Karaoke! Magazine Evaluation

By Hazel Obua.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge the conventions of real media products?

Both my media product and We Love Pop have a banner.

Both my media product and We Love Pop have a main image which is conventional in all magazines.

Both my media product and We Love Pop have a buzz word that could attract our target audience.

My magazine’s colour scheme breaks the convention of 1 colour being used on the front cover where I have used a colour scheme of three colours in order to attract my target audience as they like bright colours.

My magazine has a similar font to We Love Pop as this allows the readers to identify with the pop genre.

I have used a smaller number of images for my magazine front cover compared to We love Pop as I have based this on my audience research.

I have broken the conventions of super imposition by putting my masthead over the image rather than the other way round. This was done in order to make my masthead standout and to add emphasis to it.

Also just like We Love Pop, I have established a mode of address in order to familiarise the magazine with my target audience an and to establish quite a friendly relationship with my readers.

Conventions of a contents page

Contents masthead : Both magazines have a masthead. Both my magazine and We Love Pop possess an exciting introduction to the contents of the magazine with mine being ‘This month in Karaoke!...’ which will appeal to my target audience.

My case study magazine engages the audience with a letter from the editor. This is also evident in my magazine as a development of this convention.

My magazine develops the conventions of my case study magazine with the use of many images which also engages the readers and appeals to them.

We love pop also has a small textbox including the page numbers of different aspect of my magazine. My magazine also develops those conventions. My magazine also has a

subtitle displaying the actual content of my magazine which further develops the conventions of We Love Pop.

My magazine breaks the conventions of posters in the contents page with a focus on the textual aspects of my magazine.

The colours used for the page numbers and topics are also very similar to my case study as it engages my audience through the colourful aspects of it.

Conventions of a double page spreadMy magazine develops the conventions of my case study magazine with an anchorage which gives meaning to the image. In this case the text signifies that Katy loves makeup.

The masthead layout of my double page spread breaks the conventions of my case study magazine as it follows a different layout and style. It makes it standout more to the readers.

My magazine develops the conventions of my case study magazine with a similar image at the top of my double page spread page giving further information to the readers.

The magazine also has another anchorage showing the artist. My magazine also develops these conventions by doing the same.

There is also another small image with anchorage showing other events however my magazine challenges this convention by not including another photo.

My magazine also develops the conventions of a page number ,website and banner

My magazine also develops the conventions of a main image for my double page spread. The mode of address to the readers is quite friendly. It slightly establishes a male gaze with the audience although it is not quite sexual which challenges the conventions of my case study magazine where the model shows a little skin with a lip parting.

My magazine develops the convention of a pull quote which is used to attract the readers.

My magazine also develops the convention of a drop cap which has been used in my case study magazine which adds emphasis to my article.

My magazine also develops the conventions of my case study magazine with the use of gutters.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge the conventions of real

media products?• When developing my media product , I researched an existing magazine which was We Love Pop. To get an understanding of the codes and conventions of a music magazine. By doing this I was able to design my final product with the application of my understanding of the codes and conventions of a magazine.

• I made use of a similar font to a pop magazines masthead to allow my target audience to identify with the genre of my music magazine.

• I also added conventions such as mastheads, a main image, cover lines and banners to allow my target audience to identify with my magazine and to get an understanding of the content of my magazine. I also made it more exciting and appealing to my target audience.

• My magazine changed the layout of super imposition on the front cover. Usually the text is behind the image, but my text was in front of the image. This was done in order to make my masthead stand out from the rest of the content on the page. The size of my masthead was bold and the colour was quite creative. This also resembles the pop genre and the usual typography used. The colours also represent a female demographic.

• Usually existing pop magazines have a plain background, however because my product is for a younger demographic I chose to use a series of colours in order to appeal to my target audience. It also makes my work more creative rather than plain or basic. I have also maintained my colour scheme which is common in magazines.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Media representations are the ways in which the media portrays particular groups, communities, experiences, ideas, or topics from a particular ideological or value perspective

The title ‘Karaoke’ represents social groups who like pop. It is a symbol commonly used to represent pop culture.

The costumes of my model represents youth culture with her black jeans and red jumper.

The mode of address of my model is very friendly with the quote ‘Thumbs up’ which would be able to draw in young audiences.

Informal rhetorical questions can be a useful way of drawing in young audience which will represent youth culture.

