AS Media Music Evaluation Tasks | Social Groups and Target Audience

What I did and what I have learnt throughout the task and preliminary task

Creating my music magazine was not an easy task. Looking back, I was so clueless to the amount of effort which goes in to creating a publication. I thought that creating a cover, contents and Double page spread would be walk in the park.... wasn't I wrong. I had to bring all the elements together in a magazine which would usually be done by a team of people. Firstly, there was the task of finding a name for my magazine. I already knew I wanted to make an alternative magazine, but what about the title? People who enjoy alternative music are often quite alternative themselves, so you could say that they are distinct? And that was it, the name of my magazine. The fonts and the colours of the title would eventually change, but that did not stop be getting creative with the camera! I wanted to create an image of my talent, Alfie, where it looked like he was facing himself, like there was two of him. So, I set the tripod up and carefully took the photos, trying to get the background of the two photos the same, so I could stitch them together. I tok one of him looking right and then looking left. I put these together and got the shot. I played with effects on the image using Serif PhotoPlus X6. I managed to make Alfie look 'ghosted' into the landscape. This was ironic because the title was Distinct, but the photo made him look unclear. Other images such as the one in the DPS has had its colours edited and I have made a collage on the left hand side of the double page spread, which has been made brighter so the text can be placed over the top of it. From the two tasks, I have made what I think are leaps and bounds. The magazine in my preliminary task is really quite bland and plain, and it really does not make the audience look at it and want to browse through its pages. I am happy with my magazine now compared to what I made previously.

AS Media Music Magazine Evaluation | Target Audience and Media Institution Distributors

Magazine Comparisons - Real Magazine and My Magazine

This is one of my evaluation tasks, where I have compared my magazine with a publication which actually exists. I have explained the differences between my magazine and the real one, and added where I could possibly improve to make it look more like the real publication.

What I used to create my music magazine

These images are the things which I used to create my music magazine. I am going to explain what each image means and how they helped me create my coursework.

Canon 650D
Without this piece of wonderful technology, I would not have been able to put the images which I am very proud of in the magazine. I have always had an interest in cameras, more filming, but I like taking photos and playing around with the angles and lighting. I prefer using a DSLR than a compact camera or a bridge camera because the quality of image is just so much better. Images look sharper and colours are more vibrant. The only problem with using a DSLR is that they are very chunky and the lenses that you have to carry around with you can get very heavy!

Hama 61 Star Tripod, Newer Speedlite TT560 and Samyang 8mm Fisheye
I used my tripod for the front cover shot because I originally wanted my talent, Alfie, to have an image where I could edit it to make it look like he was facing himself, and for this I would need to keep the frame the same so I could stitch the photos together. After look at the image, I decided that it would not all fit on a front cover, so I cropped it down to around half size, and placed it on my front cover. The flash was used for the images on the DPS, because they were taken indoors. They allowed my images to become more colourful and vibrant. The fisheye was used on one of the images I took, but never used. I used this type of lens because I wanted an action shot of Alfie mixing music, but could not fit his whole body in with the turntables and laptop also, so I put the fisheye on which widened the shot and captured the whole scene.

iPhone 4
This was used to contact my talent mainly, but also sharing photos on various sites like Facebook and Blogger was done. My phone was a vital piece of equipment, because without it, getting times for taking photos and sharing images would have been very difficult and a lot more running around would have had to be done!

Sony Vaio and iMacs
I never really hit it off with the iMacs. After years of using Windows based laptops and desktops, it would always be hard for me to change allegiances. One of my first drafts was done on an iMac, but in the end I decided to use to own personal Windows based laptop and that would be the end of it. I used programs such as Publisher on it to create the main magazine. I found that you do not need all the fancy programs worth hundreds of pounds to create a good looking publication, and I think I have proved that in my magazine at least. I also used pixlr, which is a photo editing app online. I used it to edit the photo on the left hand side of the DPS, by changing the brightness and contrast to create an off colour looking image. Sadly, I am having to finish my evaluation tasks on the families desktop computer, as I sat on my laptop and broke the screen!

Dropbox and Outlook
Dropbox is an online document storage facility which lets yo easily share files with other people. I uploaded some photos which I did not use, so they could be used by the talent for other personal things such as social media sites and websites. I used Outlook to email over some other images to the talent, and also when I did not have a memory stick, I could email myself the images to make sure if I moved computers I could still access everything I need.

Teacher help
Overall, I could not have made my publication on my own. The preliminary task really helped my skills develop, and the advice which I was given by my media teachers was first rate. They taught me do's and dont's of the magazine world, what looks good where and what to avoid.

