Questionnaire conclusion

Planning my music magazine

The target audience for my current magazine idea are teenagers from the ages 14-19. I will be aiming my magazine at both males and females. I have chosen this age range because I believe they will be more dedicated than any other age range. This means that they will buy the magazine every week. Since my targeted audience will be concentrating on their studies this will be a good way for them to read while they relax. Another reason I have chosen this age range is because I believe they are the people who are most interested in the genre of music my magazine will be based on. I will include artist and articles that will appeal to both male and females to maximise my sails. This means I will need to conduct research on magazines that share the same target audience as me.

My magazine is going to be based around R&B and Hip Hop music. This will attract my target audience of 14-19. The style, genre and time of music in my magazine will be very similar. There will be a different artist in my magazine every fortnight. The artists will be similar since I am aiming at a very specific target audience. However due to the fact that the genre is very popular it could most probably attract a wider age group. This would benefit my profits. The music I will be including in my magazine will be very modern since my target audience would most probably not know about music before they were born.

I am going to produce a weekly magazine. I have decided to produce it every week due to the results I gathered from my questionnaire. This means I will need to include new content every week so that my target audience can get the latest news about their favourite R&B/Hip Hop artist. Another reason I going to produce a magazine is so that my target audience don’t get bored of waiting longer for a magazine.

I have decided to sell my magazine for £1.60. I think that this is a reasonable price for a weekly magazine since mine will include posters and/or stickers. This means that the reader will feel that they are getting their moneys worth. Around every 2 months I will have special offers so that my magazine will only cost around 99p. This is so that I can attract more readers and gain more sells. This should not affect the magazine budget because I should attract more readers into buying the 99p magazine. If the first issue of the magazine is not successful then I carry out research on magazines that are produced weekly to see how much they are sold for.

I am going to create a newspaper magazine like NME. This is because glossy magazines such as Q magazine are usually more expensive to make and only tend to make money when they are sold monthly. Another reason I am going to make a newspaper magazine is because I want to try and maximise my profits by increasing my sells. This also means that there will be more availability for such things as special edition. Magazines such as Q magazine have been known not to make as much profit compared to other leading magazines such as NME. Magazines such as NME tend to make larger profits because of the printing cost and amount of content that is included.

Analysis of magazine articles

The choice of artist featured in the article suggests that the target audience will be people who are interested in Hip Hop music. The artist that is being used is GZA, who is also a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan. GZA is a famous Hip Hop artist therefore it is clear that this article is going to target people who are interested in Hip Hop music, more specifically people who are interested in GZA or the Wu-Tang Clan.

In this magazine article there is some Hip Hop language. This would be typical in this magazine is because it is a Hip Hop magazine. The word ‘whips’ is a typical Hip Hop word. The target audience of the magazine would know what this means because they might incorporate this language in their speech.

The colour used in this article is very basic. There are only 3 colours used which are red, white and black. The editors may have done this to so that the colours match with the GZA’s clothes. The way in which each colour has been used allows some parts of the text to stand out more. The text is which is in red stands against the background and will catch the reader’s attention as they are going through the magazine.

The style of text that has been used allows parts of the text to stand out. The title of the article for example is in bold and stands out against the rest of the magazine. The text font that has been used makes the article easy to read and allows this page to look formal and professional.

This double page spread has a simple layout. One page is taken up by the text and one page has been used for the image. This layout makes the article easier to read.

The magazine uses a friendly tone when addressing the reader. The language that you would use everyday and is how you would speak to your friends. This makes the reader feel as if they are welcome.

The artist is presented to the audience through 1main image. In this image we can clearly see the artist and the expression on his face. The artist is looking directly at the audience even though his face is not facing the audience directly. This suggests that he could be inviting the audience in to read his article and share his personal feeling with them. The artist has a serious look on his face which could mean that this article is serious and that he has strong feelings on this subject.

The article in the magazine matches the front cover because they have similar text font and colour. The main title on the front cover of the magazine is in the same colour and some of the text in the article. Similar font has also been used for some of the article text.

This article does demand prior knowledge since the reader may not know who the GZA is. They also many not know about Wu-Tang Clan. However the article does give a small introduction to the artist just to inform the reader on him a little more.




