Audience Demographics

For audience demographics this is the beginning for most magazines as this is one of the most important factors to start with. This is the audience. Its important for the audience to find out about them. You are entitled to find out information like: how old they are, what music they like, what they want in the magazine, where they live, what gender they are, this information is important and relevant for me, it plays a big part in creating a magazine; you need to find out what people want in order to gain a better understanding and allow yourself more chance to capture their attention. The failure or success of the magazine would depend on how well i do in finding out this very appropriate information from the audience. To find out this information i will be producing questionnaires/polls and posting it onto my blog for the audience to fill out. I will be posting links of my blog for people to answer my questionnaires on social networking sites such as facebook or twitter.

Uses and Gratifications Theory

Uses and Gratifications Theory is a way to show an approach to communication. This theory places more focus on the consumer or audience. It assumes members of the audience are not reactive but take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. The theory also holds audiences responsible for choosing media to meet its needs. The approach suggests that people use the media to fulfill specific gratifications. This theory would then imply that the media compete against other information sources for the viewer’s gratification. This theory would definitely help me design and produce my magazine; this is because the theory is for the audience to choose what they want in the magazine, for example; what font they prefer, what title they want, the colour scheme used throughout the whole magazine etc. Important things like the layout would be much easily decided with the help the audience deciding what they prefer. I have produced a questionnaire to see what the audience want from a magazine, therefore giving me a rough idea of what they will like. I will be using ideas from the audience, however if i feel something will not work i won't use it for my magazine.

Maslow's Hierarchy of needs is basically presented in a pyramid with the largest and lowest levels of needs at the bottom, and the need for self-actualization at the top, also the needs for people. Maslow's Hierarchy is trying to explain to us that we started off with needs such as breathing and water, moving onto needs such as safety and security then friendship, family etc. finally getting to needs such as self esteem and confidence; these are important to people because is helps us to figure out who we are and to feel like we belong. What this pyramid is made to do is to show us that those two top boxes of what people need (esteem and self-actualization) are given to us by magazines; magazines give us confidence and morality etc. obviously magazines are a big part of life. Not only do they help people gain confidence but they also put across information of how to deal with problems that people may be receiving.

This contents page comes from 'Q' Magazine. Contents pages are supposed to be clear and tidy so the reader can understand what they are looking at. This particular contents page is very neat, the magazine uses its colour scheme for the contents page as well; red, white and black - this helps to keep the magazine looking tidy and put together.

The main picture is of a band called 'The Courteeners', as the page number a little information is presented in a white box on top of the picture, it shows us that this is the biggest story in the magazine.

Down the left hand side is a white strip containing all the stories the magazine has to offer. In a red box the word 'Features' is written showing us what extracts have been chosen for this magazine, a little further down is a lightly outlined box with the words 'Oasis Special' written inside, this whole box contains stories of the band Oasis, this is obviously showing us that they are popular at this moment in time as they have 5 pages about them.

Underneath that in a red box are what I would call activities; these are activities that are placed in the magazine every month, the box is just there to let people know what pages they are on incase they want to skip to the activities first before going on to read the stories.

In the bottom right hand corner is a section called 'Q Review, the worlds biggest and best music guide'; this section is basically all the pages to do with all the latest news on music and what's new, I think youngsters can really relate to this as music is an everyday essential to young people's lives.

There is a picture of the Australian singer, songwriter 'Nick Cave' and the number of the page where you can find his story; this is obviously there to show us that the extract on him is important.

The date and issue number is neatly tucked away in the top right hand corner out of the way of everything else making the page look immaculately tidy.

The contents page of a magazine is used to inform the reader of what content is printed inside, therefore, the contents page must be displayed well so it is pleasing to the eye and easy to understand in little amount of time.

In this magazine the contents page has a very structured layout enabling the reader to get a clear view of what the magazine contains. The page is divided into sections, the images used cover most of the page whilst the information is laid out around it.

The format used immediately catches the readers' eye drawing their attention to the pictures. The pictures make the contents page seem more excitable giving the reader and insight into what the rest of the magazine may well be like.

