5 KEY CONCEPTS:
for deconstructing a piece of text eg; A music Magazine
Things I need to consider when putting together my music magazine
L - LANGUAGE-> how the message of a media text is conveyed towards its audience, often using methods of persuasion, conventions and connotations.
I - INSTITUTION-> the company itself, the brand who marketed the media text, includes its marketing techniques and publishing’s.
I - IDEOLOGY->understanding of the social world, relates to people values, attitudes, beliefs and distribution of power and how these things are influenced my other people s(the brands)ideas within a media text
A - AUDIENCE-> Who the media text is aimed at, its target audience.
R - REPRESENTATION-> How a person, place, thing is portrayed in a media text and its impact on its audience.
Roland Barthes:
(1915-1980)
He was a structuralist who expanded on semiology knowledge and theories by extending it into other fields such as image analysis and Pop Culture. He wondered how audiences were able to understand and make meaning from different texts so he devised things such as narrative codes, denotation and connotation
**The world of media wouldn't be the same without this man, I will use his concepts to create an effective, professional looking, quality music magazine that relates to my target audience**
Denotation- Something literal meaning, its dictionary definition.
Connotation- The meaning behind a word/something’s literal meaning and the ideas it gives of and suggests to its audience.
Eg; The Colour Red
Denotation: The colour of the object is red, one of many colours
Connotation: The colour red may suggest danger to some, heat to others, love to someone else, all dependent on how some views an object of this colour.
Tuesday, 30 October 2012
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Monday, 22 October 2012
Saturday, 20 October 2012
LIIAR Analysis - NME Music Magazine
LIIAR ANNALYSIS - NME Music Magazine:
Language
FRONT COVER:
Masthead- Displayed clearly at the top left hand side of the page as its conventional. Its the first thing people will notice when they pick up the magazine as people read from left to right. Its in white which contradicts the red colour of Florence’s hair making it stand out. The brand use the same font and size for every time the magazine is published in order for its audience to familiarise with the brand. However they use a different colour each time so it fits the style of the issue in order for it to stand out and be attractive. NME often use a red masthead which would of blended in with Florence’s hair and been ineffective.
Barcode- is in the bottom right hand corner as its conventional and allows the product to be sold(not a free magazine)
Price- Is displayed at the top as its conventional, lets its audience know how much it costs to buy it. Its in small font which suggests its an expensive to buy as if it was cheap it would be highlighted, perhaps in a splash, to entice the audience to buy it. However the price is hardly noticable yet the rest of the cover stands out so the audience will initially notice everything else first (features, image ect.) thus wanting to buy the magazine before getting put of by the price- effective selling method
Text-All the text is displayed in capital letters(features, main headline, masthead, teaser, sell line ect). which makes them extra allot, stand out and easy to read from a distance. This automatically grabs the audiences attention and draws them into the magazine. Capital letters give of a sense of urgency, giving of the message the audience must by this magazine right now.
Features- listed on the right hand side down the page which is conventional, its lists artists under 'state of music today' which emphasis the mainstream genre, letting the audience know it covers a range of famous, up to date artists. This lets the audience know what artists are covered in the magazine helping there understanding and making them want to read on to find out more information.
Image- A close up is used that dominates the front cover, coving it entirely. The eyes are the main focal point and stare out to the audience, drawing there attention into the magazine. By making eye contact it connects with the audience which may give of the sense of urgency to buy it. Using an image of a well-known artist and featuring her appeals to a wide range of people and lets them instantly know what style, artists and genre this magazine focuses on. This image complements the main feature and sets the style for the front cover allowing it to fit together floorlessly and look like they belong together- theme. Florence looks beautiful and Godess like, makes the magazine attractive, apealing and grabs attention effectivly.
Colour Scheme- House style colours, red, white, dark navy. These colours work well together as they contrast one another which makes each element of the front cover noticeable and clear. Their is no real colour scheme though as the image does dominate the whole front cover which makes Florence’s hair stand out a lot more. Highlighting Florence’s red hair gives of the connotations of urgency (which works with the capital letters) which makes people feel they must by this magazine now. The white also suggests innocence which contrast the feistiness of the red colour and suggests everyone has a naughty side but the only way to find out id to read the magazine.
Barcode- is in the bottom right hand corner as its conventional and allows the product to be sold(not a free magazine)
Main Feature/headline- Is written in dark navy which is different to the other colours which makes it stand out. The fact it has a blue tone complements Florence’s eyes. 'Florence' is written in large letters which makes it obvious to the reader this is the main headline and this is the artist on the front cover, emphasising the meaning behind the picture(conventional).