The choice of band featured in this article suggests that the target audience will be people who are interested I rock music, more specifically the Slayers. Many people who are interested in metal/rock music would probably know about Slayer since they are a well known metal band. People who are interested in the bands life and music would want to find outmode about them therefore they would read the article on the band.

The words used in this article are scarier and fierce than words that would usually be used in other magazines. They are also more informal, most magazines would not use swear words however this article allows the band to talk how they would usually talk. For example ‘we took them on their first f***ing tour for God’s sake!’ This language makes it seem as if the band is talking to their friends. However some of the language is inappropriate since people as young as 15 are reading this magazine and their parents may not want them reading something that includes swear words.

There are 3 main colours used in this article, green, white and black. Each colour allows the other to stand out against them. This would attract the readers’ attention if they were flicking through the magazine. The text highlighted in green is indicating that it is a question.

The style of the text is very simple. This makes the article more legible. Some of the text is in bold so that it stands out in the article.

This magazine has a simple layout. 1 page is taken up by the image of the band and the other page is used for the article.

The magazine addresses the reader as if they are friends. You can tell this because of the language that they use. The language that is being used is very informal and is how you would speak to your friend.

The band is looking up at the audience in this picture. The expressions on the faces of each band member are not friendly and may not make the reader feel as if they are welcome. However since the image was taken at a high angle they are looking up at the reader. This could mean that the reader is the dominant one and that the band relies on them and that the reader is in control. This shows that the magazine wants to have a friendly relationship with the reader. One member of the band is wearing a t-shirt that says his Jesus. This could suggest that he is trying to say he is the best in the music industry. The picture has been taken in monochrome which makes it seem scarier.

The style of the article is very different to the style of the front cover. The colours are very different for example the colour green is used in the article and there is no green on the front cover.

Some prior knowledge may be needed when reading this article so that the reader knows about the band slayer. However if you are interested in metal/rock music you would know about the band because they are one of the most loved bands to do with that genre of music.

School Magazine Mock up front cover

When making my magazine I first had to take photos that were suitable for the topic of the magazine, in this case school. I went around taking pictures of the students and used the best one for my magazine. Then I saved the photo to the computer. I put the photo in adobe Photoshop and edited the photo. I removed the redeye and most of the background. Once I had edited the photo I saved it and placed it in adobe illustrator. I then added the title, puff, barcode and 3 sell lines.

If I was to improve my magazine I would try to remove most of the background from the picture. I would also think of better a sell line as that is the main selling point of a magazine.

School magazine mock up contents page

This is my contents page for my preliminary task.

Evolution of Britney Spears

This image of Britney has been taken using a mid shot so that Britney’s body can be seen. The image has been placed in the centre of the front cover so that she is the main attraction of the front cover. In this image Britney’s head is at an angle however she is still looking at the audience. This image is typical of magazines such as FHM since Britney is half naked. This could suggest that is magazine is targeting a more male orientated audience due to the image. Since Britney is still a teenager the magazine is aimed at male teenagers who are interested in females. The lighting used in this image shows off Britney’s curves and flawless skin.

Britney’s costume is relating to one of her music videos where is she dressed as a school girl. The white shirt could represent innocence and virginity. The fact that the shirt is now open may be suggesting that she is ready to leave her teen days behind and become more of a women and more sexual. The white shirt is open to reveal a black bra. This could suggest that Britney has become dominant in the music industry, it could also represent rebelliousness.

There are two props that have been used. One prop that has been used is a telephone. This prop could that she is talking to the reader about her life. However since the image is very sexual and the sell lines say that she is a teen dream, Britney may be talking to her boyfriend or other male teenagers. The other prop that has been used is a toy teletubie. The teletubie prop could be suggesting that she is still young and innocent. The fact that Britney is holding a telephone in one hand and a stuffed toy in the other could suggest that there are two factors in her life that are in conflict. These two factors could be her teenage life and the fact that she is becoming a woman.

The setting that has been used looks like a bed. Britney is laying on looks like it is silk which could create a sense of lust and sexiness. The colour of the bed sheets also relates to lust since that are violet/pink.
The pain colours used are white/black and violet. The colour white could suggest virginity and innocence. The colour black could represent dominance and authority. The colour violet could suggest lust and sexiness. The bright colours show her as a sweet and innocent teen, whereas the darker/bolder colours show her as a rebellious teenager who is becoming a dominant woman.