Evaluation Task - Powerpoint Music Magazine Deconstruction

Front Cover, Contents Page and DPS Final Drafts

 

Final Draft of my Music Magazine

1st Draft of my Music Magazine

Clash Double Page Spread

This is a double page spread from a magazine which style I would like to use in mine. Clash magazine is a publication which is dedicated to new artists and has smaller festival events. I like this double page spread because of the image on the left hand side of the page. The sharp blue shapes and mirrors make the artist look like he is hidden and his music reflects who he is. The masthead tells the reader the artist's name, and there is a quote underneath, which could possibly be some lyrics from a song of the artist. There is a standfirst with the letter J, which is the singer's initial of his first name. I like the way the J is repeated from the masthead, and I could use this technique in my article. The text body has not been justified and has been left aligned left, and this could show the casual attitude of the magazine, which reflects the attitude of the readers.  The text is also in the middle of the page, along with the title and quote. This makes the casual attitude seem formal in a sense. There are uses of graphics in the bottom right hand corner, which is an arrow that tells the reader that the article continues onto the next page. In the bottom left hand corner, there is the word Clash next to the page number and there is also something in the top right hand corner, however I am unable to make out what this says. I like the use of little graphics, and although they may not be clear, they give the page more character and make it look less plain. 

Health and Safety

There will possibly be a few problems when doing my photo's and possibly an interview. I would like to take some photos in a field near to where my talent lives. This field could be muddy and a bit slippy, which could mean that either me or the talent could fall over. There could also be the possibility of people walking around with dogs, and a it could bite us or the person cause us some harm. Some of the farmers in the fields have things to scare birds away like windmills, and they can rotate quite fast, so if we walked into one of them it could hurt. 

First draft for my front cover

Music Magazine Questionnaire

I constructed a questionnaire asking about music magazines and their contents. I asked a wide range of people, different ages and a fair number of males and females. Here are my results:-

 

Music magazine questionnaire - Results	Number of People
1.) Sex?
Male	5
Female	5
2.) Age?
Under 18	4
18-25	4
26-30	1
31 or over	1
Rather not say
3.) What is your favourite genre of music?
Pop	6
Rock	3
Classical	2
Rap	2
RnB	4
Hip Hop	2
Metal	1
Alternative	4
Other (Please State) :	Motown
4.) Often purchase of music magazine?
Once a week	2
Once a month	0
Once a year	8
5.) How much would you pay?
Less than £1.00	0
Less than £3.00	6
Less than £5.00	2
More than £5.00	2
6.) What would you like to see?
Band news	6
Events	8
Competitions	3
Giveaways	3
Quizzes	1
Other :	Lyrics
7.) What would make you pick up a mag?
Band featured	8
Colour	2
Price	5
Layout	3
Paper style/quality	2
Comments	Price must be cheap and colour attractive

Pixlr.com Photo Edit

Today, we used the website pixlr.com, where I got an image of the band 'the xx' and edited it, changing it dramatically. Firstly, I focused on the faces. To change the look of the band members, I looked into colours which stand out, for example a bright pink and a light blue. I only coloured in the faces and then added the features like eyes and noses myself. I changed the background from a dull coloured red to a bright green colour. This gives the overall image a pop-art type look. It is eye catching because of the bright colours. I would improve it by taking more time to colour round the band members and add more detail around their faces. 

Target Audience for my Magazine

My target audience is someone that is open to new types of music, but it also has favourite genres of music. The magazine will not focus on mainstream artists, and will be more focused on artist which are not very well known of. This will attract a younger audience who could be classified as 'indie'. Possibly 17 to around 22 would be the age range. The person will be just discovering themselves and will be looking for influences to model themselves on. They will possibly be studying their A Levels and starting University. They will be people who do take some pride in their appearance, but not too much; they do not over dress. 

Circulation

The Top 5 Magazines for the first half of 2012.

Asda Magazine : 1,963,201 - % change y/y: -0.9 - Sold copies: 0

Tesco Magazine : 1,931,673 - % change y/y: 0.2 - Sold copies: 0

TV Choice : 1,277,850 - % change y/y: -5.7 - Sold copies: 1,277,850

Tesco Real Food : 1,223,333 - % change y/y: 0.5 - Sold copies: 0

What's on TV : 1,215,609 - % change y/y: -4.6 - Sold copies: 1,215,609

The Top 5 Magazines of 2011.

