HOW DOES YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT REPRESENT PARTICULAR SOCIAL

GROUPS?

Question 2 – Evaluation of My Music Magazine

My music magazine is primarily aimed at both male and female, aged 16-21 years old who share a passion for the rock genre and also a love for rock’s lifestyle. In my music magazine, I have represented both gender and age, this is evident through the models that I have chosen to use on my front cover, contents page and double page spread and also the colour scheme which I chose.

Gender is represented through the front cover by the use of an attractive and independent-looking young female as the cover model in my main image. The female model isn’t dressed in a stereotypical bright ‘girly’ outfit, but instead in dark and edgy looking clothing. Compared to magazines such as ‘Q’ magazine her facial expression is also not as welcoming and friendly, instead it is more mysterious. This representation of gender is a counter stereotype as it challenges the social norms of a stereotypical female. I used this model in similar ways that Kerrang! have used showcased a female model, by sexualising them lesser and focusing much more of the attitude of the model.

Magazines such a ‘Q’ tend to sexualise their female cover models through the use of body language and facial expression.

On the other hand, magazines such as ‘Kerrang!’ do not sexualise their female cover models, instead they focus on the fun / edgy attitude of their female artists.

Age is also represented in my music magazine as the models I have used are all around the same age as my desired audience. In my double page spread, the members of my band, Kaleidoscope, are all aged eighteen / nineteen years old. Using models whom are of similar age to my readership allows for them to relate to the artists. Young people are much more likely to respond to someone who is of similar age than someone who is not. My music magazine represents age as something that is not a barrier to success, but as a means of connotation to audiences.

My music magazine differs from magazines such as ‘Top of the Pops’ who uses models who are older and more mature than their readership

The colour scheme also uses colours which are not tied to one gender. The colours black, white and red are both gender neutral, appeal to both male and female. Together, these colours all have connotations that relate to the rock genre of music and appeal to social groups that I wish to attract such as punks. Social groups such as this will also be attracted to my magazine through the use of the fonts I have used. The typography of my fonts are unique, edgy and rival other existing rock magazines. The font also represents the social groups who will read my magazines, like punks, who are a unique social group and stand out against the mainstream.

Magazines such a ‘Rock Sound’ use gender neutral colours and eroded / distorted looking fonts that stand out against mainstream magazines such as ‘Q’

Overall, my music magazine was able not only appeal but also to represent my target audience through the conventions I have included. The representations of age and gender are shown in positive ways. But these representations do not follow the norm, they countertype the generic representation. Females are not sexualised within my magazine and are shown to be more independent as opposed to being an object to look at. I also represented age in a much more different way by using models who are of similar age, when magazine tend to use a model who are older than their audience.