The image of Britney has been placed on the centre of the front cover so that she is clearly visible and is the main focus. This image has been taken using a mid shot so that we can clearly seen Britney’s body. In this image she is looking directly at the audience which could mean that she is inviting us in. this image is typical of images used by magazines such as FHM since she is half naked; this could suggest that this magazine is aimed at men.

The costume that Britney is wearing shows off her flawless skin. Britney’s pose shows us that she is a women is a excellent figure. This costume and pose shows the reader that she wants an open relationship with them since she is exposing more of her body by wearing little clothes. This image shows us that Britney is the idle women for any man.

The lighting is used in this image of Britney to show off her figure. With this lighting we can see that Britney is a curvy woman. We can also see that Britney has perfect skin from the way the light is shinning.

The colour white is used in this image. This could represent Britney’s innocence.

This close up shot of Britney Spears shows us her emotions.

Analysis of magazine contents page 2

This magazines contents page uses many images. However there is on image which takes up a considerable amount of space. This suggests to the reader that this will probably be the main story of the issue. Therefore the image is big so that it is able to grab the readers’ attention. The other images on this contents page are much smaller and are placed next to the articles. If someone was to pick the magazine off the shelf and look at the contents page they would clearly see the contents of this magazine.

The information on this page is organised in columns. This is commonly used because it is clear and easy to read. Each category of the magazine is coloured differently so the reader can easily locate what they want to read. Also all the sections are described with a sentence so that the reader will know what they are going to be about.

NME magazine has not included any other franchise on its contents page however there may be more located further on in the magazine.

There is a promotional feature on this contents page. The promotional feature is telling the reader that they can apply for a fortnightly subscription of the magazine.

A wide range of colours have been used on this contents page. This magazine uses different colours to identify each category of content. The font used on this contents page is simple and easy to read. The makes the contents page more attractive. It suggests that this magazine is aimed at a young audience since the colours make the contents page seem youthful.

The NME logo is positioned on the top left corner of the contents page. Being placed here, along with its size means that it is not very dominant. However people will look on the left side of the page because they generally read from left to right. This is very attractive because people will be able to see and locate the logo and there is still a lot of space for other information about the contents of the magazine on the page.

Analysis of magazine contents page 1

Kerrang! Magazine uses images on its contents page. These images have been constructed in an almost grid formation. This makes it clear for the audience to see; also they don’t have to read all the text. The picture may also be showing the audience what the main stories are. There is one image that stands out from the rest because it is much bigger. This could suggest to the audience that this is the main story of the issue. From the contents page we can see that the intended audience for this magazines is for people that are interested in rock or metal music.

The information has been organised so that it is attractive yet legible. The contents page show us that there is a number of different sections in the magazine, this makes it easier for the quickly find what it is that they want to read about such as live reviews. The information also tells the audience briefly what stories are on what pages. The magazine has included information to suit the audience’s needs.

There have been many images used on this contents page. Most of them are all the same size apart from one which is much bigger. This enables the image to stand out. This could suggest to the reader that this is the main article for this issue of the magazine.

There are other franchises that have been promoted on the contents page but not the front cover. On the contents page Kerrang! Magazine has included promotion. They have put an offer on the contents page that for £6 a month you can have the magazine delivered to you.

The overall style and design on the contents page relates to the front page because they both have the same style of text which is bold. They also relate because they have both used the same colours which red, white and black. The font used on both the contents page and front cover are similar because they both look simple yet they both standout.

The main colours on the contents page are black, white and yellow. The text has also been written in mainly bold text. These features help to draw the audience’s attention as the yellow text has been written on a black background which makes it standout. They have also used the colour red which standout against every other colour for their promotion. This colour will draw the reader’s attention. Most of the colours used on the contents page relate back to the front cover apart from yellow.
We can also see from the contents page that the magazine is mainly aimed at teenagers and middle aged people since it doesn’t use a lot of bright colours which makes it look formal

front cover analysis 1

On the top of the magazine there is a short piece of text which tells the audience what is going to be in this weeks issue of the magazine. This is not the main article however it will catch the attention of some readers that are interested in Iron Maiden and Sharon Osborne.