Yellow and black are the main colours used for the text and some of the pictures as well, this gives the magazine a colour scheme, these colours happen to be very common to Kerrang. Two images stand out in particular, a large dark image of slipknot which is fairly understandable, and a large dark yellow image. These colours contrast against the white background, meaning the images are more outstanding and catch the attention of the reader.

In the text, exclamation marks are used to represent attitude and heavy rock music, which connotes the style of the magazine. The language used in the text is a representation of the style of magazine. ‘Your chance to win hot signed shit!’ is a very informal and rude quote, which denotes to the genre of magazine very well. Also at the top right hand corner there is a quote written by a member of the public saying "I'd be really slutty if I were a girl for a day...", this shows that the magazine is unconcerned about other people's opinions making it quite popular as people look up to things like that.

Despite the images all belonging to the same sort of style of music, each image displayed is targeted at a different aspect of music. For fans of hardcore rock there are fairly scary, unwelcoming images and for fans of softer rock there are images of bands performing whilst smiling for the camera (much more welcoming). The mixture of different music styles attracts reader's as people have different interests and taste and the magazine contains a bit of everything. As this magazine appeals to pretty much anyone it gives the magazine a much broader market.

The purpose of a contents page is to give the reader information about what is inside the magazine and where to find it. It needs to be simple and easy to follow. The contents page is split into sections so the readers can find what they are looking for easily. The white background is successful in which it allows the reader to not be distracted and to keep there attention on the text and what they are trying to find.
The big picture of Astoria shows it’s importance and that it’s one of the main features in the magazine. It is anchored by the text printed underneath it.
NME also has a ‘Band Index’ on the contents page, this again is for the convenience of the reader and allows them to see what bands/musicians are featured in the magazine.

The subscription information in the black banner stands out against the white background to attract readers into possible subscribing (if it interests them), it's easily noticeable so that no one can miss it even if it doesn't appeal to them. The subscription box also shows off two other NME magazines giving the reader an insight into what the magazines are about and what kind of stories are printed in them. The content inside the red arrow is telling the readers that they will find 'the UK's no1 gig guide' inside the magazine, this will be very useful to many people.

The black arrows pointing to some stories show us that they are the biggest stories and most important.

The main headline is a quote from the text. This shows that it’s related giving people an idea of what the story is going to be about. Lily Allen’s name is also in this style which makes it stand out from the surrounding text as she is the main source of the story. The background is white and uncluttered so the readers attention is just on the text and the picture.

The picture of Lily Allen covers the whole of the right hand side of the page, leaving the left page for all of the text. The article is started off with a drop capital. The text is in four same sized columns separated by gutters which makes it look neat and tidy. The lead is positioned above the four columns of text and is in a larger text size as it is a subtitle. The shirt Lily Allen is dressed in is kind of a youthful young design showing that this magazine is aimed at teenagers and she can relate to them, her shirt also shows some form of masculinity giving us the impression that she is more masculine than feminine, more of a tomboy. She's stood with her hands on her hips, giving a bit of attitude again relating to teenagers, however her wrists are pointing up showing off her tattoo. This shows that she is quite reckless. She is looking directly at the reader connoting that she's strong and and demands attention, she looks quite intimidating which fits in perfectly with her personality as she is non-conformist.

At the bottom of each page is the page number, the name of the magazine and the date, this reminds people what magazine they are reading and obviously of the date. The name of the magazine is in the house style font and colour as it always is whilst the date is in a smaller font and is in italic setting it aside from the title and making it more easy to see. The picture credits are written in a small sized font, in bold at the side of the body copy so it is out of the way but still noticeable. Lily Allen's name is written in the top right hand corner of the page in a black box, this is helpful as it tells the reader who the article is about if they are not familiar with her face..

This is another double page spread that i will be analyzing.

