beware, however it connotes almost the feeling for boys to be dared to read it therefore suggesting that the secondary audience for the magazine boys, as the headline is almost sexualised for the boys to read it.

The DJ magazine uses a very standard house style, suggesting a serious target audience more interested in the content rather than the design of the magazine; the use of informal also suggests that the audience has a youthful side as it dance music, therefore appealing to the target audience.

What is your post code?

27%

39%

17%

17%B27

B90

B25

B1

17%

20%

40%

13%10%

£0-4,999

£5,000-£9,999

£10,000-£15,999

£16,000-£19,999

£20,000 ormore

What is your prefered music taste/genre?

20%

25%

19%

5%

9%

8%

14%

Rock

RnB

Pop

Heavy Metal

Dance

Drum and Bass

Dubstep

15 15

0

5

10

15

Amount

Male Female

Gender

What is your gender?

Series110

12

8

0 10 20

Scale/amount of people

15-16

17-18

19 and over

Val

ues a

ge

rang

es

How old are you?

Series1

0 9

0 14£5.00 7

0 5 10 15

Amount of people

1

2

3

Sca

le

mo

ne

y

am

ou

nts

If yes what would you normally pay for a music magazine?

Series1

Series2

24

6

0 20 40

Amount

Yes

No

Ans

wer

Yes

or

No

Do you have an active interest in music?

Series1 24

6

0 20 40

Amount

Yes

No

Ans

wer

Ye

s or

No

5. If, yes do you read music magazines?

Series1

Top of thePops

KerrangNME DJ

Magazine

S1

10 11

540

20

Values

Different magazines

What sort of magazine interests you the most?

Series1

Should music magazines focus on the lives of the artists?

48%

52%

Yes

No

Do you prefer a music magazine that keeps up with the latest trends and fashions?

67%

33%

Yes

No

Yes No

S1

1515

0

20

Value

Answers Yes/No

Would you prefer a magazine which focuses just on musical knowledge and upcoming albums?

Series1

After carrying out my questionnaire I have gained insight into my potential target audience in their preferences and whether they actually buy music magazines.

The survey shown, that both male and female act as potential audience as there was no overall majority on either side just an even amount, therefore suggesting that my magazine can be tailored to both males and females with articles and advertisements which directly meet their needs. The majority of the people I asked were of the age range 17-18, therefore suggesting that music itself is more appealing to the younger generation rather than older and younger. More on the direction of the music magazine older ages would be more interested in musical knowledge whereas younger generation want to know about the lives of the artists.

The most popular magazines were Kerrang and top of the pops and the most popular music choices were RnB and Rock. This is a contrast in ideals as one side i.e. Top of the pops and RnB can be considered what the majority consider to be mainstream. However on the other hand we have Kerrang and rock music which is perceived to be no so much mainstream, therefore giving that persona of rebel and outcast; making a fashion statement, Throughout my production I aim to question these perceptions in order the challenge active members of the audience on what they think is ‘mainstream.’

I posed the questions of income and postal area code I did not specify any particular post code, but the most popular ones which people stated were: B27, B90, B25, and B1. These are all of different economic status in terms of demographics, thus will have different needs and perceptions on what they would like to see in a magazine 39% of the people I asked lived at the postal area code of B90, this area is within the vicinity of Solihull, thus suggesting that the potential target audience for my magazine is middle class up coming people in terms type 3 of the acorn classification Expanding, therefore suggesting that they will see content which is relatively well known and expensive.

My results show that just under 50% would pay £3-4 pounds for a magazine, this is the average price for magazines anyway, therefore suggesting that the majority of the potential audience are willing to spend a bit of money on a quality magazine. Thus again linking to the demographics based on the post code of the area suggesting that all potential audience member regardless of finical status can afford £3-4 pounds on a magazine. Thus magazine content can be tailored to age range rather than the area in which the audience may live.

More than 50% of the group of people around the bullring Birmingham I asked thought that a music magazine should focus on the lives of the artist. This shows young audience tendencies as when I analysed the Top of the Pops magazine it seemed to be more focused on the life of the celebrity rather than music they produce.

However over 66% of the people I asked thought that the music magazine should focus on new fashion trends, thus suggesting that my potential audience will be trendy in dress and want to keep up to date with anything new that will be coming out. Thus, fulfilling the need of affiliation for the audience to feel engaged fully in the magazine.

This is the image I intend to use for the front cover of my the image from a concert I was present a local underground gig, of a band called Forever Fallen.

The image contains the front man, and the lead guitarist, the two leading members of the band. The important members for the front cover of my magazine

This image was taken by myself in a studio while my friend was recording a song with his drummer. A solo drum session.

This image I will consider to use for my magazine contents as a potential for my a double page spread article.

This image was of a local artist at a concert I attended at the HMV institute in March of this year.

This is an image I may use on the contents page of my magazine.

This was a concert I attended in March of this year, a solo artist named Brad taking the stage. An underground artist.

This image was again taken not from a concert, but an event which took place at the HMV institute with a few underground artists.

This image will most likely be used on the front cover of my magazine or the double page spread.

This is the main image for my double page spread. I took this picture in Birmingham City Centre.

A local busker, who I have seen countless time in the past and he gratefully gave me permission to photograph him.

This image was again taken not from a concert, but an event which took place at the HMV institute with a few underground artists.

This image will most likely be used on the front cover of my magazine or the double page spread.

This is an image I took of at Sonisphere Festival in the summer of 2011

I intend to use this image for a review sort of thing on the front cover.

This shows how I have edited the picture to a grey scale rather than just a plain original colour. This is a scale which I may use in my main product.