Anchorage- Used in conjunction/as part of the main feature/headline. Its a quote which makes it seem like a personal message from the artist and truth. 'I would never have got through x-factor auditions' only gives of some information, shocks the audience as to why it has been said, leaving them with unanswered questions thus wanting to read further into the magazine to find out more and read the whole article- effective.
Teaser- Words like 'new' and 'special edition' make this magazine sound like a one of magazine, unique chance, that its an exclusive and a must have for music lovers.
Dateline- Conventional, lets the audience know how unto date it is, that its a weekly magazine and useful for future references.
Sell line- 'New Musical Express', gives audience more information on the magazines concept, that it deals with new music fast, positive connotations and message.
CONTENTS PAGE:Masthead-is placed at the top of the page as its conventional, its larger and bolder(in capital letters) than the other writing on this page which makes it stand out and noticeable. It gives the audience automatic information about what this page is about(as people read left to right from the top of the page) and that its a contents page thus making the point of the page understandable to its audience. Writing 'This week' in the masthead suggests its a weekly magazine and this the features and articles in this magazine are recent and upto date. Putting 'NME' boldly in the masthead first emphasises that this magazine was brought to the audience by this brand, this is thus more likely to stick in the audiences head therefore there more likely to buy this magazine again. (its also bright red- which makes it stand out above alot of the text.)
Colour Scheme- Is continued over from the contents page which creates continuity and an overall style and feel to the magazine. The bright red colour(like Florence’s hair on the front cover) is used on some of the writing such as on the band names, brand name 'NME' and the splash at the bottom of the page. This makes them standout from the rest of the page possibly highlighting there importance and prominence, that these are the most important features in this magazine. The contrasting colours of red, black and white make each section of the contents page readable and clear.
Advertisement- at the bottom of the page, its conventional. Shows this magazines and its brands popularity as people are willing to invest in putting advertisements in this magazine.
Splash- Making the arrow/splash red highlights its importance and gives of the sense of urgency for the audience to read on and turn the page to find out more. The phrase 'The UK's No1' acts as a teaser, highlighting the magazines popularity and making the following articles in this magazine seem like the most exclusive and the best you can get, enticing its audience to want to read on and find out more,
Date line- under the masthead, conventional - lets the audience know how relevant the magazine is, that its up to date, useful for future references.
Image- large and clear in the centre of the page, dominates most of the page, one of the first things the audience would notice when looking at the contents page- shows its the main article. This image doesn't give allot away but has a title underneath it 'The end of the Astoria' which helps the audiences understanding (this is an iconic venue for many performers in this genre- fits the target audience) the wording 'End' makes it sound dramatic and shocking. This is further explained with words such as 'World Greatest Music Venues' which adds detail, makes it sound more iconic and important, making it an appealing feature to read about, emphasising its importance and helps the audience understanding of this feature. This is also a page reference 'P6' making it easy to find this article (point of a contents page).
Band Index- Covers the whole length of the left hand side of the page which is a unique thing to this magazine. It lets the audience know what bands and included in this issue with the page numbers there on which makes it easier for them to find the ones there interested in reading about without having to flick through the entire magazine. Its written in list form which is conventional of contents page, makes it clear to read. It seems to be a main focus of the page as the bright red colour making it stand out from the contrasting black and white colours the predominantly cover the page.
Text- page is dominated by small text (like the listing of articles and band index) which is ineffective as its hard to read as its in such small writing and the audience may get bored and loose interest when looking through this page as nothing stands out and they want to get onto reading the actual articles. The fact all the writing is crammed up makes it harder to find what page articles are on which distorts and goes against the point of a contents page.
sub-headings/sections- black banner/background on the subheadings/sections along with on the masthead emphasises that there titles and something’s going to follow them - makes them more noticeable. Use of subheadings helps group and order the different types and style of articles making its easier for an audience to find sections/articles there interested in.
Article headings- listed down the whole length of the right hand side of the contents page in list form - conventional. Often use puns, rhetorical questions, kickers and teasers to make the audience want to read on and find out more. They include page numbers as references so the audience can easily find articles of there interest whenever they want to (point of a contents page). Articles are written in bold, capital letters to make the point and meaning of them easily noticeable.
DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD:
Image- Extremely large, stands out as it dominates the page, covers most of the left hand side and some of the right which emphasises the point and focus of the article. Its a picture of this artist Florence, continuity and development of the front cover, which makes this article personal and automatically lets the audience know who this article/double page spread features and is about. Its a long shot, shows whole body of the artist, as the front cover only showed a part of her, (her face- close up) along with the fact this image reveals her whole body symbolises this article is going to reveal the whole story, a personal article. This is the first thing people will notice when they turn the page, its eye catching and useful thus catches audiences attention to read the article dramatically making it affective.
Background text/masthead- 'USA' is written in large font which complements and works with the size of the image. It is written behind Florence which makes her look dominant over the USA which is perhaps suggesting of what the articles about, more insight. This complements the red and white stripes in the image that suggest the USA flag. 'got the love' is written in italics which is conventional of a quote which makes sense as this is a quote from one of her songs - also emphasising this article is personally about her. This links the artist and the image together, giving it a personal touch. The whole phrase 'USA got the love' is a play on words, so is a pun of her song lyrics 'you got the love' which is often a conventional thing used in magazine to capture an audiences attention. Putting this phrase together in this way links the two concepts, suggesting that the article will be about her and her songs going down well in the USA, giving the audience a clear insight into the meaning behind the article.
Colour Scheme- The red white and black colours and continued onto this page, giving the magazine and secure colour scheme and feel, giving it a theme and making it link together nicely as a whole. The red colour is continued onto the stripes of the flag, which again links with the brand name/logo. The use of the red colours stripes is suggesting of the USA flag however the blue colour on the flag isn't shown which suggests they don't want it to stand out predominatly, also this colour would of clashed with the colour scheme and been ineffective. Putting Florence in a black outfit makes her the most noticeable as black is a prominent and intense colour. The fact she is also sat on the USA flag suggests/conotates she has dominated the USA's music industry.
Article itself- Is entirely written on the right hand side of the page. The fact its cramped up and in such small writing make it ineffective as its hard to read, hardly noticeable and the audience may forget about it when looking at this double page spread as the picture is the most dominant. However the article does contain quotations which makes it more personal and a believable story as the writer has quoted allot of this article herself, this may make the audience want to read it as they feel they are getting a personal insight into the Florence’s life. It also contains rhetorical questions about the artist which keeps the audiences attention as they want to find out more. It is written in similar fonts to the masthead and other pages giving the style continuity and an overall feel/ theme to the magazine. It also contains sub-heading giving it an understandable structure.
Brand name/logo-is printed in the bottom right hand corner of the page in small writing which firstly means it doesn’t distract the audiences attention from the main focus and point of the article(also doesn’t annoy them). However it is also used as a reminder to the audience of the brand that brought them this exclusive article, as its constantly there on every page (continuity of the brand). This also means the audience are more likely to buy this magazine as they are more likely to remember the name. The placing of the brand name/logo is also done affectively as its always at the audiences figure tips when they turn the page so they are forced to notice it.
INSTITUION
FRONT COVER:
'NME' is clearly printed at the top(masthead- conventional) and the first thing people will read (people read left to right from the top) which is in a large font and bold text which therefore makes it stand out. This makes it noticably clear to the audience that 'NME' is the name of the brand/magazine who brought this magazine and articles into the media and to the audiences attention. The style font and size of the brand name allows for continuity from one issue to the next, which means the audience will begin to recognise and familarise with it so they will know what the brand name signifys each time they see it - thus increasing its popularity . The colour used on the Brand name sometimes changes to suit the style and theme of the issue and also to stand out against whatever its background may be. The date of the magazine is printed on the dateline above the masthead and shows a span of one week. This shows NME is a weekly magazine(publihed one a week) and is going to involve recent information and gossip(however probably not as detailed as it hasnt had much publication time). This is also a reminder to the audience to buy one next week in order to keep up with recent news and gossip within the mainstream music industry. The price is placed on the top of the magazine but isn't highlighted or in bold (eg; in a bright colour, in a splash) which suggests the brand and publisher wanted to draw attention away from the price, suggesting its expensive. Instead they drew attention towards thing such as teasers like 'Exclusive' and main features like 'Florence' in order to make the audience really want to but the product before they know the price itself. The fact its a special edition also suggest NME are going to charge more for this issue as its unique.