Tesco Magazine ( Cedar Communications Limited ) : 2,018,375 ; 1.7%

Asda Magazine ( Publicis Blueprint ) : 1,949,451 ; -18.1%

The National Trust Magazine ( National Trust ) : 1,948,384 ; 3.5%

TV Choice ( H Bauer Publishing ) : 1,304,382 ; -4.3%

What's on TV ( IPC Media Ltd ) : 1,253,697 ; -0.3%

Music Magazines

The Stool Pigeon : 54,588 - % change y/y: - Sold copies: 0
Classic Rock ( Future Publishing Ltd ) : 62,354 ; -7.9%
Kerrang! ( Bauer Consumer Media ) : 42,077 ; -2.1%

New Musical Express ( IPC Media Ltd ) : 27,650 ; -14.0%

The top 5 magazines in 2011 tell us a lot about what genre is most popular. The top 2 are to do with big supermarkets, and are usually free by the entrances to the stores or at the checkouts. The next is a The National Trust Magazine. This will be very popular with people who are into nature, but also elderly people because they have time to visit the places that are like country parks. Magazines 4 and 5 are both TV magazines, which are probably popular because the information given is going to be correct, and some peoples lives revolved around TV. Yes, TV listings can be accessed on the internet, but some people cannot access them so the magazine is the most reliable source. 

Mine Fuhrer - Sun Newspaper

The Sun front page that was cut an hour before the deadline.


















The front page which was finally printed.

Target Audience for my Magazine

For my magazine, I would like the target audience to be that of a mature age, but also still has fun at heart. Possibly a bit like the NME, but with more formality about it, so it appeals to a younger audience but also an older audience. Having interviews with new artists but also classic artists definitely opens a window for me to put my magazine out to a wide audience. I am thinking of going with a design like the music magazine "Clash" but having it jam packed inside with fresh new talents and classics, just like the NME. I think this mix between the two will work very well, with the "Clash" being quite formal and mature, and the NME being quite alternative and immature.

NME - SAGEL = Socio-economic group, age, gender, ethnicity and lifestyle

Definition of a Target Reader - Particular group of people, identified as the intended recipient of an advertisement or message. Also called target population.

I feel the target reader for the NME uses it as an escape from society. I think this because the magazine itself is very alternative and unique, so the unique people have something which they can relate to. On the copy I purchased, it had a free CD attached, meaning that it is some publicity for the band it belongs to but also it is a new window of music for the reader to listen to.

Who is the target reader of the NME?

I believe the readers of the NME to be people who are in to alternative music, with some dashed of rock added in. Most of the bands inside the magazine are definitely not mainstream, so it gives them a chance against the bigger artists to get some publicity. I would say the readers would be around 17 - 23, because the magazine still seems immature in a sense, like trying to be young. It has bold fonts which make it catch the eye, and it does not take much to make a teenager get distracted.

Hypodermic Needle Effect Theory and Uses and Gratification Theory

The "hypodermic needle theory" implied mass media had a direct, immediate and powerful effect on its audiences. The mass media in the 1940s and 1950s were perceived as a powerful influence on behavior change.

Several factors contributed to this "strong effects" theory of communication, including:

- the fast rise and popularization of radio and television

- the emergence of the persuasion industries, such as advertising and propaganda

- the Payne Fund studies of the 1930s, which focused on the impact of motion pictures on children, and

- Hitler's monopolization of the mass media during WWII to unify the German public behind the Nazi party

http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20Clusters/Mass%20Media/Hypodermic_Needle_Theory.doc/

  

The Hypodermic Needle Theory, also known as the Magic Bullet Theory, was the first major theory concerning the effect of the mass media on society. Originating in the 1920s, the theory was based on the premise of an all-powerful media with uniform and direct effects on the viewer or audience. The Hypodermic Needle Theory is therefore an effects theory that contends viewers are passive, and directly affected by what they view; people accept the message they see without considering its merits. In that way media content is shot at the audience like a magic bullet, directly penetrating the viewer' mind.

http://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1708629.html 


One influential tradition in media research is referred to as 'uses and gratifications' (occasionally 'needs and gratifications'). This approach focuses on why people use particular media rather than on content. In contrast to the concern of the 'media effects' tradition with 'what media do to people' (which assumes a homogeneous mass audience and a 'hypodermic' view of media), U & G can be seen as part of a broader trend amongst media researchers which is more concerned with 'what people dowith media', allowing for a variety of responses and interpretations. However, some commentators have argued that gratifications could also be seen as effects: e.g. thrillers are likely to generate very similar responses amongst most viewers. And who could say that they never watch more TV than they had intended to? Watching TV helps to shape audience needs and expectations. 

