Evaluation of my Music Magazine

Luke Matthews

My JournalismWhen writing my copy I wanted to represent the artist as being ‘the next big thing’ in the music industry. I also aimed to make her seem popular and relative to the audience.

I wanted to represent the audience as being interested in my chosen artist, and also aimed to include musical lexis in my copy.

I also intended to create an informal, friendly and comfortable mode of address towards the reader.

My analysed Journalism

Evaluation of Front Cover

The use of the word ‘babe’ represents the artist as being young and modern, which would be relevant to the target audience.

This quote overall represents the artist as being naturally talented and also confident.

The artist has a hair clip shaped as a flower in her hair. This represents her as being sweet and innocent. This look however is counteracted with the use of a ‘messy’ hair style, which represents her as being naughty. This could be perceived by the reader that the artist is sexually active and playful.

The artist is shown here as ‘clinging’ to the fence. This has connotations that she is trapped and wants to escape. This could be a metaphor for the problems she has been dealing with throughout her life.

The use of the noun ‘newcomer’ represents the artist as being modern and relevant to people today.

The artists name is made to stand out on the page. This is done by making the size of the font larger than all other copy, expect the masthead. The fonts colour is yellow with a black outline, and it also has a white glow around it; both make the copy more eye-catching. This represents the artist as being an important figure, as her name is a significant feature on the front page.

There is only one image on the front page, and it is a large image of the artist ‘Princess’ which covers the entire page. This signifies that the artist is successful and represents her as being popular and interesting.

The artist is shown to be in slightly see-through leggings and a short skirt. She is also shown to be revealing most of her arms. This represents the artist as being confident in her appearance, as she is not shy to show it off. It also suggests she likes to make the most of things. This is because a clear blue sky is visible in the image, which has connotations of a hot day, and the artist is then shown to have dressed for the occasion.

There is multiple colours on parts of the artists clothing, representing the artist as being ‘funky’ and stylish. This is what a lot of young people aim to look like, and so would enable them to relate to the artist.

Evaluation of Front Cover This promotion is aimed directly at the reader. This represents the audience as being interested in the artist and eager to see her. The puff has been positioned near the top right hand side of the page. This is because magazines are usually overlapping in stores, and so any feature which could attract the reader would be best placed on the top half of the front page.

The promotional copy ‘exclusive’ used in the masthead has connotations of fresh, new and independent. This therefore represents the magazine as also being fresh, new and independent.

‘Mr’ has connotations of power, authority and masculinity. This therefore represents the magazine as being ‘the boss’ magazine – it is the most respected magazine out there, and so poises the question to the reader, why buy a different one?

The coverlines included represent the magazine as being good value. This is because it gives the impression that there is a large amount of content inside.

The use of this promotion represents the magazine as being generous. The colour of the banner used behind the copy contrasts with the rest of the magazine. This would help catch the attention of the reader.

Richard Dyer states that there are solutions to peoples inadequacies in life. For example, to boredom there is excitement. The front cover of my magazine gives off the impression that it will offer this solution. The bright colours used such as yellow have connotations of energy. You can also see there is a competition, which will cause excitement to the reader as they have the chance to win something if they participate. The use of language used, for example new comer, also helps create a sense of excitement, as it signifies that the magazine is full of new up-to-date and fresh information. Therefore, the magazine is more likely to be purchased, as the reader would assume from the features used that it will offer their inadequacy of boredom a solution, which is excitement.

On my front cover I have followed a number of conventions. I put the masthead in the top left hand corner. I have aligned the cover lines on the left hand side of the page. I have put a barcode and price tag on the bottom right of the page. I have also used one dominant image which is spread over the whole page. Whilst researching front pages, I noticed that these were typical conventions of a front page for a music magazine.

Evaluation of Contents Page

Here I have shortened the word hardest to ‘ardest’. This will relate to the social grouping of my target audience, as this is an abbreviation that my target audience would use in their informal conversations with peers.

I have used one main column on the left hand side of the page, which includes information in a list form on what is on each page inside – in numerical order. I have also included two smaller columns aligned with it nearer the bottom of the page. This is a convention I have followed.

I have included a photograph which is relevant to the featured story on the page number stated by it, in order to give the reader a better understanding of what will be on that page. This is a typical convention of a contents page

The use of the word ‘exclusive’ signifies that this months issue has contents which no other magazine has, representing the magazine as being the best, and also of high priority to the artist that the copy is talking about, as this must be the only magazine which the artist has taken time to talk to.

