Magazine Evaluation

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

The media attracts many different audiences. I researched many music magazines such as ‘NME’ and ‘Q’ as they are some of the top music magazines around. I made my media product by looking at these magazines as I think that they attract their audience well. For my magazine I made sure that the name of my magazine was big and bright, this is to attract the attention of my audience. I tried to make my main picture be the main feature on the cover as it is a well known artist that will attract the attention of the target audience. I also made the name of the artist bright and bold and included a quote from one of their songs. These compare to the top magazine that are out there at the moment as they also use bright colours and make the picture the main feature.

College magazines are there to tell the students what is happening around the campus. My college magazine is based on Christmas so it says what Christmas seasonal fun is happening around the college and also in the town. I have used bright colours such as green and red which are associated with Christmas but also because they will attract attention. Although many magazines would probably be £1 I have priced mine as being free as the students are more likely to want to read it if they don’t have to pay for it, it is a resource so therefore should be free.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

There are many different social groups that buy music magazines like there is many different types of magazines to buy. There is Rock, jazz, pop, main stream etc. My music magazine would represent the social group that buys more of the main stream music magazines such as ‘NME’ and ‘Q’. This is because it has well known artists that are in the charts included in it. ‘NME’ and ‘Q’ are magazines that have the latest news from the music world and the latest songs and new artists. I have tried to do this in my magazine and have created an interview with James Morrison based on the things that he said whilst I was at one of his concerts. This is so that it is more believable and is also the latest news from that artist. James Morrison is a soulful artist but he is also in the charts right now, he has just released his new album which is why I chose that to write about in my article.

My college magazine is for all the social groups as it is Christmas themed and tells the students what seasonal madness that is happening around the college including decorations and bake sales.

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

The media institution that might distribute my media product is the ‘Bauer Media’ as this institution distributes magazines such as ‘Q’ and ‘Kerrang’ this institution generalises with music magazines so it would distribute my magazine into news agents, book stores and supermarkets etc. This is because my magazine includes well known artists that are main stream and will attract many social groups and many ages, especially teenagers.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

I have made my media product to attract the audience of teenagers. I think that it will attract them as I have included young, well known artists that are in the charts and that I personally enjoy listening to. In my contents page I have included pictures that I have taken from my personal experiences of these artists in the hopes that it will encourage the audience to go and see the artists too.

I also think that young adults would enjoy reading my media product as they also enjoy the music that is in the charts and the artists that I have included in my magazine.

For my college magazine the audience would be for any age as it is Christmas themed and everyone loves the Christmas season and loves to get involved in the celebrating so would enjoy reading my magazine.

How did you attract/address your audience?

To attract my audience I have used bright colours and exciting pictures and interviews with the well known artists of today that are in the charts. At the top of my media product I have written ‘special Edition’. This is to make the reader see that this magazine is going to be different than what it usually is. This is to keep them interested in the magazine and also enjoy writing to and sending in their photos to the magazine. The special edition was photos and letters from fans that have been sent in to the magazine.

In my college magazine I have also used bright colours such as green and red they are all the way through the magazine to keep the excitement of the magazine going. I have also used shapes to create snowflakes down the sides of the borders this is to make the magazine look more interesting and fun.

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

To create my media product I have used many different types of technology. I used a camera to take the photos within my media product, I used a laptop/computer to create my media products, I used the programmes Microsoft Word and Microsoft Publisher to create my magazines. To create my blog I used the internet and the website ‘Tumblr’ I also used ‘google’ to research college and music magazines to get inspiration for my media products. To make my photos look better and to make them match the themes I chose for my magazines I used the programmes Photoshop and paint.

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 feel that I have learnt how to use new programmes that I have not used before such as Microsoft Publisher to create my magazine. For my college magazine I had to make a front cover and a contents page this could be very simple and didn’t necessarily have to have programmes such as Photoshop to create it. Whereas, for my music magazine I had to make a front cover, a contents page and a double page spread this was more challenging as there is more work to do and the magazine had to look more professional. To create the professional look I used the programmes Photoshop and paint to make my own photos better and to make them fit into the theme of my magazine. From this I have learnt how to create a media product that can compare and challenge the top media products that are currently in the media.