The use of buzz words can attract young audiences as it will be an exciting way of marketing my magazine. This will represent young audiences as they have a like for ‘freebies.’

A feature of young boy bands will represent girls who have a like them which will therefore gratify their needs.

The use of bright colours will represent feminine social groups as they will appeal to girls and they are known to be feminine colours.

Also the use of different coloured fonts represents my target audience as they make my magazine more colourful and appealing to my target audience.

By including a feature on fashion tips my magazine is representative to my target audience as they are known to like fashion.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

• I was able to use these samples in order to understand the needs of my target audience through quantitative research and qualitative research. I also analysed two other magazines which were NME and We Love Pop to establish the kind of language used to associate with these social groups.

• ‘Thumbs up’ establishes a mode of address with the readers giving them a good first impression of the magazine.

• Also ‘free posters’ is used as a key signifier for the readers as it would be one of the first things to catch the eye of my target audience considering they are from ages 10- 16

• My use of slang such as ‘amazin’ and some cheesy comments may enable me to associate with my target audience more.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The mode of address to the readers is also one factor that represents particular social groups. The approach the model for my front cover has is very friendly and it almost establishes personal relationships with the readers

My magazine has a very colourful layout. The colour scheme is in three colours; pink, purple and yellow this would convey to the public that my magazine is aimed at a female demographic . The colours connotations are also quite feminine. Pink connotates femininity, while purple connotes creativity although it is very much feminine and yellow connotates brightness and sunlight and so its effect of brightness is shown in my magazine. Also pink is a common colour used in other pop magazines therefore it identifies with the genre and other existing pop magazines.

My media product is aimed at a demographic of girls between the age of 10 and 16. Through the design and layout of my magazine it would be clear to the public that it is aimed at a much younger demographic.

Also my magazine consists of many pictures which is common in magazines aimed at young demographics.

Furthermore there is a bit of slang in my magazine and my magazine is not very formal. This therefore establishes a closer relationship with the readers because that is the kind of language used.

Also many of the people that filled out my survey suggested that the price should be between £1 and £2 therefore by lowering the price to about £1.50, I am meeting the needs of my target audience.

What kind of media institution might distribute your product and why?

• We Love Pop was published by a media institution known as Egmont publishing group, whose main focus is the publishing of books and magazines for children. They are the biggest publishing company in the UK for children’s books and magazines. They circulate more than 25 million books and 12 million magazines a year and We Love Pop which is a monthly magazine, circulated at 42,864 (Latest ABC Jan - Jun 2013) On the other hand NME which is a weekly magazine was produced by IPC media group.

• IPC is the UK leading magazine publisher with a circulation of over 350 million a year. It aims its magazines at a mostly patriarchal demographic of 16 years and over. NME is one of the most popular music magazines. It had a circulation of 20,011 (ABC Jan-Jun 13).

• It would be a good idea to have IPC media publishing my magazine because of its numerous circulation and large demographic. However because it ‘s target audience are mostly men and they aim their magazines at an older demographic it would be a better idea to publish Karaoke! With Egmont because their publications are focused on children and they have a demographic of both genders with a much younger target audience. Also because they produce children’s magazine my magazine can relate more to them and by using them to distribute my product I would be attracting more profit to their company.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

• My media product would be aimed at a female demographic of 10-16 year olds. This would enable me to meet the needs of girls of these age for the reason that not many magazines are aimed at people aged 10,11 and 12. By doing this I would be creating a unique selling point for my magazine and I would be attracting a wider demographic.

• My magazine is aimed at both people whose favourite genre of music is pop and those who just listen to pop and take an interest in the topics surrounding my magazine.

• The pricing of my magazine is not very high so my magazine should meet the needs of both people who can only afford low prices and those who capable of spending on high priced products. So I will make my magazine about £1.50 to make it available and affordable for everyone.

• Most pop magazines feature mainstream artists such as one direction, Jessie J, Katy Perry and many more so by doing this I will attracting a wider demographic.

• My target audience will also include girls that like fashion, boy bands and gossip as these are the most common topics in a pop magazine.

How did you attract/address your audience?

Also my main image for my magazine establishes a mode of address with the readers. The models quote ‘Thumbs up!’ establishes a friendly relationship with the readers. The model has a friendly and fun expression and her pose also seems like she’s enjoying herself the same way the readers may enjoy the magazine.

My magazine included a colour scheme of pink, purple and yellow. This would have attracted a feminine demographic because of how bright the colours are.

