1. Q 1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
Ans. Masthead: The title of my magazine is on the top left of the cover. The font size is
the largest because it has to be eye catching and attractive on the title I have also used
the logo which describes my masthead.
Main image: The main image is covering left side of the page and the theme is red and
black. It is a mid-close up shot. I have use this image because It represents the inside
story of the magazine.
Small image: Small image shows variety of conventions on the cover. The small image is
mid close up. It shows who is mentioned in the side stories.
Side stories: The side stories are covering right side of the magazine cover I have placed
the story on the corner so the magazine cover doesn’t look empty and also every
magazine should have side stories to describe what is inside the magazine.
Barcode: I have placed the barcode on the left bottom of the page. It helped me fill the
empty of my magazine and the main reason I have placed the barcode is that mostly
magazines have barcodes for the identity of the magazine.
2. Title: The title of the contents is on the top and is clearly visible. I wanted to give a black
and white theme to the page so I wrote the title in white in a black bar.
Image: I have placed only one image which is the main image which is related to a
featured article.
Contents: Contents are written in the same conventional way first line–page number,
1or2words which could be the artist’s name or ambiguous text to intrigue
thereaderinboldtypeandoftencapitals.
In the bottom I have mentioned the page number.
3. Masthead: The masthead is in the middle of the double spread page. I have used
different attractive colors which match the main image of the page. I followed the usual
convention by making it the largest text on the page.
Article: Iused one full page of the magazine for my article. I didn’t use the common
convention of columns I have used something different. It is interview of the subject so
it is better this way than the columns.
Image: I have included this image because it is attractive and the costume and style tells
that the subject is a rapper. I have used the medium shot because it’s a usual
conventions found on double spreads. In addition the blue and purple matched my
magazine house style.
Page numbers: I have also used page numbers in my double spread because they look
professional and consist with contents numbers.
4. Q 2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Ans. The social groups that are represented in my media product are in the 16-22 year
old range because the majority of male readers which is based against females, to solve
this I used a variety of images which resemble the 16 – 22 year old age group but in a
way which appeals to both genders. The 16-22 year old category are usually “heavy
spenders” e.g. buy the latest gadgets such as iPods, concert tickets and designer clothes.
They use social networking sites such as twitter, Facebook and my space, they are more
interactive and use their spare time in surfing the web, are normally involved in pop
music. I believe it effectively reflects my target audience, which are 16 to 24 year old
males and females. Background – my background is of a shutter of a shop of a typical
Lahore street. I believe that the background helps to represent the social group of 16 –
22 year olds, as it is where the youngsters usually spend their time or “hang – out and
chill”. So I believe that this will appeal to them as is resembles their lifestyles, their
habits also who and where the usually spend their spare time.
5. Q 3.Who would be the audience for your media product?
Ans. I believe that audience for my music magazine will be the social group of 16 – 24
year old these are the older teenagers who are turning into young mature adults who
are trying to build their confidence and become independent individuals. I believe that
my magazine helps to aspire young artist to follow their dreams and helps others to get
motivated by reading other young artist’s success stories and leading them on to
become hard working , and a completely individual and different persona . My target
audiences of 16- 24 age group as these are usually people who spend their money on
items, like music magazines. To learn more about the reader of the magazine I produced
a questionnaire and readership questions which helped me create the magazine for the
developing world of 16 – 24 year olds. The questionnaire was given completed by both
male and female consumers and music magazine consumers. This gave me an insight
into what was needed in my magazine to attract that specific audience.In the
questionnaire I asked open questions like “Which artists/bands do you prefer?” , in
response to this question many people chose “JLS” and “Justin Bieber” , who are new
comer artist and are around the similar age group, people also said that they related to
them as they were experiencing the same teenage difficulties as any other teenager and
so it was a good bonding between the artist and the reader, who may never even meet
in real life , it was just the connection which inspires young teenager to become a
celebrity one day.
6. Q 4. How did I attract my audience?
Ans.I believe I have attracted my audience though many ways, firstly by using pictures,
These pictures which I had used had a certain impact of what genre my music magazine
is about and who is it about just by looking at the main image, I believe it reflected the
true personality and lifestyle of the reader and what being a 16 – 24 year old is
about.The use of pugs for free items, also attract my audience of 16-24 year olds
because it offer an opportunity to gain something for free. In order to attract my target
demographic, I felt that the design is the one of the most important part in attracting
the audience. “Amplify” magazines design was not the usual, column layout and boring
writing with limited images - , I tried to enhanced my readers and create a different
simplistic view of what an actual real music magazine should look like, in order to do
this, I researched many similar magazines such as Vibe and Chaser, so instead of the
normal columns layout I used one full page of the magazine to write the interview of the
subject. I did this to attract the audience to the magazine making them feel part of this
universe of celebrities, making them aspire to be like the celebrities characterized in my
magazine .I used the relevance of the magazine to catch the attention of the targeted
audience, I used the language and lifestyle to address the audience. Using them to
attract the audience into buying the magazine.