OCR – Level 3 Cambridge Introductory Diploma in

Media

Unit 13: Planning and Pitching a Print based Media

Product P1 Evidence

Name: Emily ThompsonCandidate Number: 6107Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic SchoolCenter Number: 64135

Set Brief - Print

Project/Brief –

Music Magazine & Promotion

Contents Page: SLIDE NUMBER:

TITLE:

4 Contacting Q magazine: Relationship with the Magazine and Consumers

5 - 7 Bauer Media Group Publisher

8 Genre of the Magazine

9 - 10 Production Processes

11 Analysis of Contents Page

12 Q Magazines Form

13 Front Cover Analysis

14 Double Page Spread Analysis

15 Demographics of Q Readers – Socio-Economic Needs Target Audience

16 Readership and Circulation

17 Brand Extensions: Relationship Between the Magazine and Audience

18 Readership Online: Relationship Between the Magazine and Audience

19 Advertising to Consumers: TV Advert Example Relationship Between the Magazine and Audience

20 Advertising to Consumers: Print Example

21 Advertising to Consumers: Print Example

22 Advertising Pricing

23 National Express Partnership with Q Relationship with the Advertiser and the Publisher

24 – 25 Codes and Conventions: Denotations and Connotations of Q Front Cover

26 - 27 Denotations and Connotation of a Double Page Spread

28 Conclusion

Before I carried out my initial research of Q magazine I decided that I would try to directly contact someone who worked for the magazine, the purpose of this was to obtain any useful material that will aid with my developing investigation. However after sending the email I have not received any response. I decided that as I have not obtained information directly from Q magazine that I would search for a press pack online, this result was more successful.

Within the press pack that is sourced from the Q advertising website there is lots of useful information that I will be able to reference to support my further research.

Contacting Q magazine:Relationship with the Magazine and Consumers

Products: Today the Bauer Media Group currently offers over 500 magazines in 15 countries, as well as online, TV and radio stations. Popular magazine names include, Heat, Yours, Empire and many more specialist magazines. Additionally the Bauer Media Group have a selection of other music magazines other the Q, these include popular names Kerrang! and Mojo. Source: http://magazines.bauermediaadvertising.com/magazines

Bauer Media Group Publisher

About:The Bauer Media Group is one of the largest publishing companies in the UK. Originally it started on the 2nd January 1875 when lithographer Ludolph Bauer established a printing house for business cards, this was based in Hamburg, Germany. Source: https://www.bauermedia.com/en/historie/

Ideology:“Bauer Media Group is in a unique position to be able to deliver ground-breaking consumer insight to media professional, having more market leading brands across a wider breadth of market than any other media owner.”- Bauer Media Group, 2014This connotes to their consumers that they have a high expectation of standards for their publications in order to remain a successful company. They accentuate this with the acknowledgement that they have the highest number of market leading brands within their industry.Source: https://www.bauermedia.co.uk/research

The connotations of ‘We think popular’ demonstrates to their audience that they know what the most common and popular trends are that are being desired by the readers.

Date of first publication: Q Magazine was started in October 1986; originally it was going to be named ‘Cue’ with the sub-title of ‘The modern guide to music and more’. However the magazines title made it mistaken for being a Snooker magazine so was quickly changed to the simple ‘Q’. Q Magazine is released on a monthly basis and provides readers with the latest insight into the indie genre of music.Source: http://magazines.bauermediaadvertising.com/magazines/detail/Q

Associated Products: Q Magazine now has an established website that is constantly being updated with the latest information about new music; additionally Q Radio was launched in 2008 when Bauer Media Group took over. Shows and presenters included Drivetime with Danielle Perry and Q the 80’s with Matthew Rudd. Unfortunately the station was closed mid-2013 when Bauer Media made the choice of changing the radio station to launch Kisstory. Source: http://magazines.bauermediaadvertising.com/magazines/detail/Qhttp://www.qthemusic.com/

