My analysis of the content pages for Mixmag, Q and NME

1. Contents Page Analysis

2. The masthead at the top of the magazine says ‘contents’ so the audience immediately recognise what the page tells them. The writing is in capital white letters against a dark background, there's no mistaking what the page is about. The list of contents is displayed on the right hand side of the magazine, which are ‘News’, ‘Radar’, ‘Reviews’, ‘Live!’ and ‘Feature’. Its unusual from other magazine contents pages which only usually have ‘Regulars’ and ‘Features’. They then advertise a deal on the magazine where if you subscribe and pay less than the standard charge. On the left hand side is a letter from the editor with a kind of camouflaged lettering for the title ‘Touring Special’ in bold, like the list of contents and the masthead. The picture at the top reinforces the writing below it.

3. This is a double contents page from Q. The contents is mainly picture led, so it is more appropriate for the style to spread over two pages. At the top of the contents page is the masthead and issue number of the magazine. The main images used are towards the centre of the contents pages. The images used have page numbers on them, this makes it easier for the reader to find them in the magazine. The first part of the contents page shows the features of the magazine, the second part shows the regulars, the features are more important than the regulars to the reader.

4. Mixmag have used a double contents page. The contents is mainly picture led. The pictures used are portraying a kind of youth scene, with only younger people shown on the contents pages, generally having a good time. The white writing against the black background gives the magazine a kind of cool underground style. The images are on the outer sides of the magazine rather than to the centre of the page. This is good as it is the first thing the eye sees when a person is looking through the magazine, so makes the magazine more appealing to its audience. The images themselves reinforce the theme of clubbing that this magazine creates. The list of contents include ‘VIP’, ‘features’, ‘fashion’, ‘tunes’, ‘tech, ‘Don’t stay in!’ and ‘Regulars’. The VIP line on the contents makes the magazine sound even more cooler as they have special access to something other people can’t get.