The main colour scheme of this double page spread consists of blue, black and white with the exception of the red NME which is placed at the bottom of the main article. In this double page spread white has been used as the background colour as it is a good base for any other colour and text to be placed over. Most of the white background has been filled up by the main articles and the black text contrasts with the white background making it clearly visible and able to read. Along the main article white text has been highlighted blue as this is another colour which conflicts with the white background but also gives this magazine a messy feel which represents the band shown on the left hand side. The black column next to the main article is separated from the main article by a blue line which suggests to the reader that the topic in this column is different from the rest of the page. The white text and blue highlights are used to add to the messy, unorganized feel of this double page spread showing us that this particular band is scruffy. There is a different assortment of colours in the main picture especially in the posters behind the three guys that are relaxing on the bed; this makes the picture more outstanding.

The way the band members are posed really gives you the feel of a messy/youthful layout which clearly reaches out to the younger, teenage audience as they can relate to this. A blue box with black and white text has been placed down the bottom right hand side of this spread, this is blending in with the overall colour scheme and making it appealing to the reader.

Overall the colours used on this double page spread are of the same colour scheme giving it a neat finish although the picture is different tones.

This double page spread has been designed to give off a messy feel which has been executed very well as we notice this immediately. The title has been designed in a large font which overlaps the main picture, the title 'The Teenagers' goes very well with the layout as it is very lazy and scruffy which is stereotypical for teenagers, teenage readers will relate very well to this style. The picture is placed on the left hand side covering the whole page, this is very typical of a double page spread as they most often place a picture on the left which conveys the main topic of the magazine and lets the reader know exactly who they are. Although this double page spread has been designed in a unorganized way it obviously still has information about the band.

Everything in this double page spread article has been positioned to give an effective, easy to read article whilst still maintaining the youthful feel this double page spread portrays. A box saying 'need to know' has been positioned towards the bottom left of the page in a slightly horizontal angle again adding to the unorganized teen style.

The main article has been placed below the title, this makes the spread flow nicely which makes it easily readable for the consumer. A picture which relating to the main article has been place in between the text which helps the reader know, and see what the main article may be refering to. The blue line which has been placed to the right of the main article to separate the article from other stories indicates that the main article has ended. The stories on the right are positioned on a black background letting the reader know that it's a different subject, this will most probably be the very last thing the reader will lay their eyes on as it is singled off from the rest of the article.

The text used in this double page spread fairly formal. The main stories and quotes have been highlighted in blue to make it more appealing and less confusing. There is a quote written "Of course we're a sexual band. We're The Teenagers and that's all they think about", although this quote is rather off-putting it's something teenagers can relate to as is the rest of the double page spread, therefore I think this spread is successful.

The members of the band 'My Chemical Romance' shown in this double page spread are all male. They may be role models to some people. The lead singer is shown at a low angle, putting a positive impression on him and the other members of the band, however this angle can also be seen as intimidating, therefore they may have fans that feel intimidated by their genre and choice of style. All the images in this layout are black and white which is probably deliberate as their genre is rock. The main titles are in red and white making the black and right really stand out against the bright colour of red. I think the colour red may imply that they are passionate about their music, it may imply that they feel anger towards something, maybe a few of their songs can justify that.

There are big, bold images that dominate most of the spread and very little writing but that's what people like, they hate looking at magazines and seeing a whole two pages full of writing, it is off-putting so this is really good.

As you can see on the right hand side of the magazine there is a list of 'MCRs' new songs and reviews giving the reader an idea of what the song is like and whether or not they will like it.

The main heading is eye-catching as it is bold in bright colours (which happen to be the house colours of Kerrang), you can see that they want the readers attention. Also many people may not notice that the heading is actually a quote from the band themselves making the story much more realistic, it gives the audience a sense of welcoming into the bands' world, i think it makes the band relate to the audience as if they are friends, like their one of them and not just famous.

The language of this article is very informal.

Gerard Way - the frontman of the band quotes "To be able to let go of your game plan is really hard. There were many times where we had to really move on our feet very quickly and say, 'No, the albums taking a turn and we need to accept it, because if we fight it we'll end up with a record that doesn't make any sense". This quote right here shows that the band is extremely genuine. not only to themselves but to their fans.