Publisher: Q Magazine was first published by EMAP media group. In 2008 EMAP sold their consumer magazine titles to the Bauer Media Group. The two launch editors of Q magazine are Mark Ellen and David Hepworth, they had the idea of creating a magazine that had high standards of photography and reached out to a large target audience. Source: http://www.qthemusic.com/ http://www.emap.com/http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/press/news/article/phil-alexander-now-editor-in-chief-of-q-magazine

Key People at Q Magazine:Source: http://magazines.bauermediaadvertising.com/news/detail/phil-alexander-now-editor-in-chief-of-q-magazine

Editor-in-ChiefPhil Alexander

Senior EditorMatt Mason

EditorAndrew Harrison

Associate Editor (Digital)

Paul Stokes

Associate Editor (Production)

Simon McEwan

Executive Content Director

Jane Johnson

Brand DirectorRob Walsh

Senior Music Content Team

Matt Phil

Music ManagerMartin Bojtos

Live Music and Media Planner

Joel Hopkins

PublisherDavid Bostock

Through research I have been able to find the key people that are employed at Q Magazine.

The two highest people at a magazine company are the Editor-in-Chief and the Publisher. They make all the important decisions for the magazine.

Through my research of music magazines I have developed an understanding on the diversity of the music genre. When looking at Q magazine I established the content of the indie genre, from this I plan to ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale – 1980) this genre category for the music magazine I will produce.

The ‘repetition’ of this genre is due to the fact that there are many positive features of the indie category, this includes the continual modernizing of music and artists. This can further connote to the reader that the magazine is the most up-to-date so therefore is the best to discover different music and artists every month.

Another connotation that can be gathered from the indie genre is behind the meaning of the word. The definition of ‘indie’ means individual. In relation to music, bands and artists that are indie are independent from other genres and create music that does not fall into a typical music category. This means that the genre has a variety of music styles and the popularity of the content released cannot be predicted. Because of the diverse range of independent musician styles, the indie genre can appeal to a large quantity of people and is not people specific.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Genre of the Magazine”

Steve Neale (1980) – “Genre’s are instances of repetition and difference”

Production Process:DATE OF PUBLICATION:The most important aspect of a magazine is when it is going to be published. Q Magazine is a monthly magazine, that it published around the end of each month, with the latest information of popular and new music.

MANAGING THE SCHEDULE:After the initial release date for the magazine is set a schedule is created. This is so that if anything is changed from the original content there will be an alternative and the magazine will be released on time.

EDITORIAL AND BUDGETARY DECISION:This next step is where the team comes together and decides the content that is going to be published in the magazine, this can include inviting special guests, photographs and even advertisements.

CONTENT ACQUISITION:Within this stage the person who is going to create the content is decided, this means that they have to choose between in-house writers or external writers to write about certain topics. Additionally illustrations are also being created whilst this is being decided.

Source: http://hosbeg.com/the-magazine-production-process/ http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w6gKMoKbO5A/UQu3McmsZBI/AAAAAAAAAmI/FR7-rGfvJ4A/s1600/contents+of+q+contents+page.tiff

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Production Process Continued:

PAGE LAYOUT:There are a team specifically just for sorting out the layout of the magazine to see if all the content flows well and there is adequate space for advertisements. Once this is checked the advertisements are inserted next to the content.

PROOFREADING:The first hard copy of the magazine will be printed out in this stage, the editorial department will look over the final piece and check again for any mistakes, if any are found they will change it then print out an updated new copy.

SUB-EDITING:This stage focussed on the quality control of the magazine, details such as article facts, spelling and grammar mistakes and page layout all have to be checked. This is important so the magazine keeps up a good reputation and is high quality.

PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION:Once all the content is proofread by the team the whole magazine is sent to print. When all of the magazines have been printed they will be boxed up and sent to a warehouse. Then there they will be sorted and sent to smaller distributers to be sold to the public.

