OCR Media Studies – AS Level

Unit G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media

Preliminary Task, Log Book and Evaluation

Name: Megan SaundersCandidate Number: 8032Center Name: St. Paul’s Catholic CollegeCenter Number: 64770

Set Brief - Print

Music Magazine – Production

Preliminary Task Progression, Log Book and Evaluation

Preliminary Task Progression– EvidenceFront CoverStep-by-step

Preliminary Task Progression– EvidenceContents PageStep-by-step

Section 1) – Log Book

R&B

• R&B stands for rhythm and blues. In the 1940/50’s it was more known as African American music, in later years this then spread and was performed by different nationalities and races.

• In the 1940’s R&B was mainly a mixture of jazz, electric blues, gospel and soul music. It was reality and put their feelings and emotion into their songs. The style of R&B ranched off and helped to create rock and roll in the 1950’s.

• R&B now has many different forms these are; contemporary R&B, new jack swing, neo soul, funk. R&B music is mainly dominated by African-Americans.

Established Magazine for my Research

Features of R&B music

• “R&B music broke away from the more traditional "big band formula" of earlier years, and R&B artists began performing in small, musical combos. The music tended to emphasise blues-style vocals and song structures. As in the bands of the big band era, saxophone and piano were still present, but electric guitar and bass started to add a different power and electricity to the music, which translated well to radio and jukebox play.”

http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_6577928_r_b-music.html

Target audienceI am aiming my magazine at young black teenagers between the age of 13-17. This magazine is aimed at both genders as I believe that the music artists that my magazine presents are most commonly linked with this. My magazine helps to boost self esteem and purpose as it provides articles of the artists linked to my target audience. It should help to inspire and help show readers the life of pop stars, it should show the struggle they went through and how they are happy that they have overcome these barriers. The target audience for my magazine can be denoted as R&B genre.

What is the USP of the magazine?From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is the hybrid of content for my magazine production as it provides articles of artists and the behind the scene background. This may be deemed as appealing to the target audience as it helps to show an insight of the aspiring artists.

Publisher research

http://www.vibe.comVibe magazine is a music and entertainment magazine. The magazine was founded by the producer Quincy Jones. The publication mainly features R&B/Hip-Hop artists, actors and some entertainers. Production was shut down in summer 2009 but was the purchased by a private equity investment that was funded by Intermedia partners. The magazine is now issued in a semi-monthly edition that contains double covers and online presence. The magazines target audience is predominantly young, urban followers of the hip-hop culture. In 2014 the magazine transferred to online only.

Conventions of a Music Magazine

Barcode

Headline

Main cover image

Website

Masthead

Cover lines

Convergence

Target AudienceThe magazines target audience is predominantly young, urban followers of the hip-hop culture. In 2014 the magazine transferred to online only. This may be due to technology purposes and convergence, teenagers tend to use technology a lot more than they do to sit down and read a magazine, this way the magazine can still be read but through a phone instead making it more easily accessible.

What is the USP of this magazine? From the research completed into this media product, I think the USP is the divergence of the ethnicity. The magazine is the only magazine to only ever star black R&B/hip-hop artists. This attracts an audience of young black teenagers aspiring to be a music artist. It helps them build confidence if they know more background knowledge of the artists, and how they struggled but fought to be the music artist they are today.