CONTENTS PAGE:
'NME' (brand/magazine name) is clearly printed at the top of the page in the masthead that is continuously on each page to remind the audience of the brand that brought them these articles, features, news and information. It uses the same font, style and proportion used on the front cover for continuity and familiarity - which makes the audience more likely to remember this brand, buy this magazine again and therefore increase its popularity. It also uses the more traditional colours of the NME magazine logo/name which is red, as its a bold , eye-catching colour that gives of the sense of urgency to buy this magazine when an audience sees it(also making it seem attractive and strong minded suggesting high quality news, articles and gossip). However this wasn't used on the front cover as it didn’t fit with the theme, Florence was already giving of the sense of urgency with her red hair and using the colour white contrasts better with the red hair, complementing Florence’s T-shirt thus making the brand name stand out more. The phrase 'This Week' was also used in the masthead of the Front Page which suggests and tells us its a weekly magazine thus will be published annually each and every week (will cost less than a monthly magazine as more are being published). This means all the information and articles will contain recent and up to date information/articles (not as higher quality, shorter time to produce it). Underneath the masthead is also the date which signifies to its audience the information in this magazine is up to date and recent-conventional. There is also an advertisement at the bottom of the page, and despite the brand publisher not being evident in this magazine, we can assume this brand magazine and the brand publisher are popular as people/companies are willing to invest in advertisements in NME magazine. (companies think they will make money by putting advertisements in this magazine- suggests popularity.) If this magazine is popular that means it will be massed produced as it will be in demand. It would be published all across the UK as this magazine is relevant to the UK's(not the worlds) mainstream modern and indie pop music industry, which is a popular genre across the country.
DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD:
This also has the 'NME' brand name/logo on the page which acts as a constant reminder to the audience of who brought them this article which they are them more likely to remember, recognise and familiarise with the brand thus more likely to buy this magazine. However on this page the brand name/logo is much smaller and placed in the lower right hand corner of the right hand side page which makes it less automatically noticeable so the audiences eyes are focused on the main point of the page/article which is initially what they have turned the page to see (thus the constant brand name/logo doesn’t annoy them or get in there eye line view). However this position does work rather effectivly as its always there as a subtle reminder that subconsciously reconfirms to the reader who brought them this article as its literally as there figure tips when they turn the page. The pages themselves would be of high quality as its a nationwide popular mass produced magazine, so suggests it wouldn’t be the cheapest of magazines- slightly expensive. However the price of the magazine would be cheaper than that of say a monthly magazine as there’s more issues. It would also need to be kept at a low/reduced for its young target audience to be able to afford to buy it each week. This magazine brand would probably have one off cheaper issues to entice its target market into buying/purchasing this magazine.
IdeologyFRONT COVER:
I feel that the predominant idea behind this magazine is to capture the audiences attention towards this 'special edition' issue and make it stand out from other magazines of a similar genre for example. The magazine manages to do this by giving of a different feel to other magazines and its usual issues by using a close up image that has the focal point of the eyes and covers the whole page drawing in attention and also changing the colour of 'NME' to white to make it stand out against Florence’s red hair, fit the theme and give of a different feel to the other magazines. They also did this be connotating and giving of the sense of urgency by the use of Florence’s emphasised bright red hair and the capital letters which work in conjunction to make the magazine stand out from the crowd and to also make the audience feel they must by the magazine right now by the way it immediately captures there attention. The use of words such as 'new' and 'special' also give of the idea that this is a unique and special edition, a unique chance for its audience. I also feel that the image of Florence gives of the ideology that its good to be different because Florence is quite literally displayed in a positive light, her red hair is used as an asset and is seen as a beautiful thing in this image and Florence looks beautiful and Godess like along with being the centre of attention as she is on the front cover of the magazine. Red hair is often mocked, made fun of and seen as an ugly, negative thing in modern day society however this image contrasts this view by presenting red/ginger hair in a positive light and also therefore presenting the idea that its god to be different(Florence also being an indie-pop artist, along with her unique name). Florence’s red hair also gives a dramatic effect to the front cover and adds to the sense of urgency and making the front cover stand out. There is also the use of a quote from the artist Florence herself(which makes it more believable and shocking) 'I would never have got through the X-factor auditions' which presents its audience with an idea of shock and makes them question the meaning behind it as it initially gives of little insight into what the subject of what her article may be, making them want to read on and find out more. Florence is also an iconic figure of this genre of music and the fact this issue features an article about her emphasises the idea that this is a special edition. Florence looks beautiful and Godess like in this image and dominates the front cover (perhaps the article is about dominating something-highlights the articles concept) and the issue has a set colour scheme which gives of the idea of a set theme and style this issue will follow which is different too its usual one(special edition issue) therefore presenting this genre of music in a positive light, thus attracting a target audience interested in this genre of music.