Source: http://hosbeg.com/the-magazine-production-process/, http://www.newsstand.co.uk/i2388558/Zoom/Q-MAGAZINE_DEC-13.jpg

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – Analysis Of Contents Page

Layout and Style:Q magazines contents page has a distinctive layout that is easily recognised with its informal style and wide diversity of images and colours. In the top left hand corner of the page is the date of the issue and the magazine logo and title of the page. Here they have used simple bold colours such as red, black and white, these colours connote to the reader the high quality of the magazine and the bold style of the indie genre. Over the rest of the double page are a variety of images that have been used to generate ‘star appeal’ – (Richard Dyer). This means that they have included the images of the artists so when a reader is looking at the contents page they notice the artist and are intrigued to read what content is within the magazine. Q magazine have used the images that feature in their article, this is so there are no copyright limitations and additionally they are of a high standard. Another feature on this double page spread is the brightly coloured page numbers, next to each image there is a bubble shaped icon that highlights the page number where the article can be found. By using these bright colours for the page numbers it can connote to the reader that it is something of high importance that can spark interest.

Information on the contents page:A useful feature on the Q Magazine contents page is that underneath the image that is provided, a brief description of what is included within the article is advertised. This is convenient for the reader as they can have a quick glimpse of what is included, such as interviews, reviews and articles and if it would spark their interest. Additionally the contents page is structured to show the order of articles as they appear in the magazine, for example, the articles that feature near the front of the magazine are at the top of the page. This is an important layout as it helps the reader find material that they want to read quicker and easier. Q Magazine have also made it vital to highlight their main cover story that would have generated the largest amount of ‘star appeal’ – (Richard Dyer). They have placed this article/interview near the centre of the magazine, this is due to the fact they want readers to look at other content within the magazine instead of just skipping to the main cover story. By doing this the reader is most likely to find another article that interests them and enjoy the magazine more, this could then generate a larger readership as they might buy future editions of the magazine if they enjoy the content that is included in the magazine.

Q Magazines Form

30.6 x 22.2 x 1.2 cm

Print and Digital:Q magazine publish their magazine both through print and online media. This means that their content is easier to access because of the variety of ways it can be consumed. On their website they strongly advertise their subscription service that offers readers a years worth of subscription for a fraction of the retail price, both print and media versions are available in this deal. By offering a discounted subscription service to readers this guarantees a set number of magazines to be released each month. This means that if the magazine does not sell well for one month Q magazine will still be making some money from their subscription readers who have already paid in advance.

Dimensions/Size of Q Magazine:Through researching on the Q Magazine official website (www.qthemusic.com), I have found that the dimensions of the print version of the magazine is approximately 30.6 x 22.2 x 1.2 cm. This is around the average size for a music magazine. For the digital versions of the magazine this depends on the device that is being used to view the content.

Style of Q Magazine:Q magazine has a consistent style through the different fonts, page layouts and images that they use. By keeping this consistency of the house style it generates association to the magazine. When repeating features such as font and colours schemes, eventually the reader will internalise these and feel that these are only specific features of the magazine and cannot be found anywhere else. Q magazine typically uses the colours red, blue, white and black to demonstrate this consistency.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Front Cover Analysis”

Through my analysis of Q magazine there are specific features that I will ‘ repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) and adapt into my own creation of a indie genre music magazine.

One of the most important features that I believe should be included is a clear cut masthead and strapline. This connotes to the reader that the magazine is of high importance and is of a professional quality.

Additionally another code and convention that I will ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) is the technical code of the main image. This is focussed on a close up of the artists face, this creates suspense and interests the reader into finding out why this style of photograph has been chosen. With my photograph I will use Photoshop, this is so I can deliver a professional quality image that is suitable for being the main feature of the page.

The variety of text size and font draws attention to specific articles that are being advertised. This creates a diversity of content whilst also grabbing the readers eye with ‘star appeal’ by including band and artist names.

Other visual codes that I plan to include on the front cover are symbols such as the ‘+’, this notifies the reader of extra content that is available. Secondly, borders or ‘bubbles’ around text that is typically seen on ‘puff promotions’ will be used. The different shape on the page draws the eye well whilst also keeping it away from other text so it does not get lost within the majority of artist names.

