3. I decided to research and analyse two music magazines, NME and Q, to gain insight and knowledge in to the normal conventions used in music magazines and then I could see how I could employ and challenge these conventions in my own product. I chose to analyse these two magazines as these where the two music magazines which proved most popular in the questionnaire I distributed to 20 members of my target audience. I felt that therefore by choosing to analyse these magazines I would be able to draw up conclusions about what was is about these magazines that my target audience like and how I could use and challenge these conventions in my own final product!

4. The analysis of these music magazines, NME and Q, and the design features and conventions used within them are the aspects which most helped me to create my own final product in my main task. Below I have highlighted these conventions in terms of the front covers I chose to analyse… Strapline Masthead Coverline Main image Puff Features Main Coverline Question to audience. Barcode, price, issue number Caption Red and white colour scheme – house style Masthead Inset image Main Coverline Coverline Barcode, price, issue number Strapline - slogan Features Lure – buzz word Lure - quote List of who is featured on the inside Red and white colour scheme – house style

5. Masthead: UMS (Unsigned Music Scene) sums up that the magazine is about discovering new sound. The three syllables of the initial format of the title is easy to remember and roles off the tongue similarly as NME does. Slogan: Reflective of what my magazine aims to do and the alliteration draws in the readers attention and is memorable. Main Coverline: Pink text deviates from the red and blue house style but makes this all female band stand out even more. In form of a question to engage reader and want them to read more Free Giveaway Barcode, Price, Date and Issue No.: placed in the top third of my magazine which is breaking the normal magazine convention as these things are normally placed in the bottom third Strapline: showing features on the top third where they could easily be seen on a magazine rack and this will attract my target audience to pick up my magazine. Puff: competition to win oxygen tickets, this appeals to the reader Lure: entices my audience to open up the magazine to see what the story is about Main Image: a medium long shot of my two female members of the featured band. The black and white image makes the magazine stand out on a shelf as most other music magazine I have looked at an researched use a coloured image on their cover. Plugging website, Facebook page and MySpace page: appeals to my youthful target audience who would surf the net a lot and be regular users of social networking sites such as these

6. Below I have highlighted the conventions of NME and Q in terms of their contents pages which I decided to analyse… Caption under article title List of artists featured Paragraph promoting main article Buzz words Contents arranged under headings NME Logo Strapline - date Masthead Main images Advertising magazine subscription offer Page numbers in larger font than article title and caption and written in a different colour Caption under article title Strapline – date, masthead Q Logo Main image Inserted image Page numbers in larger font than article title and caption and written in a different colour Page Number Contents arranged under headings Image Captions Gold text breaking house style colour scheme to promote a special feature

7. Image of front cover: to remind reader of what it was that initially attracted them to the magazine. List of featured artists: so my readers can easily locate where they can find articles and featured on their favourite bands making it easier for them to browse through my magazine. Cover Features: these are highlighted in a blue box to show the reader these are what was featured on the front cover and that these are the most important articles in this issue. Polaroid Image: used this to highlight that this image is in relation to the issues featured band/article. This also gives a sort of “home made” feel to my magazine. Competition Page number and UMS logo Strapline: to introduce this as the contents page of my magazine and the circle around this looks like the sign to the London Underground and this will be a recognisable image associated with buskers. Captions: brief introductions to the articles listed in the contents. Image: another image makes my contents page more graphically appealing to my reader. The number printed on the image shows the page in which the related feature can be found. Headings: my contents are split up under heading so my readers can easily locate what articles they want to read.

8. Below I have highlighted the conventions of NME in terms of their DPS which I decided to analyse… Introduction, By-line Article title Promoting band as NME award winners Pull Quote Inserted Image Page Number, NME logo, date Continuous prose style writing Sub-headings Main image Image caption Drop Caps Plugging website Columns

9. Below I have highlighted the conventions of Q Magazine in terms of their DPS which I decided to analyse… Introduction, By-line Title Question and answer format Pull Quote Main Image Page Number Page Number and date Arrows Gold and silver colour scheme deviated from red and black house-style

10. Title: stretches across whole DPS in a bright pink font, same as that on front cover, to grab the readers attentions By-line and introduction: gives a brief introduction to the feature and includes a by-line to show who wrote this article. The writer is highlighted through the use of italics and white font. Main Image: the whole left of my DPS is dedicated to my main image as this will grab my readers attentions. Also a caption is included to introduce the band members in the image and also the photographer Question and answer style: I feel this is a format which is easily followed by my reader and that the reader feels they are engaging on a personal level with my band members and that they trust they are getting accurate and trustworthy information Band name in corner: so this will grab readers attention as they flick through the issue Inset Image: a smaller image to ensure my DPS is attractive and graphically appealing to my audience Pull Quotes: grab readers attention and make them want to read the article to see what these quotes are in relation to Plugging Website: attracts youthful audience Drop Caps

