Media Evaluation

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Media Coursework - Second Contents Page

I decided to completely change my contents page as I felt it had the potential to be so much better. I didn't feel it had the look of a conventional contents page of a music magazine.

Firstly, I realised I was lacking an editor's note. Therefore I put one in and wrote of all the things I said my magazine would include. I feel the mode of address is appropriate towards my target audience.

Secondly, something else that is noticeable is the sideways heart recurring logo. I thought it was important to add that extra as it makes my product look official.

Like my last attempt at a contents page, I have continued with using colour blocks to divide the layout as I feel it gives it a more interesting and is a common look within magazines like mine.

I chose to add in a copy of my front cover and dissect in on the contents page to show what is featured in the magazine. I used pictures of the most significant stories and also slightly rotated them so it gave the page a scrapbook feel.

I also didn't forget the obvious codes and conventions such as page number, website and date, and remained with the continuous house style colours.

DPS - Second Draft

This is the second and final draft of my double page spread. I have simply just added little aspects like typical conventions of an actual magazine. For example, page numbers and the website in the corners of the pages so they are discrete and don't draw your attention away from the main story. I have also added a quote on the picture page to make it appear more like a conventional interview. When including the website and quote on the picture page I added bright pink colour blocks so the colour blends in with the unvarying colour scheme of my product.

Double Page Spread Coursework

This is the first draft of my double page spread. I have used simple fonts and still kept the consistent colour scheme of pink, black, white and purple. I have kept the language easy and simple to reflect the young age of my target readership. On my second page of my double page spread I have included black and white pictures (edited in Photoshop). I have put them in a collage type format to make it look like a photobooth, which are always viewed as fun. I thought that this would be a good way to present the lively and carefree side of my product.

Front Cover Coursework - Second Draft

This is my second draft of my magazine front cover. I have made the logo bigger for a better impact but kept the same neon pink so it's eye catching and the colour connects with the target audience. The top story is also a big font so it's obvious that it's the central story of the magazine. I've moved the barcode to a more discrete position in the corner and removed the yellow circle displaying the price to a clean colour of white and so it adds to the tidier look of the magazine.

At the bottom of the cover, I've changed it to colour blocks but kept the word "OMG" as it's a word my target audience uses and therefore would associate themselves the magazine.

Contents Page

This is my Contents Page. I have used colour blocks for the layout to help differentiate the total contents of my magazine and the top story. I have used the consistent colour scheme from the front cover of pink, purple black and white. I have also made sure to bold, underline or enlarge parts of the text that are particularly significant such as page numbers and main stories.

The pictures that I have included are from the main stories to show their importance. I edited the pictures in Photoshop.

Front Cover Coursework - First Draft

This is the first draft of my Front Cover. The central dominant image is my original photography and a picture of two girls reflecting the audience of the magazine. It would show the audience because of the fact that these girls are possible inspirational figures of the readers of my magazine, and typical people that they would look up to. I also made my central dominant image tie in with my colour scheme of different bright and eye-catching pinks by adding in the lipstick on the models of the same shade. I think this gives my magazine a complete look and the overall house style would appeal to my target readership.

My logo is big and has a heart at the end, which I think would appeal to my target audience because a heart is an obvious girlie shape that they seem to be attracted to.

I further used informal language to appeal to my target audience, for instance, on this front cover i have used the term 'OMG!' to describe the popular artists included inside. This would be successful because it is a typical word that my target audience would use and therefore they could associate themselves with the magazine.

Pre-Lim Magazine Contents Page

I wanted to make my contents page subtle as my front cover for this magazine was very colourful and eye-catching.

I kept the fonts consistent and used short and snappy text to keep the readers attention, I also kept the colours blue and pink to reflect the young boy and girl target readership.

My dominant and only image is of my target audience, this could possibly be used as sales tool so the readers can easily relate to the magazine.

Loaded - Contents Page Analysis

This contents page is spread out over two pages. There are quite a few images displayed on this contents page and there is a colour scheme of yellow and black representing a male target readership. Most of the features of the magazine show what a typical male is interested in. For instance, "The footy player who blew £5m" and "Hollyoaks Wallcandy".
The title font gives the impression that it's been spray painted and also seems quite no nonsense, which seems fairly masculine.
In addition, the contents are divided into 3 sections "Rogue" "Features" and "The Right Stuff". "Features" clearly being the most important and most interesting parts of the magazine.
The language used can also be associated to men because it seems like language that they would use. For example, "Britain's ponciest prats" and "The man is a proper legend".