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Double Page Spread Analysis”

One of the main features of the double page spread that I plan to include is an image that ranges over more than half of the page. A technical code of this will be the shot type, which will be focussed with a long shot of the artist. In the example shown there is high contrast in the image, this has brought out important background elements such as ‘Big Ben’, this can connote the British features of the magazine. I plan to ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale – 1980) this within the technical conventions of my magazine this is so it gives the most dramatic effect possible.

Within the main article of this double page spread a drop capital has been used, this is an effective method of attracting the readers attention to the start of the text. To accentuate its presence they have coloured the drop capital in the typical Q magazine red, this is contrasting with the main body of text which is black.

Underneath the main image a quote in bold red and white text from the interview has been included. The purpose of this is to focus on the most central and amusing aspects. The quote has been positioned at the bottom of the page so it can be easily seen against the image.

From my additional research of music magazines, I have noticed that this particular magazine does not contain other associated images on its double page spread. This may be due to the fact that the main photograph is highly detailed and by including other images surrounding this can become too overcrowded and overpowering for the reader.

The stand first for this article is below the main quote. I feel that within this example pairing the quote and stand first together does not work as well because there are no effective eye-catching aspects other than the drop capital.On my double page spread for the magazine I would choose to position the stand first above the main body of text, this is so the reader is attracted to the larger text first off and will then continue to read on into the article.

Demographics of Q Readers – Socio-Economic NeedsTarget Audience

Source: http://magazines.bauermediaadvertising.com/magazines/detail/Q

Source: http://ncrafts.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/socio-economic-needs.png

With reference to Hartley’s 7 Subjectivities this chart illustrates that the percentage demographic of readers are male aged 15-24 years old, the calculated median age is 32 years old.

- Age- Gender- Class- Ethnicity- Self-image- Nation- Family

The target audience and readership of Q Magazine according to the socio-economic need chart has a high 70% of readers that are in the boundary A, B and C1. This means that they have a high disposable income and are more likely to lead opinions within a group, known as an Explorer, in accordance with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Statistically Q Magazine has the second highest ABC1 out of the whole men’s magazine market from 2012-2013. Source:http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/uploads/QMediaPack-Feb2013.pdf

The high proportion of male readers is due to the fact that articles within the magazine largely feature male dominated bands and singers.

Circulation: 48,353 (Jan- Jun ‘14)Readership: 339,000 (Jan- Dec ‘13)

Statistics from February 2013

Unique Users 329,888

Page Impressions 569,659

Newsletter Subscribers 15,886

Readership and Circulation

Through my research I have found the statistics for Q Magazine’s circulation and readership. The magazine is released on a monthly basis. In comparison to the most recent statistics and statistics from June 2014 there is evidence that the circulation rate has declined by nearly half in three years.

Year (Jan-Jun) Circulation Statistics

2011 80,418

2012 64,596

2013 58,980

2014 48,353

2011 2012 2013 20140

20,00040,00060,00080,000

100,000Circulation Statistics

Although there is evidence of a sharp decrease in circulation numbers, Q magazine has noticed a growth in users accessing content online through their website ‘qthemusic.com’ with around 329,888 unique users. Additionally Q has access to brand extensions such as the Q app for iPad users.

Source: http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/customer-publishing

Source: http://magazines.bauermediaadvertising.com/magazines/detail/Q

Source: http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/uploads/QMediaPack-Feb2013.pdf

Brand Extensions:Relationship Between the Magazine and Audience

Q For iPad:Mid 2012 Q released an iPad edition of their magazine, this engaged all tablet readers with full magazine content, behind-the-scenes footage as well as video and audio clips. The Q iPad edition was built on publishing company Bauer Media’s exclusive tablet technology, which enables advertisers to contribute as well. The first issue to be released on the Q iPad application was the October 2012 issue that featured Muse, the subscription service that has become available on the tablet has a starting price of £2.99 for basic content.

