2. 1. Identify the features/characteristics they all have:
 Masthead -
 Main Image -
 Main Cover line & Cover lines -
 Rule of thirds
 Selling Lines -
 Date line -
 Consistent House Style e.g. Colour, layout.
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3. 2. Why are these features present on all magazines? Why are they important?:
 They are present on all magazines because that is how many people can identify that it is a
magazine because they have consistent characteristics and features.
 Masthead - It is important because it is a brand identity so is easily recognisable to a
particular magazines niche audience.
 Main Image - It is important because it is the main focus on a magazine and so if it is a
famous icon, perhaps related to that music genre, it will attract the target audience or maybe
those who do not usually buy the magazine; therefore, increasing potential buyers.
 Main Cover line/Cover lines - The main cover line identifies the main image usually in
bright, bold letters and so is important as it is eye-catching. The Cover lines release insights into
the magazine such as “Win! Arctic Monkey Tickets” which is important as it draws people in and
then they feel they would like to buy the magazine to read the magazine further.
 Date line - This is important as it informs readers of whether they are reading/purchasing and
up to date issue or not. The barcode and price is also essential for purchasers and sellers of a
magazine.
 Rule of thirds - This is important as it is consistent and traditional to most magazines
because it makes the magazine easier to follow as using rule of thirds ensures that there is not
too much crammed into a small space to make the magazine off putting. It is also important as it
keeps the magazine tidy and neat as something with less writing is more appealing to people.
 Selling line - Again this is important, in a similar way to cover lines, as they give insights that
draw people in but more in the way of using slogan type phrases to catch peoples attention such
as”10 B.I.G. Secrets the film won’t tell” which will intrigue people, especially those interested in
this topic, to buy the magazine so they can find out more.
 Consistent House Style - This is important as it makes a magazine individual because by a
particular magazine using one house style it can make it identifiable from others to the target
audience so they will know which issue they read last time so they can buy each issue.

4. 3. List 5 differences between the magazines and account for these
differences:
2. On Vibe and Billboard the 3. Q magazine has a lack of colour
1. NME stands out as it is masthead is behind the image and style which connotes that
more colourful and the whereas on the other it is more serious (it only uses
style less serious due to magazines the image is black, red and white block
the people’s in the main behind the masthead. This lettering) this could also be to
could be because the person relate to the genre of the
images facial expressions magazine as it may be
. This could be because could be more well known
and relate to the magazine targeted at older audiences
this style relates to the well so people automatically who are more serious and it
people in the main image know which magazine it is. It could be related to the type
and their personalities. could also depend on what of people the magazine
approach the magazine is interviews such as the person
going for e.g. More serious so on the front cover as their
the masthead could be in facial expression looks quite
front of the image. serious.
5. NME magazine has two people
on the front cover whereas
4. Vibe is not as informative as
the other magazines have the others and so is
only one person featuring on mainly image lead which
the front cover. This could just could be because this
be because they are a double suits their target
act and the others are not. audience best. For
However, it could also be to
draw more audiences in; for
example, their target
example audiences who are a audience may be younger
fan of both people or people as less young people like
who are a fan of just one of to spend time reading or
them and then drawing in are informed better by
other people who are a fan of images.
just the other person.

5. 4. Take one of the magazine covers and say what type of music magazine it is.
Provide at least 4 specific examples from the magazine that supports your
claim that it belongs to this particular genre: - I believe the genre of this
magazine is mainly Rock/Punk but I think depending on some artists featured in the
magazine it can be varied in genre. These are some reasons that indicate this
magazine is a Rock/Punk genre.
NME Rock Riot is advertised
As the Arctic Monkeys are and so the word “Rock”
advertised and they are a automatically indicates
Rock/Punk band it that this is a Rock genre
connotes that this is again a magazine and the word
Rock/Punk genre magazine. “Riot” relates to the
Again supporting this is
stereotypical behaviour
that a rock band would not
of people interested in
necessarily be featured on a
R&B magazine for example. Rock and again implies
this is a Rock genre
Under these two sub headings magazine. Also these
there are words would not be
enticers/summaries of what displayed on NME front
is inside the magazine and cover if it was a pop
they include the words magazine as a pop target
“arena rock” and “changed
audience would not want
punk”. As the actual words
are used this shows that this to buy this magazine with
magazine can not be this feature on the page.
mistaken for any other
genre than rock as these
An image of a guitar is feature on the front cover
words would not be
featured in a pop magazine and as a guitar is mainly related to and used
for example. within Rock/Punk music it again implies that
this magazine is of a Rock/Punk genre.

6. 5. For the same magazine, say who you think the target audience is. Give
reasons for your answers:
 I think the target audience of NME have a musical interest of Rock/Punk.
This could be because they aspire to be like Rock music artists perhaps in
the way that they dress and so they may dress by the influence of Rock
music artists.
 I believe the target audience could be both male or female because NME
features mainly Rock music related pages but there are not certain colours
or language used to suggest one gender may be more interested than the
other just people in general and so Rock music is, now more so (as Rock
probably would have many years ago been more associated with males),
suitable for both genders.
 I believe the age group most suited to the magazine would be younger
audience because of the language used. For example, the word “sickest”
has been used in one issue and so older people may not understand this
term.
 If the audience is younger and as the price is an average price for a
magazine but not really cheap (it costs £2.40) this may mean the social
class of the audience is of student/college/teenage or young adult.