Jamie's Evaluation of Journalism

The review on my double page spread was written in a certain way to make the artist seem very confident and laid back. I kept the most of the language informal to it does not sound too rude, and this way when the audience is reading the review, it will feel more personal to the target audience which will be positive.

At the beginning of the review it starts off with a positive point as it explains how he made it into the top 40 with “no help from agencies”, this shows that it was a rough journey trying to get where he is now. To make the artist in the review link to the target audience I have made his life background to something I believe the audience’s life is like. So I could use the informal language to make the artist seem friendly, I wrote positive points about him.

The musical lexis of this review helped show that the artist as being a professional singer and song-writer who was only interested in the music by using lots of musical terms.

Talking positively about the artist and saying how successful he was before all this fame, shows that all his hard work has paid off and gives a positive view on the artist as it suggests he is not just in the music business for the fame. This also provides inspiration for the aspirers as he was one of the target audience and now after working hard, he has became someone in the magazine.

The language makes the audience feel closer to the artist as the review makes it seem like the artist is talking to the audience individually.

I found these conventions when I was researching different music magazines in my radial analysis, I noticed that in artist interviews and reviews the journalism is mostly informal to make it seem the artist is talking personally to the audience.

Journalism

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Jamie's From Preliminary to Final

My skills have improved a lot since making the school magazine in January. I have now realised what is needed in a magazine to make it look a lot more professional and the amount of planning that has to go into it to make it a successful magazine.

The structuring of the photography has improved dramatically since January as we are now aware that if we stage the photos, we can have the photos how we want so if we wanted to add text over a photo, we would move the person in the photo to the side giving enough room for text. In January we edited our photos with Picasa for simple shading and to change the brightness, but for our final production we used Paint Shop Pro and Adobe Photoshop as the range of editing tools is more vast than Picasa so we could make the photos look more professional.

I have used Macromedia Fireworks for designing the layout and structure of my magazine as I have much experience using this software in my Graphic Design lessons. This software was useful as it is very simple to use and can give a very professional finish. I also used Fireworks to create the text for my magazine as you can also add effects and edit the text very easily to make it look attractive.

In my preliminary, I used Microsoft Word to create the structure and layout of the magazine; this did not give as good a quality finish to our magazine as this software is meant to be used for text. Also this software did not have many editing tools to use.

The journalism on my preliminary production was very simple and not very detailed; therefore when it came to writing the journalism for my final production, I researched different music magazines and made a radial analysis to study the text in other music magazines. I found that if I’m writing an interview, it is best to use informal and friendly language. My research into the radial analysis I included into my work along with my own ideas as I know what my peers and I would be interested in reading.

Jamie's Use Of Technology

My use of technology

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Michael's Evaluation Of Front Cover

In order to portray my artist on the front cover in a way where she would represent the genre ‘Indie Rock’, I made sure that the props I used would symbolise that. The guitar represents her as being into the Indie genre of music along with her jeans and jacket. I kept the background of the black curtains to keep the continuity of music as it represents the artist on stage. The pose connotes that she is over confident and looking to be successful as she is looking away from the camera into the sky. This pose also anchors the text along side her, showing that she is optimistic. The long shot of the artist is positioned in the middle of the page for full view of her body. I placed her on top of the masthead which connotes that the magazine is also confident and popular. In conclusion consumers would be engaged to look at the product.

To represent the target audience, we conjured up a font that would stand out and appeal to the ages of 16 – 25. I also made sure that the other artists I included would appeal to the target audience as well as maintaining the music genre. We then looked at other magazines with the same target audience to help think of ideas to attract the audience. In conclusion of this I decided that at the bottom of the page, I would include short information that would appeal to them. For example, I said that there was a free promotional within the magazine, “Free £5 ITunes Voucher Inside!”
As a team, we decided that for our house style, we would use red with a drop shadow. The red connotes importance and alongside the drop shadow, the idea of being an important, confident magazine was created.
To aim towards our audience with social grouping, we made sure that we kept to the conventions of a music magazine and therefore the price of the magazine was made at an acceptable price for those who lie within the social grouping of C1, C2, categories for a well known music magazine.

To represent my magazine as being popular and a top buyer, I made sure that it would include the latest news and interviews. The promotional copy of ‘Exclusive new interviews’ make our magazine seem more popular than the other leading brands. Also, the ‘Poster Special’ encourages the readers to buy the magazine as they receive a promotional product which they will see as being good value.

I have used Blumier and Kats’ theory of ‘Uses and Gratifications’ throughout my front cover. The Exclusive new Interviews, gives a sense of information and educate as the audience are able to learn about celebrity artists and their childhood, which they wouldn't have heard before. They can also escape with the interview with Lucy Noels and Tabula Rasa as they can forget about their lives and worries, and read up upon others. There is also Entertainment that intertwines as the ‘Top 20 Chartbusters’ as they would be able to engulf themselves in new music.

Throughout the front cover we have followed the conventions of a professional music magazine. We included a bar code, with the price, issue number and the date around the outside. We kept the same house style between all 3 magazines. This included the same colour scheme, the same font, same layout of pictures and the same box graphics. I looked at a few music magazines to make sure that the price was reasonable. We also created the magazine as a monthly magazine and as a consequence each magazine was a consecutive different month.