CONTENTS PAGE:
I believe the idea the brand NME wanted to put across with this contents page was to basically make it appear and come across stronger, bolder and more eye-catching and effective than other music magazines, especially of this music genre. It gives of this ideology by using the colour red on certain sections (splash, band index names, masthead/brand name) to highlight important parts which gives of the sense of urgency to its audience to continue reading this magazine. It also gives of the idea that the features contain important information as suggested by the connotations of the red colour, making these sections seem exclusive and unique features of this particular magazine (more exclusive and important than other music magazines.) I also feel the brand simply wanted to make this contents page as easy as possible for the person reading it (audience) to find the sections/articles they want to read and are interested in and also to understand the magazines contents clearly as suggested by using a band index, subheading, an image aswell as just a list of its contents. (making it stand out from its competition-other magazines, as the brand hope its a more suitable and easy to follow than other brads contents pages). I feel they also wanted to make the main article clear by the use of a large photographic image in the centre of the page; also to maintain/gain popularity for the magazine by putting the NME brand name/logo clearly in large writing noticeably at the top of the page so an audience are more likely to familiarise with it thus remember them and buy the magazine again. I also feel that NME put the colour red on its contents page for continuity throughout the magazine to make it feel like one magazine with a continual theme that links together and makes sense. Another reason I think the brand used this idea was to make the contents page relate with the red colour which is predominatly used inside the brand name/logo in order to make the audience conotates the ideas of importance and urgency to the colour red with the brand itself in order to make the brand even more recognisable and popular to there audience. I also feel they wanted to include articles/features that would interest and attract there audience (fitting of the mainstream-indie and modern pop genre) such as including artist like Florence and famous venues like the Astoria that many famous artists of this genre have performed in, in order to entice NME's target audience into believing this magazine is worth spending there money on (as it interests them allot).
DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD:
I feel that the ideology that NME has created with this double page spread is to make the article itself extremely noticeable and stand out by giving the audience a sense of the 'wow' factor as soon as they turn the page. This is done by the extremely large picture that captures the audiences eye immediately as its so dramatic and unexpected that its impossible to not notice it, even if your not looking for it. The fact the image is predominantly of Florence automatically informs the audience exactly who the article is about (its topic) giving them a clear understanding of the article immediately. The brand makes the article completely noticeable and stand out by covering almost the entire page with the extra large image and extra large text/masthead to complement the image which uses Florence’s song lyrics to give the article a personal touch in order to make the article become more believable to an audience and truthful of the artist. (article created to commend the artist and suit her predominantly). I also feel NME had given of the ideology that Florence is a dominant female figure in the music industry by making her dominant the page (cover its majority) and by the way she is wearing a black figure hugging outfit/dress with black stiletto high heels that makes her appear bolder, more dominant, attractive(male attention) and apear powerful. It almost gives of an unexpected impression of her as its audience wouldn’t expect her to come across so powerful and dominant (she’s usually more casual, full length baggy clothes, hippy Esq.) which catches the audiences attention, dramatically shocks them straight away which may make them want to read on to find out more, thus making a connection with its audience. The positioning of the image with Florence in the foreground of the USA text/masthead and the fact she’s also sat on top of the USA flag gives of the idea through imagery that she’s conquered the USA, complementing and suggesting what the written article will be about. The fact this image is a long shot of Florence and shows/reveals the whole of Florence’s body symbolises that this article will be revealing of the artist and will let the audience into knowing the full story. (this contrasts the front page image that was a close up of Florence, only showing her face symbolising the front cover isn’t very revealing and only gives the audience a teaser and little information about the article, making them want to read on to find out more). This page also fits the continual black, red and white colour scheme of the magazine which adds an overall theme and feel to this issue of NME, interlinking each page, making it make sense and give off an overall impression that the pages belong together as one magazine. The continual red colour also reinforces the connotations and ideas of importance and urgency when the audience see this which may make them feel they want to read on and find out more exclusive information. The overall theme and style of this magazine is visualised as very bold, powerful, prominent and dominant which represents a useful representation of the mainstream modern and indie pop music industry. The use of bright colours and a white background present this genre, magazine and artist in an overall positive light.