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/usegrat.html


 

Exposed Magazine Deconstruction

This is exposed magazine, who say that the magazine is 'the definitive entertainment, lifestyle and listings magazine for Sheffield and South Yorkshire established in 2003.' It is a free magazine, which will automatically make people want to pick it up, because people love anything that is free in this day and age! There is a competition to win a Vespa scooter, which is a prize with substantial value, meaning that the readers will enter, and possibly read the rest of the issue. If the competition asks for an email address, then the magazine company can keep them for a possible mailing list to tell the reader about upcoming issues, offers and competitions. The masthead is slightly off kilter, which could be a representation of the type of reader the magazine gets - the alternative character. The image shows two males in a medium close up, with one of the males looking seriously and the other with a slight grin. This could link to the other title on the cover, which says 'Love & Hate' - the serious looking male could be the 'hate' and the smiling male could be the 'love'. Alternatively it could be the name of the duo's band. There is a banner along the bottom, which has links to two social networking sites, which lets the readers connect with the magazine. Just above the banner on the left, it shows a charity which the magazine supports, which could attract readers because they can see the charitable side of the publication which makes them a good magazine. Below the masthead, it says 'spoken to'. It goes on to list who they have interviewed, giving the reader an insight into the content of the most recent issue. If the reader sees and artist which they like, they are more likely to pick the magazine up and be informed about the artist of their preference. With the magazine being free, there has to be advertising included to help the financial cost of producing the publication. In the bottom right hand corner, there is an advert for 'wigs and warpaint', which is possibly a fancy dress company. If this magazine is aimed at the 18-30 age group, then it is most likely that the people reading it are students at a possible university, so advertising fancy dress is a good idea because students love to don a costume and hit the town. Just above this advert is a section of text titles 'Plus'. This tells the reader what else the issue has to offer. If the reader has seen that their favourite artist is in the magazine and that also an event build up is inside, they are twice as likely to read it than if there is nothing that takes their fancy on the cover. 

Rolling Stones Magazine Deconstruction

The RollingStone magazine is a very well respected publication. This is an older issue, from March 1983. The Stray Cats are a rockabilly band, who were part of the era of mods and rockers. The songs were relevant to the time: the lyrics and song titles were about things that were happening in that era. In the song "Rumble in Brighton" is about the fights in Brighton between the Mods and Rockers. The Mods had Lambrettas and Vespas, and the Rockers had big chopper motorbikes, much more powerful than the scooters. "Look at that Cadillac" is a song about the lust for that car, and how saving all the money they can to get one is a dream.

The cover is overall quite plain, with the image of the band being the only one. The title is in an attractive font and it is bold blue, making it easy to read. The other colour used is yellow, and the two colours together work well. Along the top theres is four other things which will be in the magazine. This is good because it shows the reader that there is other things to look at of interest other than the story on the Stray Cats. There is a small barcode bottom left which does not incriminate on the cover. The background is sort of dull and the band members facial expressions are those of serious men, which could suggest the type of music played has true meaning. Although this cover may be simplistic, it draws the reader in because it does not reveal much and will make them want to look inside, getting more of an insight into the life and times of the a very prominent band of the time, the Stray Cats.

Methods of Research

For my coursework, I will need to undertake some research to make sure that my music magazine is aimed at the right audience, but also has everything a music magazine should have in it. To make sure I have all of the information needed, I will do primary, secondary, quantitative and qualitative research.

Primary - First hand research

• Questionnaires
• Surveys
• Interview
• Focus group
• Phone call
• Textual analysis

Secondary - Research you collate from someone else

• Books
• Internet
• Search engines
• Industry websites
• Newspapers
• Magazines

Quantitative data is looking at patters or trends in numerical data. (E.g 10/11 people like cats)

• Closed ended questions are usually used for this type of research as it provides the researcher with a set of standardised answers that they can easily compare.

Qualitative data is looking at words, opinions and responses. 

Clash Magazine Research

Clash magazine was bred out of long running free listings magazine Vibe based in Dundee, Scotland. Re-launching as Clash Magazine in 2004 it won Best New Magazine award at the PPA Magazine Awards and Music Magazine of the Year – Record of the Day Awards 2005 and 2011.

The magazine alternates between modern bands such as The Horrors, Florence & The Machine and Jamie xx as well as hip-hop artists like DJ Shadow, Kanye West and Beastie Boys, who have all had cover spots in recent issues. It concentrates on music and fashion, and often their effect on surrounding culture, as well as film and technology. 

The target audience is the younger generation, maybe 18 - 30, but if you are older than that age, it does not mean you cannot read it, just the target audience is younger.

At the turn of 2011, Clash Magazine took on an entirely new look, ditching the previous glossy feel and music led design, for an altogether more artistically led approach.

They are an independent media group, with established platforms in both print and digital media. 

Social groups are represented as very alternative and different, and ones that stand out from the crowd. 

Clash magazine has a very simplistic magazine cover layout, but is very effective. Usually, there is an image of only the artist, and then the title in large capital letters. This shows that it is the type of magazine that does not need to be plastered with images to attract, it has already built up a strong base of readers.