11. I feel my final product challenges the forms and conventions of already established magazines by the inclusion of my barcode on the top third of my front cover; plugging the magazines website, facebook page and myspace page on the front cover; and the use of a polaroid image on the contents page. I feel that through the use of my questionnaire results and the analysis of the two magazines I have produced a product which is pleasing to my target audience and also stays true to the conventions of already established magazines, as well as challenging some conventions, I have produced a professional looking product which appeals greatly to my target audience!

13. Due to the results I found through my target audience questionnaire indie/rock was the most popularly preferred music genre of the 16-21 year old age range so due to this I decided to aim my magazine at those of the indie rock persuasion! These images convey the typical appearance I would expect of my target audience. Images like these show that my target audience are mainly of a white ethnicity as this is what is commonly associated with the indie/rock style. However, I would Not cut ethnic minorities from my prospective audiences as my magazine is about finding new sounds and styles so minority groups would be particularly welcomed in my magazine.

14. Here I have included some images of the bands I have listed in my magazine and are music acts which have made it “on their own” without gimmick programmes such as X Factor or Pop Idol and all represent what UMS stands for and all convey the indie/rock persona of the magazines target readership. Also in my magazine I have included a feature on a well established music act of the punk rock persuasion…this sort of band typically wouldn’t fit the style of UMS but this article is about how a large artist such as this actually took ideas from a busker for their own smash hits. This shows my magazine almost dismissing well established artists and wanting to make room for new and upcoming sounds as my magazine is based mainly at those interested in learning about new, unsigned talent.

15. According to the NRS social grading standards shows people under the C1, C2 and D social grading are mostly represented in this magazine. These various social grade boundaries reflect the lower middle/ working class status of people in society. I feel this is reflective of those represented in my magazine as my magazine is about promoting new sounds and unsigned acts, many of whom come from humble backgrounds of society. There are no images of people with disabilities as such featured within my magazine. However, an image is included on my contents page of one of the band members of Megalomania, Sarah, wearing a pair of glasses.

17. BAUER MEDIA- functions in 15 countries worldwide, holding shares in different aspects of the media including radio and television as well as print media. BAUER MEDIA have already got 2 highly successful magazines being published, Q and Kerrang! The Company selling nearly 38 million copies of their magazines every week in the UK make them Britain's top print media distributer. IPC (International Publishing Company)- is the distributing country of the countries most popular music magazine (and the most popular music magazine among my target audience), NME, selling over 40,000 copies each week. This adds up to IPC Media being one of the countries top magazine companies selling up to 350 million copies a year of their magazines.

18. UK's leading consumer magazine and digital publishers, with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year. NME (most popular magazine among target audience and magazine where most inspiration has been drawn). Two thirds of UK women and 44% of UK men. 85 media brands Products both online and in magazines reach over 20 millions readers a month. That's almost 26 million UK adults. NME.com, the third largest commercial music website in the UK

19. Worldwide circulation of Bauer Media Group's magazine titles amount to 38 million magazines a week. 2 Music Magazines (Q [magazine which I have analysed] and Kerrang![magazine that doesn’t overly appeal to my audience]) The Bauer Publishing Group comprises 282 magazines worldwide in 15 countries, as well as TV and radio stations. Produces several popular music channels including…: QTV, 4Music, Kiss TV, Kerrang! TV, The Box, Magic TV, Smash Hits TV. Bauer Media reaches over nineteen million UK adults across multiple media channels. Big City Network, our group of twenty local radio stations. “Our business is built on millions of personal relationships with engaged readers and listeners. We connect audiences with compelling content, whenever, wherever, and however they want.”… www.bauermedia.co.uk www.bauermedia.co.uk

21. »My magazines target audience is the 16-21 year old market of the indie/rock persuasion. Mainly though my audience are mostly interested in new and upcoming talent to the music scene and want to be the first to hear new sounds being developed. »My magazine is targeted at both male and female readers. However, in this particular issue males have failed to be represented in the images but are mentioned within the text. I hope that the use of all female images further the idea of the promotion of new sounds in this magazine as the indie/rock genre is dominated by male influence! My magazine is aimed at quite a niche market of indie/rockers as it is mainly new and upcoming artists being promoted here, as implied by the magazine title “Unsigned Music Scene” I hope that my magazine will also attract an audience of hopefuls who are trying to break in to the business with their own act and I have addressed this side of my audience by promoting a “How to… Name Your Band” feature on the magazine cover and by giving away free guitar chords for the budding guitarist.