The use of a main image which covers the majority of the page is another convention I have followed. The image consists of the main feature of this months issue – the artist ‘Princess’. The two artists are represented as being dominant and important, as they are partly covering up other features of the contents page, including the masthead. This positively represents this months issue as it suggests that its main story is of great interest to the reader.

This hits my 16-21 year old target audiences media grouping, as they would want to go to venues in order to follow and support their icon or favourite artist.

The yellow and black striped background has connotations of warning and danger. This fits the hip-hop genre of music, which is the main genre of music for this magazine.

Blumier and Katz’s uses and gratifications theory states that media consumers actively select their media because it gratifies them in particular ways. Here, I have offered the chance for social interaction to the reader, as they will be given information on when the next venue will be, which would enable them the chance to socialise with others. Therefore I have offered them a gratification.

Evaluation of Double Page The copy next to the photograph of the artist Princess represents her as being unselfish and patriotic. This would make her appeal to the target audience, as they would mainly also be British.

The artist has been positioned to be holding on to a pole whilst sitting down. This can be seen as a metaphor of the artists music career; starting at the bottom and trying to climb to the top. This represents the artist as having the same background as the rest of the target audience, who’s social grouping is mainly working class, therefore giving the reader something to relate to with the artist.

The copy ‘new British talent’ represents the artist as being exciting and eagerly anticipated.

The copy ‘has managed to’ represents the artist as being popular and very busy. It also represents the magazine as being of high priority, as the artist has taken time out of her busy schedule to talk to it.

The copy ‘I’d just like to give a quick shout out to all the fans’ appeals to the target audience. This is because the target audience will be a fan of Princess, and so after reading the copy will feel appreciated.

‘Getting the answers to the questions that YOU want to know’. This copy appeals to the reader, making them feel involved in the conversation. This could be seen as a myth, as the reader may not have really wanted to ask any of the questions which were asked.

The artist here is shown to be looking calm, as she is sitting down with a relaxed facial expression and shown to be gently holding the pole. This gives the preferred meaning that reading the magazine will relax you.

Evaluation of Double Page

Again, I have offered a gratification to the reader, which would make the magazine more likely to be selected according to Blumier and Katz’s uses and gratifications theory. Here I have offered information on the artist Princess, which could educate the reader, as I have presented a interview which gives the answers to what the reader may want to know. I have also offered the reader the chance to escape, as when they read the copy they can forget about the problems they face in their life, as they will be able to have an insight on the life of Princess instead.

I have placed the masthead in the top left-hand side of the page, and have used a bigger font size and also a different colour to the rest of the copy on the page. This is a convention I have followed of a typical double page spread.

The web address is a convention I have followed. I have positioned it at the bottom right of the double spread, as this is the last place the reader is likely to look. This therefore would make the reader more likely to go on it, as they would have finished reading the double spread, and then have the web address fresh in their mind.

Page numbers are conventions of a double page. I have included them. This helps connect the two pages.

I have purposely not aligned the stripes in the background together. This shows that they are separate pages, however as the background in the same also signifies that they are still connected.

From Preliminary to Final Product

Preliminary Front Page Final Product Front Page

From Preliminary to Final Product

Since my preliminary work I have vastly improved my skills and developed my knowledge of how a magazine should look like. I am going to compare my preliminary front page with my final product front page.

One way in which I have improved is my knowledge of the conventions a front page should follow. With my final product the layout of my front page included one main image, a strong masthead at the top of the page, cover lines on the left side, a barcode in the bottom right corner and the price of the magazine. These are all conventions a magazines front page usually follows. My preliminary did not follow any conventions apart from the position of the masthead.

I improved on my photography skills. Firstly, my final product image is of much greater quality than my two images on my preliminary front page. I have also improved on what my photographs consisted of, for example the casting, costume and location of the image. My preliminary photographs consisted of what was available to me at the time I chose to take the photo. The person in my final product image however was styled to be how I wanted her to look, from her clothes to her hair. She was positioned how I wanted her to be. I also went out of my way to find an ideal location for the image to be taken, instead of just taking a photograph of where I was at the time. This helped the image create the right type of atmosphere that I wanted it to on the reader.

I improved on my use of technology skills. For my preliminary I used Microsoft Word to put together my front page. This gave me limited options on how my page could look. For my final product however I used Photoshop, which had a wider range of options on what I was able to do to my page.