Glamour - Contents Page Analysis

This contents page is fairly unique because it is mainly a central dominant image of actor, Matt Czuchry, who is featured at one point in the magazine. There is a big font at the top of the page saying 'February', it is bright pink, reflecting the target readership. Also, against the white background, it appears clean and matches well with the picture.
The contents of the magazine are displayed quite small on the side of the page, not standing out at all which is odd because most contents pages make the contents the dominant feature of the page.
Furthermore, there is a bright yellow sticker on the page saying "The SEX, LOVE & GUYS Issue", which can be associated with the image of Matt Czuchry.
Most of the contents easily suggest that the magazine is a female readership. For example, "The accessories you need, the men you want!", "10 totally gorgeous new hairstyles" and "5 things that make your skin look old". That last example could possibly show that the magazine might additionally be directed at an older audience.

Double Page Spread Analysis - Bliss

The double page spread in Bliss that I am going to analyse is an interview with Disney's Selena Gomez. She is a valuable person to feature in this magazine because she is a pop star who could be considered an aspirational figure to younger girls. They ask her questions about Nick Jonas, a heart-throb to younger girls, so obviously this would draw in the target readership. Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato are also featured and mentioned, and the readers would like this because it is most likely that if they are fans of Selena Gomez, they would additionally be fans of other Disney singers and actresses. The colour scheme is pink, white, black and purple, which would still absorb the reader because of the pinks and purples which are usually associated with younger girls.
The interviewer also asks questions like "How did you get into acting?" this would be effective because it is common amongst girls at the age of the target readership to desire fame and want to be a star in movies and in Hollywood. The interviewer also mentions her Disney Channel TV show, Wizards of Waverly Place, this could be successful in enticing the readers because it is typical that the program is usually popular among the age group that read this magazine.

Double Page Spread Analysis - Top of the Pops

This double page spread that I am analysing is of brand new and current pop boyband, X Factor's One Direction.
It appears that the picture of them takes up almost the whole double page, this shows that the reader's are more interested in what they look like then what they really have to say.
The boys are very young looking, and this suggests the age of the girls who read this. The boys look safe and non-threatening, something that girls that age are attracted to.
The magazine ask the band ask them questions about girls, fame and bad habits. Something the girls who read this would be interested in reading about. In addition, there is also a big quote displayed from the band, saying, "We wanna dance like Bieber!", this would draw in the readers because it is likely that they would be fans of Justin Bieber as well.
The colour scheme of this spread is pink, white and black, giving it a clean look but still the colour pink remains which reflects the audience of the magazine.

Contents Page Analysis - Top Of The Pops

This magazine contents page contains big numbers and images. The front cover is also annotated very clearly, and this indicates that it is a very straight-forward magazine in what it offers.
The fonts used are curly, pretty and fun, which would attract the target readership.
The magazine has a specific section titled, "We love boys". This suggests the curiousity of the age group and how young they are.
The colours used are bright and eye-catching neon colours, pink and yellow, but they are against white to give the page a clean look.

Contents Page Analysis - Bliss

The contents page contains many bright colours and fonts. The bright colours are against a white background, so it doesn't look tacky or too much.
The contents are very simple to read and have pages titled as 'OMG!' and 'Beauty on a budget', reflecting the age of the target audience. They would clearly be at an age where they don't have a job, so they cannot afford expensive brands of fashion or beauty. They would also be at an age where they would use slang.
Furthermore, there is an editor's note titled 'Respect yourself'. This demonstrates the age of the readership, because the editor is teaching vital lessons that will be important to girls at that age.
There are pictures of clothes, perfumes and candles in a collage type style. This would interest the girls who read it because they might like the clothes or perfume and want to know how much it costs or where it is from.

New Masthead

I have decided to change the name of my masthead from 'StarStruck' to 'dream'. I have chosen to do this because I wanted the magazine to have a slightly more mature feel to it and I wanted it to appeal more to older girls.

I have chosen this font for my masthead because it is simple yet effective. It is bold and attractive, much like the Bliss masthead.

Bliss Masthead

This is the masthead for another publication that has heavily inspired my magazine, Bliss. Bliss is aimed at the same age group as my magazine, StarStruck.

The masthead is big and bold and takes up quite a big amount of the front cover. This suggests that the audience of this magazine like bright and bold colours and perhaps easily distracted.

Despite the fact the font is quite boring in typical block capitals, it manages to attract the reader using a colour that is out there and playful.

Top of the Pops Masthead

This is the masthead for Top of the Pops, one of the main publications that has influenced my magazine. The masthead has quite a retro and fun feel to it, suggested by the font. The font seems suited to a magazine read by a young readership. The colour red is bold and bright, which is used to keep the attention of the reader.

In addition, there is a spiral kind of shape, possibly representing music getting louder and louder.

Research Planning Tasks

Aim of the Magazine:
Who is the reader?
The reader is young girlie-girls aged 11-15.
What type of magazine?
The type of music presented in my magazine is current pop music.
What is the frequency of your magazine?
My magazine is bi-weekly.
Why is that a good idea?
It is a good idea because it would make sure that there would be a substantial amount of new information in each issue.

Research the Market
Bliss
Frequency: Monthly
Price: £2.50
Owned by: Panini UK

Top of the Pops
Frequency: Monthly
Price: £2.20
Owned by: BBC