AudienceFRONT COVER/CONTENTS PAGE/DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD:
I feel that firstly the main target audience of these three main features of NME magazine are those aged around the ages of 15 - 25. This is primarily because I feel this age group are most likely to know and recognise who the Artist Florence is ( just through the images of her on the front cover and left hand side of the double page spread). I also feel they are more likely to be up to date and listen to this genre of music (hence why they would want to buy this magazine in the first place) and would therefore connect to and be interested in articles about Florence, reality shows(both the good and the bad) and mainstream gossip thus wanting to read on further into this NME issue. I feel that stereotypically the type of people who are most likely to read this magazine are firstly people who like to follow the charts and are into this genre of music (hence why they would be interested in reading it) but who are also confident in themselves and follow and enjoy music there interested in like 'Florence' not just primarily because there in the charts but because they personally enjoy this type of music. I thus feel this target audience are predominatly confident with themselves and who they are therefore are likely to be outgoing individuals who are into fashion but create there own styles within there clothing. Florence as an artist is individual and confident in being herself and being different therefore as music is influential to its followers, I feel they are likely to think and see things in a similar way to this artist (confident, unique, individual, happy to be herself). Therefore this idea suggests to me this target audience would probably belong to the 'Esteem' section according to Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’ which means those who have admiration of others and have a high self-esteem - basically confident within themselves.
I feel that this target audience of NME magazine will be great music lovers which is suggested by this being a weekly music magazine, its audience would have to be predominatly music lovers in order to be interested in spending time and investing money into reading a whole range of articles dedicated to music alone (must have enough money to spend on this magazine too & be interested in bands listed on context page 'band index'). However I also feel the target audience of this particular issue will predominatly be interested in Florence as an artist as when they first see this magazine, they will just see the front cover which appears dominated by Florence with its main feature being about her. Therefore this issues particular target audience may include allot of one off readers of NME magazine as they are primarily interested in reading about this artist, it also has a very different feel about it (different layout and colour logo than many NME issues) and may this incise more indie enthusiasts than just pop enthusiasts in this particular issue. (especially in terms of the three features of this magazine I have discussed). Another point about this issue is that its a 'special edition' and therefore this issues readers may be lower graded demographically (D, E-unemployed, manual workers, not as much money) and may buy this magazine as its a one off and they may be interested in music this magazines genre however perhaps usually don’t buy this magazine every week due to the cost. However this magazine does cost more than usual issues, suggesting perhaps allot of parents may buy this magazine for there music loving son/daughter's. Generally however, demographically I do feel these features themselves may be aimed at people in the 'semi-skilled manual workers' section (according to the National Readership Survey) due to this magazines target audience apealing to those aged 15-25 and the majority of people in this age range belong to this section as they are often still in education or haven’t reached a higher status within work yet.
RepresentationFRONT COVER:
Firstly I feel that the Brand itself has represented themselves in a rather positive way(nothing much to say otherwise). They have done this with the use an effective front cover with colours that work well together and contrast each other, using the conventions, a close-up shot of a well known artist and a layout that is easy for an audience to understand and relate to straight away which overall makes the brand seem noticeable, affective and well remembered(which makes it look professional, popular- representing genre). Although I believe the Brand may have come across stereotypically through the use of the 'X-factor', a quote used in Florence’s main feature, by assuming all its target audience is interested and watch the X-factor as a predominant feature. They may also come across stereotypically by using Florence as a main feature that dominates the page by assuming its regular readers want to see a new-comer on a special edition of NME magazine. However I do feel it is a good choice to place her as a main feature as she was one of the most popular artists of the genre and mainstream music at the time this issue was published(more likely to capture their target audiences interest). I feel the brand also represented its-self as a dominant magazine, that stands out from the crowd and that its content is new, fresh and up to date. I feel they represented themselves in this way by making this magazines layout much different to that of other magazines which makes them stand out from the crowd, using fresh colours like white and changing its traditional colour of its logo/brand name which made it seem recent, up to date with music and fresh and also by using extreme contrasting colours and dominant colours like red that made the magazine seem dominant, bold and made a statement. I feel this was a good choice by NME as with it being a weekly magazine and a special edition they want to make it look different and bold in order to attract peoples attention to invest in the magazine and also to get it noticed and to maintain its regular readers as its target audience will want to feel like there getting something new each time they buy the magazine as they wont want to waste money on something that’s not much different to previous issues. (its fresh, has a new design, is fitting to its up to date, mainstream genre, thus interesting its target audience). I also feel that this front cover neither represents its target audience in a positive or negative light as there is nothing suggested in its wording or images that represents them negatively, just like there’s nothing that represents them particularly positively either. However you could say its target audience are represented more positively than negatively with the use of proper wording and punctuation, seemingly fully clothed images/artists and the fact that there is the use of a red haired, unique artist(good to be different) along with a listing of other artists from a range of genres, ethnicity, backgrounds, gender ect which presents its target audience as accepting, non-judgemental, educated people thus represented in a subtly more positive way than negative on this front cover.