My preliminary front page consisted of only standard times new roman font and word art. This made it look dull and unprofessional. For my final product I included a range of fonts; goudy old style, myriad pro and Andre SF where some which I chose. I also used different colours and glowing/shadow affects around copy, making the page more eye-catching and appealing.

I put a lot more time and thought in what copy I included and where it was on my final product page than I did on my preliminary. I mainly wrote to ‘fill the gaps’ for my preliminary, whereas for my front page any copy included was planned after having researched other front pages, and was edited on numerous occasions.

My use of technology

Here is the side bar of tools which I used to create and edit my front, contents and double spread pages in Photoshop Editor.

I used these tools to edit the photographs I took, removing any unwanted part of the photo, so the image consisted of exactly what I wanted. They’re called the ‘magnetic lasso tool’ and the ‘magic wand tool’.

I used this tool in order to add text to the page.

I used the paint bucket tool to set the background of my pages.

I used the eraser tool to ‘rub out’ unwanted parts in my images.

I used the shape selector tool when creating my puff for a promotion on my front page.

If I needed to edit the text inserted, I used these options to do so. These allowed me to change the font style, with a choice of various font families, and also change the size, make it bold, italic, or underlined.

This is the tool I used when arranging what was on my page and where I wanted it. It enabled me to move what was on the page around, with the option to resize what was selected.

When using the magnetic lasso tool I needed to zoom in in order to accurately cut around my image. This is the tool I used in order to zoom in, and then to also zoom back out.

I used the pipette tool when I wanted to give two features the exact same colour. For example, I used it on the masthead as I wanted to fill the banner at the bottom of my front page in with the same colour.

My use of technology

Here is how I arranged what was on my pages, by inputting and removing layers. The option that appears to be a page input a new layer, and the option shaped as a bin deleted them. Each layer consisted of a feature which was on the page, and in order to edit it I needed to select the layer which it was on. For example, if I wanted to change the font size of copy which was on the page I’d select which layer the copy was on, and then go from there.

I could name each layer so I was aware of what it contained.

If I was happy with what a layer contained I could lock it, as so to not accidentally edit it. This could be done by using the lock button. Alternatively, if I needed to change something in that layer, I could do so by clicking the lock option again, which would unlock the layer.

My use of technology

In order to create my blog I used BlogSpot.

In order to edit existing posts I used this option. To create a new entry, I simply clicked on the ‘create new post’ option.

Once I clicked on the edit option I was able to make various changes to the copy in my post.

Using the drop-down option I was able to change my font style.

I was able to rectify any in-correct spelling using the spell-check option.

I used this option to align all of my copy to the left side of the page.

Once I was happy with the copy my post contained I pressed ‘publish post’. The finished version of the post would then appear on the blog.

My use of technologyTo change the layout of my blog and adjust or add new elements to the blog I went to the ‘page elements’ page under the layout option.

Here I was able to move around features on my page so that when I viewed my blog every feature was how I wanted it to appear. For example, to make the blog posts appear to the left side of the blog I dragged the ‘blog posts’ box to the area I wanted the posts to appear.

In order to set the background colour, both of the whole blog and also background colours of blog entries and other features in the blog, I pressed the ‘fonts and colours option’. I then chose what I wanted to edit, for example the main background colour (as shown) and then selected what colour I wanted it to be. I was also able to edit font colours by using the same routine, but by selecting ‘text colour’ instead. Once the appropriate colour was chosen, I then clicked ‘save changes’ for them to appear on the blog.

My use of technologyI created an account on Slide Share so I could upload my PowerPoint and jpeg files of my magazine onto my blog.

To use Slide Share all I needed to do was follow the on-screen instructions. In order to upload a file onto Slide Share, I had to press the ‘upload’ option once signed in and browse for the file I wanted to upload. In this case I uploaded my PowerPoint presentation.

Whilst waiting for my file to be uploaded, this page appeared. I could check the progress of the upload by using this option here.

Once uploaded and converted, I copied the URL address onto my blog in a post, and then was able to see the slideshow when viewing my blog.

My use of technologyI used photo snap in order to edit my photographs, before importing them onto my pages.

Here’s how my original photograph looked. I then decided to rotate my image in order for my model to appear standing up-right by using the rotate option.

I also decided to use the ‘mirror’ option in the ‘tools’ toolbar. This enabled me to ‘flip’ the image, making it appear as if it was in a mirror. The outcome was as shown:

Here’s how my edited photograph looked. The model now appears to be standing straight, and also appears mirrored, as I believe this is how she’d look best once on my front page.

Before After