The Q Awards:Started in 1990 the Q awards is an annual UK music event that showcases the biggest icons in music. Guest musicians include, The Rolling Stones, Sir Paul McCartney, Oasis, Radiohead, Adele, Pink Floyd and many more.

Richer Unsigned:Richer unsigned was set up in 2014 in association with Q Magazine, it is a non-profit organisation that promotes unknown artists through their website. Every month a competition is help where bands and artists can upload an original track, then people vote on their favourite track, at the end of the month the winner is announced and they win experiences playing in front of hundreds of people and time in a professional studio.

Readership OnlineRelationship Between the Magazine and Audience

There is evidence of cross media convergence through several social media outlets. These all enable the opportunity for readers to become a ‘prosumer’ by voicing their opinions and queries directly to the Q Magazine team. Additionally Q Magazine uses social media to attract readers to different elements of the Q brand. Through research I have found that Q Magazine has an active YouTube, Twitter and Facebook page.

Social Media Statistics from September 2014

YouTube SubscribersSource: http://www.youtube.com/user/Q4music

3,472

Facebook FansSource: https://www.facebook.com/QMagazine

80,067

Twitter FollowersSource: https://twitter.com/QMagazine

101,00

On the Q Magazine’s YouTube page is ‘Featured Channels’, this illustrates that Bauer Media, (the magazine’s publishing company) is using social media to promote other products they distribute this is an example of synergy.

Source: http://magazines.bauermediaadvertising.com/magazines/detail/Q

Advertising to Consumers: TV Advert ExampleRelationship Between the Magazine and Audience

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78UVEVzPeX4

Through my research I have found on YouTube a Q Magazine television advert, this is an example of an E-media platform. Firstly the bold red Q logo flashes on screen against a white background, this grabs the viewers attention with a woman's non-diegetic voice over of “put the all new Q magazine on shuffle”. Immediately after, the content of the magazine is revealed with appropriate sound effects and lettering, this creates a positive visual and audio aesthetic. The advertisement displays a diverse cultural range of content from the magazine, including music, politics and films, this ensures the captivation of a wide target audience. After the content of the magazine is visually displayed one after the other, this then switches to a shot of the front cover of the magazine with a voice over saying “Q a different take on music”. This connotes that they are intentionally trying to add diversity and increase readership.

There are 170 views (as of September 2014) on the YouTube video, this is surprising a small amount compared to the popularity of the magazine. However, the channel that posted the video is not an official Q magazine account.

The timing of the video is 30 seconds long, this is the standard timing of a television advert.

The suggested videos on the right hand side of the page attract a larger audience because of content from AC/DC

Advertising to Consumers: Print Example

March 2009 Issue No. 272 I have taken this photograph of a half a page spread featuring a Rizla advertisement, this is one example of print media advertising.The verbal codes of this advert are simple yet effective, in the centre of the image is a Rizla package with ‘SUITED +’. The bold yellow lettering draws the eye towards the advert because of the contrasting colours between the writing and the navy blue background. Other verbal codes include smaller bold white writing in the top and bottom right corners, these display the website of the brand and also the brand name again in yellow and a slogan of, “Its what you make of it”. This slogan is directed at the reader and is personal to their own opinion of what it actually means.Continually one of the main highlighting visual codes within this advertisement are the bright red wellington boots. This is evidence of symbolism as wellington boots are typically associated with music festivals, the readership of the magazine are the target audience for music festivals are likely to relate to this and are drawn to the product.

One technical code within this advertisement is the shot type, this image was taken at eye level so the reader can directly see the product. However the two subject images were taken separately and then resized later in the editing process. Additionally in the editing stage the Rizla package has been made to look like it is leaning between the pair of boots.

Advertising to Consumers: Print Example

October 2014 Issue No. 339

By including all three of the these album advertisement on one page shows that they are up to date with a variety of music throughout several different genres.