23. »According to my target audience questionnaire it is the indie/rock genre of music in which my ideal readers, ages 16-21, are most interested in. »I have incorporated this knowledge to my magazine by making it appealing to those of the indie/rock persuasion by mentioning artists such as Paramore and Kings of Leon in my magazine which are bands which my target audience would normally read to. My young audience enjoy incentives and freebies which entice them to buy the magazine. My questionnaire results showed that free giveaways where one of the key factors which attract my audience to a magazine so for this reason I have included a promotion for a free poster giveaway on my magazines front cover.

24. I have addressed my audience through an informal/conversational register. In my DPS I laid it out in a question and answer format showing the exact conversation that the interviewer had with the band and this is shown through the use of colloquial terms used in the speech of the band members. This format makes the reader feel that they are right in the lives of the band and that they know them on a personal level. This personal and informal approach to the writing is most suitable to match the laid-back and casual persona of my indie readers. A competition is included on the front cover of my magazine as a lure to have my readers want to pick up the magazine in a chance to win tickets to Oxegen Music Festival, a prize which would be highly appealing to my music loving audience. I have used a question in the main cover line of my front cover, “Britain’s Next Big MySpace Band?” This is used to grab the readers attention and want to know more about the article and the featured band. The strap line of my contents page is designed to have a resemblance of the London Underground logo. This is a familiar logo to buskers around London playing in the tube stations and this is an attempt the attract them to my magazine and perhaps one day hope to be featured in it themselves.

26. To complete my coursework I had to use a range of technologies… –Pbworks blog site –Photoshop –Microsoft Publisher –Microsoft Word –Microsoft Excel –Microsoft Power Point –Interactive White Board –iMovie –YouTube I also used a digital camera to allow me to capture my still images to use in my magazine.

27. Photoshop was one of the most difficult new technologies I had to get to grips with to complete this task as I had no precious experience in using this programme. To complete my work on photoshop I was required to use several tools which allowed me to produce my final product. These tools included: –Magnetic Lasso Tool –Crop Tool –Text Boxes –Moving Tool –Layers –Blur Tool –Smudge Tool –Adding Effects –Adjusting Colour Gradient –Brush Tool –Zoom Tool… These tool where highly effective in allowing me to create a professional looking Front Cover, Contents Page and DPS for my final product UMS. -To allow me to learn new skills on how to use Photoshop I watched a number of tutorials on YouTube and also communicated with class mates and other people I knew with an experience in using the programme when I was in need of assistance with this.

28. This was my first experience with blogging! I used this site to record the: Research and Planning; Construction; and Evaluation of my Main Task. Pbworks is an extremely frustrating site with limited functions as I was unable to change the layout of my blog and make it look more appealing to the views as you are able to on a site such as blogger. We were unable to use blogger through due to restrictions on the C2K network on our school computers. A number of times Pbworks was extremely frustrating…not letting me change fonts, taking forever to upload work and on a number of occasions wouldn’t recognize my password and therefore wouldn’t let me access my site for editing.

31. When completing my Preliminary Task I had a very limited knowledge on how to use Adobe Photoshop. This is evident in the poor quality of editing of the images, especially that of my front cover main image. I feel that now as I have developed my skills in the use of Photoshop I can now produce a more professional looking and aesthetically pleasing product using this software. Therefore, I feel that personally I have made a huge progression from my preliminary task to my main task final product! If I was to now repeat this task I feel I would produce a much more pleasing and professional looking magazine by using my newly developed skills I acquired for the use of Photoshop which I obtained by watching a number of tutorials on YouTube and asking for help from other class mates who had experience with using this programme.

32. Another thing I learnt from the progression from my preliminary task to my main task is the importance of communication with my peers and other people who where able to help my learn and develop my technical skills! I found that email and Window’s Live Messenger are powerful tools as I was constantly emailing friends and family in both England and R.O.I who where able to provide me with hints and tips on how to use Photoshop and also I was able to ask their opinion on how they felt my product was coming along. I was able to keep in easy contact with my classmates through the discussion forum on our teacher’s PBworks site or leave comments to each others own blogs. Again, this was a valuable tool in asking for advice from my class mates and seeking their opinion in the progression of my product.

33. I have gained a better overall knowledge of print media from my preliminary task through my more detailed analysis of magazines and research in to different media distributers. I feel this has had a huge part to play in my progression from the preliminary task to my final task as by having a better insight and knowledge of the industry I was able to better apply my knowledge to gain a more sophisticated and professional product.