Task 2 from Ancillary research tasks

1. Front Page Analysis

2. Top Gear Magazine – automotive news
and reviews
Masthead
Buzzwords
Main Image
Main Cover Line
Thumbnail Image
Footer
Header/Skyline

3. Top Gear Magazine
• Readership: 1.6M
• Circulation: 130K
• Average Age: 35
• ABC1’s: 55%
• AB’s:28%
• Male: 84%
• Self Readership: 69%
• Actively Purchased: 73%
• Subscriptions: 33%
• Average Time Reading: 44 minutes
• Distributed by: BBC Worldwide, a commercial arm of the
BBC who receives funds through advertising.

4. Analysis
• To achieve the magazine’s majority male audience, the
magazine uses grey, metallic colouring to
stereotypically appeal to the target gender.
• The masthead is bold and in a very recognisable font,
as the Top Gear name is a very recognisable and well-
loved one, which gives the magazine some value, even
to those who may not be interested in the magazine
format.
• Buzzwords have been used to draw the reader into the
significance of the car that has been presented. Being a
‘world exclusive’, it makes the magazine much more
intriguing to read.

5. T3 Magazine – Gadgets and
technology reviews
Main Cover Line
Thumbnail Images
Buzzwords
Masthead Strip
Cover Lines
Main Image

6. T3 Magazine & Analysis
• Very little information regarding audience is to be found online, but the circulation
is quoted to be 53,000, as of December 2013.
• Though no official statistics are given, one can easily assume that the majority
audience are males. This is because they are typically more likely to be interested
in technology. Additionally, the magazine employs a use of male gaze to draw new
readers in by using a model on the front cover. The magazine actually has no
models inside – just technology – so one could come to the conclusion that they’re
purely used to catch attention on the shelves.
• Uses of the cover lines being exaggerated like ‘the ultimate Android smartphone’
would catch technophile’s attention, as it’s a bold statement to make. They would
then be interested into what makes it the ultimate.
• Thumbnail images of alternative pieces of technology that can be found in the
magazine are featured on the front cover, so that the magazine can appeal to as
many people as possible. Some people interested in technology may not be
bothered about Android phones, so the magazine features a list containing: Apple
TV, Laptops, Razors, and DSLRs. This ensures that the mag is showing how there’s
something for everyone, which will attract more people.
• Distributed by Future PLC, a large media business who distributes magazines and
hosts websites that target various different specific audiences with niche subjects.

7. Focus Magazine – Science and the
future
Masthead
Tagline
Main Cover Line
Pug and Puff
Strip
Thumbnail Images
Main Image

8. Focus Magazine
• Circulation: 63K
• Readership: 220K
• Subscribers: 56%
• Male: 68%
• AB: 40%
• ABC1: 73%
• Actively Purchased: 81%
• Subscriptions: 56%
• Circulation Market Share: 9%
• Average Age: 45
• Distributed by BBC Worldwide, the same as Top Gear
magazine.

9. Analysis
• The magazine main cover line is a very open-ended question, which
promotes the audience to actually think just what their lives will be like in
2054. By not giving a definitive answer on the front cover, it persuades
audiences to purchase the magazine and look up what the answer would
be.
• In a similar fashion to T3, Focus magazine has included thumbnail images
with additional information to go besides them to aim for the audience
who may not be interested in the future. For example, if the average age
range is 45, many people may not even be around in 2054. Therefore, the
magazine has included other extracts from the magazine in order to bring
in a broad appeal as possible.
• The bold colours of the pug and puff catch the reader’s attention almost
immediately after initially seeing the front cover of the magazine. It is
filled with unexplainable and arguably unreal things such as ‘talking
homes’ and ‘delivery robots’. In the same manner as the main cover line
does, it interests the reader to find out the answer for these strange
futuristic-sounding concepts.