The title block of the magazine is coloured in black and the words have black lines on them. This makes the audience think that the words have been smashed by an object, probably by an electric guitar. The word Kerrang is an onomatopoeic word. It is the noise that an electric guitar makes when it is smashed. This tells us that the readers like to listen to loud rock/gothic music. This links in with the music genre the magazine is based on. With the features of the magazine I assume that the magazine is a rock/gothic magazine.

‘Life is loud’ is the slogan of the magazine. It tells the audience that the magazine is going to be about rock music since it is generally loud. The slogan is in red which connotes danger and adrenaline.

The majority of the colour used on the front cover of the magazine is black. This gives the magazine a dark image which is what the target audience is interested in. the white, orange and red colours used stand out against the black and catch the attention of the audience.

One example of a buzz word used by this magazine is ‘Free’. This emphasis’s the free posters that this issue of the magazine has on offer. By doing this the magazine is persuading the audience to buy the magazine.

The central image is of My Chemical Romance. This group is on the front cover of the magazine because they are a rock group and this magazine is based on this genre of music. The anchorage text says ‘death, drugs, revenge. My chemical romance they’re not okay’. The ‘they’re not okay’ part of the anchorage text is taken from a song from My Chemical Romance. The editor of this magazine assumes that the audience will understand what this means. This image has a direct mode of address since the group are looking directly at the reader. The message that the group is giving is that they have a bit of attitude and are slightly dangerous. However this is something that this particular audience will be interested in.

In this image the 5 men are standing and looking up at the audience. Their facial expressions are not very friendly and do not make me feel as if I am welcome. However since the image was taken high angle it makes the audience seem as if they are in control and looking down on the group. This allows the image to not feel as intimidating. This tells me that the relationship the magazine wants to have with the reader is a friendly one but at the same time there is a little bit of attitude mixed in it. The magazine always wants the target audience to have a friendly relationship with the magazine.

front cover analysis 2

On the top of the front cover there is a short text which tells us what is going to be in this weeks issue of the magazine. Even though this may not be the main article of the magazine it will still attract certain readers, in this case it will attract people who are interested in Busta Rhymes.

The title of this magazine is ‘VIBE’. This suggests that the magazine is up to date on all the latest Hip Hop music. The title also suggests that the magazine is aimed at young people who follow urban music such as Hip Hop. The colour of the title on this page is orange. This allows it to stand out against the background and catch the eye of the intended target audience. The colour of the title is also warm which suggests that the readership is friendly and warm.

The anchorage text says ‘Janet Jackson likes to watch’. This text is telling the audience that if they read this magazine they will be able to find out about what Janet Jackson likes to watch. This shows the audience that she is inviting them into her life.

Janet Jackson is on the front cover of this magazine. One reason Janet Jackson is on the front cover of vibe magazine is because she is a Hip Hop artist and this magazine is based on that genre of music. The central image has a direct mode of address. It is like they are sharing their happiness with the audience which makes the front cover more warming and inviting. This tells us the magazine wants a friendly relationship with the reader. Janet Jackson is also on the front cover so that she attracts audiences who are interested in her music along with people interested in Hip Hop music. She is also a legend in the music industry and is related to Michael Jackson so this will also grab the attention of people.

This puff is telling the audience that this edition of the music magazine if the first ever photo issue and that it is also a limited addition. This will encourage the audience want to buy the magazine because it is a rare version of the VIBE magazine. This may suggest to the audience that there is something different in the issue of the magazine compared to other issues. This puff is located on top of the title which means that it will catch the audience’s attention since the title stands out. The other puffs on this magazine suggest that magazine is going to include stories on the lives of Hip Hop artist. This will gain the attention of people who are interested in what celebrities do in their life.

This is a music magazine which is based on R&B and Hip Hop music. The magazine is aimed a predominately young audience who are interested in this genre of music. I can tell that this magazine is aimed at a young audience because of the bright and vibrant colours used. There are stories in this magazine to interest both genders. This magazine has also used other puffs to sell their magazine to a different audience such as ’15 crucial video games’. This will gain the attention of people who are interested in games.