Research - Front Cover Research 1 BBC Music February 2009

Pictured right is the first front cover I have analysed as part of my research. The issue dates back to February 2009, and was published by the BBC. The publisher breaks conventions on the front cover by putting its own logo on the front cover, which is a break of convention I like as it enables the reader to know which institution published the magazine at a glance.

The masthead is white in colour, making it pop out against the black background and grab the attention of the reader from the shelf. It is positioned at the top of the page in front of the subject which does not follow conventions of music magazine as usually the masthead is placed behind the subject. This could have been a conscious decision by the editors to ensure the masthead grabbed the attention of readers because the image is quite plain and needed something else to grab peoples attention. The size of the masthead is roughly 1/4 of the page, ensuring that it can still be seen by the reader, but is not overpowering the rest of the front cover. The font used in the masthead is a serif font, which is reflective of the genre it is representing as musical direction on scores and parts in orchestral music is very often written in a serif font, and this continuity is further indication to the reader of the genre the magazine is trying to portray. Also, the masthead complies with the house-style of the magazine as the size, font, and location are the same with every issue.



The image used on the front cover is of German pianist/composer Andre Previn. This is because he is the focus of the main article within the magazine, which follows conventions of the genre. It takes up the whole page with a close up shot and is positioned slightly right of centre so that the main article can be placed on the left of the cover. The subject is wearing a minimal amount of makeup to create a natural look. The subject is wearing a black costume, which contrasts the masthead and makes it more eye catching. Also, the subject seems to be sporting a very studious haircut which is in keeping with the facial expression, and the genre the magazine is trying to portray. This links in to Dyer's theory of representation, as the subject is not in a natural position, and has therefore been directed to stand a certain way in order to represent the genre appropriately.

The feature story is written in slightly smaller font than the masthead, so it is still visible, but clear to the reader that this is an article not the name of the magazine. The colour of the text used is the same colour used in the masthead, which helps create a brand identity for the magazine. The font used is also the same as the masthead, serif, which continues the brand identity that has been created. As well as the singular feature story, the cover displays six cover stories which all link to the genre due to the language used, which also appeals to the target audience, which I think would be males and females around 50 years old and older.

The magazine front cover follows the conventions of this genre by remaining quite simplistic, while at the same time very studious. However, the cover breaks conventions by not containing any instruments with the subject. The house-style of the magazine is kept in this issue, as the masthead, style of text, and colour of the text are kept the same as previous issues.

How this analysis has helped me:

• I like the fact that the font used in the masthead reflects the genre the magazine is trying to represent, and I am going to try and incorporate this into my front cover.
• I like the fact that the subject is portrayed in a very studious manner, again portraying the genre the magazine is trying to represent, and I am going to try an incorporate this with my front cover.
• I like the fact that the cover has a lot of white space, which conveys a more classy look, which could be something I use on my front cover.
• I don't like the fact that there are no instruments on the front cover, which is something I need to take into consideration when I design my front cover.

Contents Page Draft

Pictured right is my draft contents page, created using Adobe Elements 11. I chose to set it out like this as I found that the photos break the blocks of text up, making it easier for the reader to digest and therefore more appealing. I created this after creating my front cover, therefore I found it relatively easy to create as I was already partly familiar with the software that I was using. After completing this, I now feel confident enough to use the software effectively to create a high quality music magazine.

Preliminary Task Final Front Cover

Pictured right is my final design for my college magazine front cover. To create it I used Adobe Elements 11, using the tools to add layers and text. I found the layers slightly complex to grasp at first, and became slightly frustrated when they weren't appearing where I wanted them to. However, after a while I became more accustomed to the way the program works and didn't become frustrated with it. I now feel confident about using this program to create my music magazine.

Selection and Rejection

This is a bad shot that won't be used in my college magazine. This is because the subjects facial expression does not portray the mood I want to create in my magazine.

 This shot is the kind of shot I would be looking to use in my magazine as it shows the subject looking studious. However, the subject looks slightly dazed which is not what I want for my front cover.