I have taken a picture of this set of advertisements in Q magazine, it was featured near the beginning of the magazine. The three advertisements all are album release based, and feature different artists.First Advertisement: Tweedy Album ReleaseThe visual codes within this advertisement show an image of the artists, the most eye-catching feature is the textured background because of the slight variation in colour. The technical code of this image in relation to the shot type is a close up. This gives them a dramatic feel as one of them looks into the lens and another looks away. On the right hand side of the advertisement is an image of the album cover, this reminds the reader what the cover looks like and serves as a ‘visual imperative’ (Galtung & Ruge). Second Advertisement: Spoon Album ReleaseThe main thing that stands out in this advertisement is the verbal code, the album title ‘Spoon’ is in a large italic font in the centre of the page. Underneath there is in a smaller font ‘They want my soul’ this grabs the readers attention as it is not a common saying. Similar to the previous advert there is also the image of the album cover that has comparable colours to the main background.Third Advertisement: Simian Mobile Disco – WhorlFor this last advertisement the visual code is very dark, the main colours are black, grey and orange. The contrast between the dark black and the bright orange colours make the album cover be the most prominent feature within the advert. Additionally there are also verbal codes, these are all in white and state the title of the album , release date and also the technical convergence through the link to their official website.

Advertising Pricing

Source: http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/uploads/QMediaPack-Feb2013.pdf

This is an example double page spread advertisement from the October 2014 issue of Q magazine. The placement of the advert was on the first double page of the magazine before the contents page. An estimate of how much this would cost is £19,136 because it is a simple display advertisement but is within the front half (FH) of the magazine.

Advertising within a magazine such as Q can vary in price dependant on whereabouts in the magazine the advert is placed, how big it is and what type of advertisement.The rate of advertisement is a high figure because of the large amount of readership that the magazine has, this correlates to the higher the readership the more expensive advertising.

http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/uploads/Q-MediaPack-2011.pdf

National Express Partnership with QRelationship with the Advertiser and the Publisher

In early 2013 Q magazine developed a partnership with National Express to help advertise during the Reading and Leeds festival period in August. The intention of this campaign was to create a connection with the magazine audience and encourage them to go to the music events throughout the year, suggesting that the best method of travelling to these events is by National Express coach.

The concept launch of this partnership was to give readers the chance to win an ‘Ultimate Rock ’n Roll Experience’ when travelling to either Reading or Leeds on a National Express coach. The Rock ‘n Roll Experience included The Hives private gig on-board the National Express coach and the change to meet and talk to the band.

There were several ways that this partnership competition was advertised to readers, Q Magazine released two whole page spread advertorials that aimed at encouraging readers to enter the competition and then review their experience afterwards.Additionally there was lots of other cross media convergence such as advertisements online, newsletters and on all social media site outlets.

Source: http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/uploads/QMediaPack-Feb2013.pdf

Codes and ConventionsDenotations and Connotations of Q Front Cover:

Masthead:The denotation of the masthead on the Front Cover is ‘Q’. The logo of the magazine is a bright eye catching red background against the contrasting white ‘Q’ lettering. This red colouring connotes that they are passionate about what they publish. Additionally the positioning of the masthead being at the top right hand corner of the page means it is easy to see in a magazine shelf. The font that has been used for the ‘Q’ is similar to that of the font type ‘Arial’ this is a common font used by many making it easily recognisable, this can further connote that the magazine can be trusted as it is familiar.

Strapline:The denotation of the strapline is ‘The worlds greatest music magazine” which has been placed above the masthead. The connotations of this being at the top could mean that is of high important to the magazine, additionally this has been done so the text does not get overshadowed by any other text on the front cover.

Cover Lines:Within this list are secondary stories that are featured in the magazine, they have been included on the front cover as they still can gain ‘star appeal’ from the target audience with the bold lettering and bright red colour. These have been positioned around the front page image so they appear next to or slightly behind, this is because they are not associated with the main story.

Price and Barcode:In the bottom left hand corner of the magazine is the barcode, price and date of the magazine. The retail price is £3.99, this demonstrates that the socio-economic group that Q is targeted at is high, meaning they have more of a disposable income to spend on the magazine.