Secondly, the masthead Karaoke! Would have instantly engaged the readers as it is a common name used in music and it also represents the pop genre with its involvement in singing along to the music and it may have also made an exciting introduction to my magazine and the explanation mark at the end makes it stand out to the readers.

The use of earpieces as key signifiers will attract my target audiences as they tend to like free gifts.

The use of informal language such as using rhetorical questions like‘ who’s topping the charts this week?’ will draw my audience in as including features on music charts will gratify their needs on music as well as informing and entertaining themBy making the price of my magazine

£1.50 I am able to sell my magazine at a cheap price for everyone to buy it therefore gratifying the needs of my target audience and attracting them to buy my product.

By including a feature on fashion tips this is likely to gratify the needs of my target audience by informing them hence attracting them to my magazine.

The explicit use of punctuation mostly question marks and explanation marks adds emphasis to my magazine stories which further draws in my audience as it adds excitement and relates to my target audience.

By using my model as an impersonation of Katy Perry I am also attracting my target audience by gratifying the needs of those who like Katy Perry.

How did you attract/address your audience?

Fourthly the editors message in the contents page also draws in the readers with an exciting entry to the magazine and it also establishes personal relationships with the readers.

Also by including a lot of pictures, this would also relate to my chosen demographic as they may be less literate or may not enjoy reading.

Moreover my double page feature based on Katy Perry would gratify the needs of the readers as it would allow the readers to establish personal relationships with her and it would allow readers to take away more information about her and to listen to her music.

Furthermore the use of informal language ‘slang ‘ would relate to my chosen demographic as that it is the language used by them. The use of extra punctuation also relates to my target audience as well as adding excitement to my feature.

Lastly including a feature on boy bands is likely to draw in my target audience as they like boy bands which further gratifies their needs

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

I have used Photoshop in order to resize images , crop images, cut around and trim images, create backgrounds and so on.

Using Photoshop I was able to duplicate this image, cut round it using the quick selection tool, add a background and also brighten it up.

Using indesign I was able to create my magazine fonts and construct my magazine with the layouts.

Using a Nikon camera I was able to carry out my photo shoots for my magazine.

I was able to use InDesign to create my masthead designs using the text tool and the colours.

These were one of the photos I was able to snap using this camera. I learnt how to use the lighting and the camera during this process.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you learnt in the progression from the full

product?• Compared to my preliminary exercise, I have developed my music magazine a lot. It looks much more professional and the layout of my magazine look much better. With my preliminary exercise I rushed through the content and even the construction, however my music magazine took much more time and effort to produce.

Compared to my music magazine, my preliminary exercise lacks many of the conventions of a music magazine front cover and is definitely less conventional.

My contents page also looks very detailed compared to my preliminary exercise as it has a lot of detail and is very structured.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you learnt in the progression from the full

product?• Since the construction of my preliminary front cover and contents page, I have learnt a wide

range of techniques in constructing my music magazine. I have discovered more about the layout of existing magazines, about their representation and the codes and conventions of my magazine.

• I have learnt about how to use software's such as InDesign and Adobe Photoshop where I have cropped images, created a layout for my magazine pages, created textboxes and so on.

• I have been able to have a better understanding of the codes and conventions of a magazine.• Using InDesign I also learnt how to put two pages together to create a double page spread.• Overall, the magazine construction processes on InDesign have given me an improved result

for my magazine pages.

Conclusion

• In conclusion I think I was able to satisfy my target audience with my product. The use of colours, images and phrasing enabled me to relate to them with my magazine and allowed me to gratify their needs as a demographic.

• I was also able to get some video feedback from my target audience and it is explaining their impressions of my magazine, what attracts them to my magazine, whether my magazine provides a unique selling point and if they would buy it if I put in in the local newsagents. I also asked whether my magazine looked suitable for my demographic and if it met their needs.

• If I was able to do anything different, I would have made the font a little clearer, added the price of my product to allow my audience to identify completely with my magazine. I might have also considered changing the colour scheme due to taking into consideration the price of printing.

• I was able to get feedback from 25 people to get their opinions on my final product and 96% of my target audience said they think my magazine gratifies the needs of my target audience.

• One person who filled out my questionnaire said ‘I like the layout and information as well as the pictures’ and another person said ‘ This is a really great magazine and shows hard effort in order to make it appealing to the target audience.’