If you read the song reviews on the side you will notice some foul language, however this is acceptable in this circumstance as it is a rock magazine and because of their genre they can get away with it making it look cool.

The more 'Professional' language used such as "the epic grandeur and theatrics..." shows of their professionalism and loyalty to music.

The title from the magazine reading 'My Chemical Romance invite Kerrang! To their recording studio...' make them seem superior and as though we are lucky to get an insight into their lifestyle.

If you look closely you will see that there is a quote inside the pictures relating to the image, these are quotes written by the magazine, we can see this because they are jokey quotes such as "Gerard: "Oh no! I've forgotten to lock the bloody front door..." this shows a more softer side to the band.

This is 'Q' Magazine. I really like this front cover because obviously the 'Q' is white in front of a red background, that's the style of it but the fact that everything else on the page is in dull, dark colours, it makes the magazine stand out. The main picture is of the band 'The Kings of Leon' and it has them smashing through glass which is sort of stereotypical because their genre is rock. I think the whole smashing glass idea is great, it makes the magazine look more interesting and will definitely catch the eye of someone walking past it on a shelf. The title 'Kings of Leon Breakthrough' is simple yet looks good, just plain and simple colours; black and light pink, nothing too outstanding but then again it doesn't need to be because the picture covers that and if the title was too in your face then the magazine would just look tacky and too complicated. There's also a little story in the bottom left corner, out of the way but noticeable and next to that on the right hand side is another title, smaller this time because it's not the main story. In the top right corner it reads 'The 50 best albums of 2008', this is printed in red and black against a white background, this is to match the name of the magazine.

There is a lot happening on this front cover. It's sort of messy but in a neat way. The picture is of the lead singer of Green Day holding a bright yellow guitar. This guitar has had an impact on other parts of the magazine such as the background of the 'Jack White's New Band' story. This magazine (like many others) has stuck to two colors; a pale green and bright yellow. Again the title NME is printed in bright red so it obviously stands out against the pale green that is behind it. Above the title there is a sentence saying 'Free euro festival guide inside + win tickets to every festival featured', this catches the readers/buyers attention and may encourage them to buy the magazine and it also is very noticeable as it is black and white. Green Day is printed in pale green, I don't know if that was done on purpose to go with the name of the band but that is a nice touch either way. The bottom of the magazine is quite outstanding, in the left corner there is, what seems like, a bright red arrow with the word 'PLUS' written inside and it then points over to the right and has a couple of stories on Eminem and Tank Girl. All in all i think this is a very successful front cover.

This issue of NME I think is very good. NME is printed in bright red letters on top of a dark background which makes it appear more noticeable. The picture is of the band The Verve and the bands name is printed in a turquoise blue which looks nice against the red. All the writing with a blue background is about The Verve and the writing in red are other stories. I think this picture is really good as it has the lead singer at the front and then sort of curls round in a line behind him of the other singers. The barcode is in the bottom left corner out of the way and other stories are printed down the right hand side in the corner so nothing else on the magazine is covering the actual picture. There are a couple of stories about other bands, their band names are printed in big white letters to make it clear to the readers.

The title BLUR is printed in big, bold white letters and placed in the middle of the page making it stand out. The main image is of the band itself. The background is of a field which is pretty unusual for NME, however this makes it unique. The field is obviously used to represent Glastonbury.

There are a few pugs dotted around the edges in bold colors, it catches the readers eyes.

The name of the magazine is printed in bright red and although it is placed behind the picture, it still stands out very much so.

This magazine has the words "Special Issue" in the top right hand corner in red showing readers that it is one of a kind.

Introduction

Hi I'm Mel, I am an A Level Media Studies student. I use this blog to research and plan all my AS Media coursework. For this project I have been asked to analyze and review the front cover of music magazines. I will then be creating a magazine myself; I will be designing a front cover, a contents page and a two page spread. My theme will be Indie/Rock.