CONTENTS PAGE:
The brand is suggested to be represented in a positive way on this contents page by the use of clever links with colour schemes (red, white black) to the Front Cover and double page spread which sets a theme for this issue and allows the audience recognise links between the 3 features, making the brand easily recognisable- contributing to popularity and familiarisation. However I feel that the Brand NME is also represented negatively by the way the contents page is displayed which suggests they aren’t thinking about there target audience or a contents pages purpose. This is because its displayed in a cluttered up way with small print which makes the contents page harder to understand, monotonous and complicated rather than making it easier for its audience to find what they want thus contradicting the point of a contents page (which is to make it easier to find articles.) The way they have represented this contents page also suggests they have stereotypically assumed that there target audience have allot of time to spare in order to read through the contents page and that they want to read through allot of information (which also gives of a confusing message as the front page and double page spread are straight to the point and directly music information based). This overall makes the brand seem unprofessional, judgemental and that they have little understanding of there target audience due to the mixed message of these three features making the brand NME seem inconsiderate and inconsistent- representing themselves in a negative way. The fact that people most likely to read this magazine (its target audience) are 15-25 year olds who are up to date mainstream music lovers also suggests that this brand has represented its target audience wrong as these kinds of people want a simple contents page which makes it easier to find the articles they want quickly, don’t want to read through tons of irrelevant information(want to get onto reading the music based articles) and often have a busy social and educational lives thus little time to read through lots of pages that don’t interest them - therefore I feel NME have represented its target audience wrong with this contents page. I feel this is a negative thing as the contents page is the first page its audience will see once they have bought it and thus might put them off buying it again (possible loss in popularity). I also feel though that the target audience have been represented as mainstream pop music lovers as the articles listed and artists and bands mentioned would interest those with a big love of this genre of music as this is predominatly what this page is dedicated too (band index, lots of music articles, competitions, music venues ect).
Overall I feel that the target audience itself hasn't been represented in a way that’s particularly positive or negative as there’s nothing that stands out to me on this contents page that suggests this either way. The target audience have just been represented as lovers of music which is accurate of the type of people who would buy a music magazine in the first place (its a music magazine).
DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD:Again the brand uses a clear layout, continues the colour scheme which its audience can make clear links to, relate to and connect with the article and brand and displays this double page spread in an effective and dominant way thus representing the brand in a positive light(cleaver, professional, appropriate). The target audience are subtly represented in a more positive way than negative way as within this double page spread there is limited use of bad language, nude images ect as the artist is fully clothed and text is written in proper sentences and paragraphs thus suggesting its target audience as educated, sensible, appreciative human beings(positive representation). The way the brand have chosen to present this article also suggests they themselves are being represented in a more positive way than a negative one. The fact the page is dedicated to the artist as she dominates the whole article with the use of quotes and a large image of her also shows the brand in a positive light representing them as caring more about the artist herself than they do about money or getting the 'gossip which represents the brand with respect for the music industry and the artist herself(positive way). The target audience could also be seen as represented stereotypically by the brand as they assume its target audience want to read about things happening outside the UK music industry and that their interested in seeing Florence in a seductive 'sexual' way(tight fitting outfit, stiletto heels, short dress)-mainly a negative representation. The use of the strong colour scheme with bold red colours and dominant pictures and text represents the brand as a dominant, popular one and suggests it deals promptly with the up to date music seen (accurate, useful representation-fitting of target audience.) Another point is that this article is completely dedicated and dominated by Florence witch represents the Artist herself in a positive way as a strong, dominant, major figure in the mainstream UK music industry (just like she’s represented n the front page). The artists personality is represented in a seductive, dominant way- (outfit) which is completely different to that of her on the Front page which represents her as innocent and Goddess like by the use of a close-up(giving the audience a mixed and confusing message). However this suggests to the audience that this article is going to be very revealing of the artist which may make them want to read on to find out more - cleaver use of representation. The change of shot and outfit on the artist from the front page to the double page spread represents the brand in a cleaver way and possibly a negative way too as they could be seen as being disrespectful to the artist (stereotypically assumes and represents the target audience as interested in revealing information). The use of dedication to the artist suggests the target audiences are predominatly interested in the music and artist herself representing them in a positive light. Overall I feel this double page spread article gives of mixed messages of representation for the brand, target audience and artist which is used both effectivly and ineffectively as it gives of some confusing messages.