This manipulation is showing how I have changed the brightness and contrast of the image so it looks a bit brighter to show up his face a bit more. Thus I may use this in my final production of my magazine.

This is the image for that I am going to use for the front cover of my magazine, you can see clearly that from the original image taken there is not much difference in

terms of manipulation, however the brightness has changed.

• The reason I have done this is so that the image is visually more appealing and lighter on a darker background to stand out.

• The new manipulated image will be used as my front cover image of my finished magazine.

This shows how I have edited this image through the use of fireworks and changing

the colour of the image to greyscale for effect.

This shows how I have edited the images to suite my magazine design and layout.

This shows how I am changing the contrast and brightness of the image to make it look more appealing.

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

The aim of my magazine over anything is to challenge real media products in an attempt to create something new. Since my magazine is a mix of two genres; Rock and Indie this itself is an attempt to challenge the conventions of existing magazines as most magazines focus on one genre in particular. My magazine really tries to challenge the conventions put forward by existing magazines, however still focuses on the particular needs of the audience.

Through the use of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs gave me an indication of the certain needs that I had to establish before making my music magazine. For example the need of self-esteem, I made to ensure that he content of my magazine from the editorial to the convention themselves all adding to the effect in order to give the audience a sense of belonging and community when reading the magazine. In order to encourage them to actively engage with the magazine and buy future additions. In terms of development, from the analysis I have carried out on existing magazines I have established certain conventions within magazines, there is a trend which in some cases I will follow to ensure my magazine looks professional, however I have challenged perceptions with the use of conventions and certain codes.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My music magazine represents does not focus one social groups, ad my magazine itself is called ‘Switch’ on the basis that it will incorporate two different types of music Rock and Indie, thus the age range for magazine is around 18-30, so it is a more mature magazine appealing to youthful people, however a magazine with very adult themes on musicians the younger generation will be out of tune with. Based the demographics of an area compared to the acorn classification, from type 2 to type 4. Therefore the range of audience segments my music magazine will vary as there is not one acorn classification that my music magazine will directly establish, as the music tastes of my target audiences will be that of variety open to all sorts of music genres.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

• The kind of media institutions which might distribute my

media product would be that of Kerrang magazine or NME

magazine. These media institutions both are of the genre of

rock/indie music; in this respect they might distribute my

media magazine as it is under the same sub genres of music.

• However both NME and Kerrang are very specific in their audience, focusing specifically on one demographic for their main audience base, whereas my media product is an attempt almost to take the best of both, incorporate the two genres rock and indie, within each pages which appeal to all audience types but predominantly the older generation as articles and interviews etc will be with artists unfamiliar with young people of this generation.

• NME magazine in terms of features is very musically orientated, focusing on artists

with upcoming albums, reviews; tour dates competitions to win things etc. All these

things which make it a successful music magazine. In my magazine I have used similar

things and there needs to be certain aspects of the magazine that entice the

audience whether it is layout or the actual content. There is a criteria which must met

for a product to be successful, for example the need of escapism all audience

segments want to escape from the normalities of their own lives, I aim to do this with

content that appeals to both passive and active members of the audience.

Who would be the audience for your media product? Why – have you got evidence of them saying it appeals to them –

and why it appeals to them?

The target audience for my magazine is 18-30 year olds, the reason for this is

based on my questionnaire the people who answered it was very varied in

answers, thus from this I decided to go against certain things which were said

on my questionnaire to try to create something new and different that

appeals to both the potential target audiences for my magazine on an equal

level. However, my questionnaire gave an indication to certain things which

could potentially include in the magazine.

For example I asked the question what music the person listened to and whether they

actively read and subscribed to a particular music magazine. This gave me an indication

for the target audience of my media product. Which lead me to decide on the 18-30 age

range as my magazine will contain content which will appeal to people who take an active

interest in music and have a broad knowledge of music on a whole.

How did you attract/address your audience?

My magazine attracts the audience through the use of stro

ng

imagery and a layout that does in a way question the

conventional style of magazines in today’s mainstream society.

For example the main image of which I have used is an original

image of a singer called Matt Sheehan, facing upwards looking

at the style of the magazine.

This intended connotation of this is that he looking up at something which

is going to change music as we know, but from first glance just looks like

an artist singing on stage to his fans. In terms of my questionnaire I asked

the question of which magazine the audience preferred, this is a very

simple question on the surface, however after my in depth analysis of

existing music magazine I was able to gain insight into the convention

used by magazines and how they differ in each magazine./ Thus based

on this information it was very equal in terms of results, therefore I thought

it best to use an amalgamation of convention of all the magazine in

order to appeal to a wider range of audience segments.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

In terms of technologies, the use of programmes such as fireworks,

Adobe in Design and Photoshop. The use of such professional

programmes that gave my magazine that professional look, it was my

real first attempt to use such programmes. I have had experience in the

past, however never as in depth, thus it gave me the tools to create a

successful professional looking magazine.

The process of creating my product was very time consuming as it requires hours

of preparation in terms of planning and research, I have learnt that to make a

product of professional stature it requires a lot of pre-work planning and research

to ensure a professional looking piece of work up to industry standard. Using the

newer technologies at times I found it difficult to use them as I previously stated I

struggled to use certain aspect of the programmes, however it gave me insight

into how I can use them in the future.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Looking back at my preliminary task I have learnt a lot in progression to the main task as the main task required much more time and technology which is more advanced. For example to make the preliminary task I used Microsoft Publisher was very limited in terms of design, layout and manipulation of imagery, this however did not seem to be an issue with the use of Photoshop as things came relatively easier in term of layout. The main task required much more research and planning it was not something which could be done easily it required a lot of hours to reach a high enough standards whereas the preliminary required less work to achieve it to a high standard.

Preliminary Task