Front cover analysiss

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Michael's Evaluation Of Contents

I have followed several conventions within my contents page. For example, the editorial column is positioned towards the bottom right of the page alongside a photo of the ‘Executive Editor’ and his signature. To create the signature, we downloaded a font which looked just like somebody had hand written it. Whilst writing the editorial column I made sure that the context would appeal to the target audience via the use of media grouping. As our target audience would be the ones who regularly check up on the internet, newspapers and TV, so the language I used and names presented was clear and appealing. We also realised that the audience we are targeting would have the latest technology, for example Ipods, Mp3’s and the latest mobile phones. So we decided to create a heading within the regular’s column called ‘Enlist the playlist’. Here the readers can look up at what Entity believe should be on their playlists!
To keep the continuity of house style, we used the same uppercase font for the title of the contents page that was the same as the masthead of the front cover. Including the colour scheme and just under the title of the page is a clearer issue number. These little things made the contents look more professional and easily noticeable.
To get ideas of conventions for a music magazine, I created a radial analysis on kerrang and Q. This way I was influenced by their styles and then altered them to create a layout which would appeal to the target audience and make the contents page itself to be easily navigable.

To represent the month’s issue of the magazine, I made sure the language and style I used would continue from the front page. For example, under the ‘Features’ heading, I kept the copy ‘Exclusive New Interviews’. This combined with a graphic ‘cover story’ makes page is easily navigable for those who want to look at a specific story from the front cover. Also, when I wrote about certain articles that may seem exciting for the consumer to read, I included exclamation marks; “Best 20 top sellers this month!” This way the reader is intrigued to read more as it may give them the solution of excitement to replace their inadequacy – boredom.
To represent the magazine as being informational as well as exciting, I made sure that I would add an article based on a comedian that will appeal to the target audience. “A round with… Justin Lee Collins”. This way, if the reader no longer wants to read about music, then he/ she can read some humour to escape (uses and gratifications) from the world.
I styled the artist at the top of the page in a way where he would be an aspiration for the segmentation of the target audience. The skinny jeans and long sleeve jumper create a perfect image to the readers. He is positioned mainly to the right and looking down which signifies that he isn’t confident and shy. Thus appealing to those in a similar situation.

Contents analysis

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Michael's Evaluation Double Page Spread

I dressed the artists in specific clothes that represent the genre of music they create. I used a checked shirt to create a feel of the Indie Rock genre that my magazine is portraying. The second artist, located at the left of the page is partly cut off. This along with him wearing a coat over a jumper connotes that he still isn’t confident after the duo’s past.
For the background, I used an open field with houses located at the far back for the perfect scenery that I had planned. I wanted to represent the band of having a rough past which is why I made sure there were houses at the back, and I wanted to connote that the band have a lot of free space to roam free; the use of the field.
When choosing the size of the photograph, I made sure that it would dominate the image and along side the effect the camera had when the photo was taken, I achieved that as the background has a blurred effect. The space this created was perfect for putting in some text.

For this page to appeal to the target audience I made sure that the pull quote I used; “we’re determined to rise to the top again” would be an inspiration for the segmentation of the target audience. To help this stand out I put a drop shadow on it to show that it’s an important piece of copy on the page.
To make sure the text would appeal to the audience and be relevant to their lives. I made sure that it would have the gratification of being entertaining as well as having a solution of clarity for their confused inadequacy, as they can relate to the article and take advice on what they can do to help in their situation.

My double page spread follows a lot of conventions of a music magazine. The house styles of all 3 double pages have been kept the same. For example, I used the same colours, fonts and effects from both the contents and front page. The use of the “New to Entity” graphic helps inform and educate the audience as well as being an exciting article to look forward too. I used a heading above the article as I found it was a common thing to do and was well presented. To find a decent idea for the double page, I looked in Q magazine, Kerrang and Uncut. I used ideas from both magazines to conjure up a final template on which the rest of the group used. I also found that within the Uncut magazine, the text was based upon a graphic that was translucent. I liked this effect as it doesn’t ruin the image but also makes the copy easy to read.

Double page analysiss

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Michael's Evaluation Of Journalism

For my journalism that I conjured up for my double page spread, I wanted to represent my artists seem confident and on a level where they could interact with the youth by using informal and colloquial language.

To start the journalism off, I wanted the duo to represent them as being “normal” people and that their fame hasn’t affected their ego. To accomplish this, I wrote about ‘Rex’ and how scared he was the first time he was on stage. Doing this helps the duo interact more with the readers so they can get an idea of their personality.
I also made sure I included the duo’s forenames to create a relaxed tension and a personal relationship with the audience which would create a positive vibe throughout the article.

I used a lot of musical lexis to show how popular the duo is and how incredible their talent is to achieve nominations for their music. I also wanted the duo to come across as friendly and confident, which is why I come up with the idea that they would be going on a lot of tours and concerts. Achieving this increases the respect they would receive from the audience.

I also wanted to create a story that would inspire the target audience. To do this I had to make sure that the music Tabula Rasa performed wouldn’t be the only talent they have. Instead I wanted to portray them as people to be inspired by the public by helping the youth stay of the streets to keep a safer society and spreading their talent by teaching them how to play other musical instruments.

Journalism analysis

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