Demographics..
Demographics
Measurable characteristics of media consumers such as:
-age
-gender
-race
-education
-income level
- age
-gender
-ethnicity
-occupation
-interests
....and other quantifiable criteria.
A business’ target demographic captures the group of people at which their products or services are aimed. So a Music Magazines target demographic captures the whole image of the group of people its aimed at by appealing to what would interest them. Advertisements created through ad platforms such as Facebook, AdSense and AdWords usually allow for you to specify certain demographic information so that your ad targets the interested people.
Social Class Grading System Table
This is the Social Class Grading System which ranges from the richest to the poorest people within society.
It is important to know this when producing a Music Magazine because the price, content, articles and images of the magazine need to be relevant to its target audiences social class. For example Unemployed Students would fit under Category E whereas big business owners will fit within class A. People in Category A will have a lot more money than others and therefore the Music Magazine may include where to buy the best musical instruments, equipment and special/ limited edition albums and singles. Whereas people in Category E will have hardly any money to spend so the magazine would be at a low price and include competitions to win things like tickets for gigs and festivals of there interest as they won't be able to afford the cost themselves. People in the middle at Category C1 and C2, such as skilled workers, may be able to afford things but won't have as much much of those in the classes above them, a music magazine targeted at them may feature places and websites to get bargain tickets and albums, with large package competitions and products/merchandise at a high street price.
My product is targeted at people of the ages 15-25, the majority of these people fit into category D and E with some in C2. Therefore to suit my target audiences price range and interests I will include competitions to win tickets for things such as festivals, gigs, limited edition products and backstage tour. It will therefore also be at a low cost price and include websites and social networks to hear and see the latest songs, music videos and gossip instead of expensive plaaces to buy things they won;'t be able to afford.
Friday, 19 October 2012
Music Magazine Front Covers
Music Magazines all use simlilar codes and conventions on there front pages in order to make them effective.. However different genres use different house styles, images, colours, fonts and extra details to layout which make the magazine more attractive and aapealing to the its target audience/market.
NME examples of front covers
Thursday, 18 October 2012
Top chart Moodboard
Genre - Weekly Top Charts
My precise genre includes modern and indie pop artists. The words in purple are the songs and artists that fit this genre pacifically. This week’s Top 40 has 15/40 artists/songs that fit my precise genre - this is 37.5%. Therefore my genre makes up nearly 40% of the entire top 40 download charts(with Maroon 5 and Little mix in the top 40 twice) - this suggests my genre of music is popular, especially in the 16-25 age group as they make up the majority of downloaders out of any other age group. This suggests that if I included up to date information about music and songs that are up and coming, new gossip and relevant to the week - I will be able to incise my target audience into wanting to buy my magazine. The percentage of modern and indie pop songs goes up and down every week, however always upholds a predominant percentage of the top 40 charts. Sometimes the charts are dominated by other genres such as house, drum and base or electric pop, cheesy pop or pop rock and modern folk. -so it would be important to keep an eye on this in order conclude reasons why this might be. This is often influenced by other popular culture such as films and television. For example the Christina Perri - A thousand Years song is from the film Twilight and Adele’s song Skyfall is from the new James bond film. These are both films that have been released in cinemas recently. It is important to take into account other elements that influence mainstream music like films, TV programs, productions, shows, dances from all different genres. It is important to include these things in order to appeal to my target audience and make them want to buy my magazine as its relevent to mainstream music, up to date with gossip and relevent to modern culture. Making my magazine versitile and apealing.
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Monday, 15 October 2012
Main Task (Music Magazine)
the front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine.
-All images and texts used must be original, produced by the candidate, minimum of FOUR images.
-All images and texts used must be original, produced by the candidate, minimum of FOUR images.
Sunday, 14 October 2012
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