October 2014 Issue No. 339

Main Headline:This has been positioned under the magazine masthead, this is due to the fact that people will look directly underneath for what the content of the magazine includes, a connotation of this is that it has a higher importance as it closer to the main logo.The denotation of the main headline is the text ‘Oasis’, this is one of the largest titles on the page, this connotes its importance within the magazine and that that information must not be missed. The black colouring of the letters makes it really contrast with the white background and the smaller red text surrounding it, further making it stand out. To support the main headline the magazine have included a quote from the story inside, the denotation of the quote is ‘Noel: “There was a lot of trauma…”, the connotation behind this is to draw the reader to read through the magazine and find the story.

Main Image:This has to relate to the main story of the magazine. The image has been positioned in the centre connoting that it is the pivotal point of the magazine with all other text placed behind it. The technical code that has been used is a close up shot, this connotes that the reader is going to get up close and personal with the person.

Special Edition Promotion:On this edition of the magazine is a special edition promotion, because of the front cover featuring a well known band known as ‘star appeal’, they have two magazines published that are identical except for the front cover, featuring a different band member. This encourages fans of the band to buy both versions of the magazine, thus increasing sales.

October 2014 Issue No. 339

Codes and ConventionsDenotations and Connotations of Q Front Cover:

Drop Capital:At the start of the article a drop capital has been used, this is an effective way of grabbing the readers attention towards the start of the article. This is the same colour as the main body of text.

Stand First:This has been positioned below the main headline in smaller text, however it is larger than the main body of text. The purpose of this is to ‘sell’ a feature of the story to the reader. ‘Star appeal’ has been used as the band name ‘Motley Crue’ are in larger and different red font within the sentence to catch the eye.

Quote from the interview:The purpose of the quote is to highlight the most important or entertaining aspects of the interview to make the reader interested, these usually are thought-provoking and include quirkiness or drama. For example “What did we do with the burritos after…” This relates to Katz uses and gratifications theory, where the sole purpose of the article is to inform and educate. The quote has been placed at the top of the page where there is a clearer background so the text can be seen easier.

Denotations and Connotation of a Double Page Spread

Credits:The authors and photographers name are included underneath the stand first.

Main Image:The technical codes for this image are the long shot that has been used, this gives the image a very informal feel, the low key lighting also adds to this making the people feel natural and not in a staged environment.

October 2014 Issue No. 339

Differentiated Questions:In Q magazine the questions are in a bolder font, this stands out on the page, whilst the guest response is in non-bold. This makes the interview easier on the eye to read and causes less confusion with who what the question is. The denotation of the respondents names are in bold, and at first their full name is shown once, after this only their initials are shown. Furthermore this connotes they want the reader to feel at ease when reading and cause less confusion with names.

Captions:There are several captions on and around some of the images of the double page spread, this includes quotes from the article and why they relate to also naming the people within the photographs.

Associated Images:They have included images on these pages to make them more visually appealing, they all relate to the article and also have been captioned appropriately.

Page Number:On the bottom corners of each page is a page number, it is a basic font throughout the whole of the magazine. Additionally there is also a small Q logo and the date of issue, the Q logo is the only thing that is red in colour, this is a reoccurring theme throughout.

Denotations and Connotation of a Double Page Spread

October 2014 Issue No. 339

Unit 13 – Planning and Pitching – “Conclusion”

From this learning outcome I have looked at existing print based media products, such as Q Magazine. By doing this I have a better understanding how they are created and the production processes that have to be completed to create a high standard music magazine.

Additionally I looked at the connotations and denotations of a front cover and a double page spread, here I have established how a magazine tries to connect to their readers and engages them with the content that is produced.

Another important area that I looked at was the advertising that is used to gain a readership for the magazine. Here I looked at the different methods of advertising and the general profits and losses that occur. By doing this it has meant that I aware of additional features, such as advertising, that have to be taken into consideration before the final magazine is sent for publication.