This is a good shot that I would consider using for my magazine as the subject is looking into the camera, almost as if she is inviting the reader in. Also, the background is plain which enables me to edit the colours later.

 This is not the kind of shot I am looking for as the subject is not looking at the camera and the text book cannot be seen.  Also, the subjects facial expression is not as welcoming as I would like.

 This shot is okay, so I might consider it for my magazine. This is because the subject is smiling, welcoming the reader in.

 This is a very similar shot to the one above, and therefore will also be considered for the magazine for the same reasons as the shot above.

 This is not the kind of shot I want to use as the subject is not looking into the camera and does not have the facial expression I am looking for.

 Overall, this is my favourite shot of all of the ones I took as the subject is smiling and looking into camera welcoming the reader to the magazine. Also, it is clear that she was reading the textbook.

This shot would also be up for consideration as the subject is looking very studious, however the facial expression is not what I am looking for, so it would be very low down on the consideration list.

Joining Flickr and Slideshare

Today I joined both Flickr and Slideshare. Both of these websites will enable to me to perform better in the course. Slideshare enables me to embed powerpoints into my blog, and Flickr enables me to post photos for my classmates to see, and we can exchange views and opinions on them.

Codes and Conventions Powerpoint

Codes and conventions from robbiehall

Media Institution Research

Bauer Media Group are a German media institution who were first formed in 1875. Since then, they have grown into one of Europe's largest institutions, owning many different media companies across the continent including British companies such as '4 Music', 'Closer', 'Empire', and 'Viking Radio'. From their beginnings as a small German printing house, the company has grown and now produces an annual turnover of approximately $2.7 billion.

The institution own well known British music magazines 'Q', and 'Kerrang!'. Pop music magazine 'Q' was first published by Bauer in January 2008 after being bought from previous publishers EMAP. Since then, 'Q' has become a very familiar title amongst its target audience owing to its famous features. The magazine includes extensive review sections every month such as the sections on new releases, re-releases, compilations, and live concerts. These reviews, along with the many interviews with major artists like Liam Gallagher (pictured right), keep readers coming back for every new issue. As well as these articles, 'Q' uses cross-media convergence to keep the readers engaged with the magazine. Readers can access the magazine online via their website, or by their tablets through the App Store or Google Play. This enables them to read the magazine whenever they want, wherever they are, which is a vital part of the modern market.



'Kerrang!' was, like 'Q', purchased by Bauer from previous publishers EMAP in 2008. However, unlike 'Q', 'Kerrang!' is dedicated to rock music which is evident on the front cover. The masthead has a cracked glass effect giving the entire cover a more edgy feel. This is then supplemented by the style of the subjects on the front cover (such as those pictured left). The 'mohawk' haircut and the neck tattoos are very stereotypical of the rock genre much like the intimidating facial expressions of the subjects, indicating very clearly the desired genre to the reader. Much like 'Q', 'Kerrang!' contains reviews of new releases and live concerts, as well as interviews with famous artists and rising stars. The cross-media convergence used by 'Kerrang!' is very similar to that used by 'Q'. Readers can like and follow the magazine on Facebook and Twitter, enabling the editors of the magazine to share snippets from upcoming issues before release to entice more readers. However, unlike 'Q', 'Kerrang!' is not available on platforms such as the App Store or Google Play.

Response to the brief

After reading the brief, I feel confident about being able to do well in this task. There are some things that have been mentioned in the brief that I am unsure as to what they mean, for e.g. DTP and masthead, however I can research them in order to find out what they mean and enable me to complete this brief effectively.

OCR G321 Print Brief

Preliminary Exercise: using DTP and an image manipulation program, produce the front page of a new school/college magazine, featuring a photograph of a student in medium close-up plus some appropriately laid-out text and a masthead. Additionally candidates must produce a DTP mock-up of the layout of the contents page to demonstrate their grasp of the program.
Main: the front page, contents and double page spread of a new magazine.