Media AS evaluation

1. Music Industry Updates.

2. 1) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and
conventions of real media products?
My music magazine follows many conventions of real
media products. For example on all of my pages I have
put a masthead in the top left hand side as when doing
my research I realized a lot of big name music magazines
such as NME had theirs in that position because of the
power it adds to the page. Also the main images I have
used throughout the magazine are mid shot images
typical for a music magazine along with a barcode, price
and consistent colour scheme. The Title of my media
magazine is called MIU standing for music industry
updates an originally thought of name from myself but in
relation to other large music magazine brands. The
colour scheme I have used is Red, Black and white, I
decided to use these colours after getting my feedback
from the questionnaires and also after researching a
lot, seeing colours that look good and colours that don’t.
Another convention I have followed is producing my
product on an A4 piece of paper instead of any other.
Before making my magazine I thought about what size I
should use realizing A5 would be too overcrowded and
not stand out on shop shelves practically well and A3
would be left with too much space or too much
information putting off buyers.

3. Conventions continued
Even though I have followed many conventions of
media which I agree helps the magazine sell I also
feel I have challenged some forms of conventions.
For example on my front cover I have used a female
on the front cover but still strongly aim for my music
magazine to be aimed at both genders. To get this
across I feel using the colour scheme I did all being
unisex colours will help this, making it attract both a
male and females eye. To get this point across more I
feel I could have used a photograph of a male on my
magazine. As well as this after doing my research on
the music magazine front covers I have noticed that
it is not common for them to have borders at the
bottom of the page. Even though I knew this I still
wanted to use them making it tidier and to stand out
more. Another thing I decided to put on the front
cover of my magazine MIU challenging conventions
is having a bonus free poster inside. Although I did
this I think it will help attract my audience focusing
on 16-19 year olds (my target audience) who are
interested in the Indie genre.

4. Double page spread conventions
On my double page spread I have followed most common conventions putting a
large image on one half of the page with the title/logo above. Following more
conventions I put a title for the article overlapping the both pages with the
article content on the other half of the page. Although I followed the typical
double page spread conventions I challenged it slightly by not having the back
ground a light colour which I had typically seen on music magazines. I felt this
related more to the article as it was a dark time in the singer ‘Ellie Morris’s’
life, making the reader feel more engaged on the topic.

5. Contents page conventions
On my contents page I used columns which is typical
for a contents page because it makes it more
enjoyable to read and easier to find the information
being looked for. Therefore I don’t feel I challenged
any of the conventions on my contents page apart
from the choice of photos mainly being photos of a
female when targeting both gender.

6. 2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?
My media product represents many different social groups. Firstly, it
represents the indie-type culture and social group. I believe it is relevant to
this group because of how it features a double page spread with an artist
who describes her difficult journey with drink and drugs and her path to
success. This would appeal to an indie social group because as she is an
indie/pop singer-songwriter artist and many readers of this social group
would enjoy that. Another social group this would represent would be music
fanatics as this music magazine includes news about artists and gigs that are
coming up soon. This would appeal to various music lovers as they could
turn to my magazine to find out about the latest music news, information
and tour dates including festival deals and promotion schemes with known
companies such as ‘The Physical Network’.

7. 3) Who would be the audience for your media product?
The audience that MIU would attract I feel could vary. It would draw in an indie, punk and general
music fanatic audience. This is assured because my magazine includes all the necessary
content, for example, gig locations, information on upcoming artists, interviews with upcoming
artists and general gossip and details of the music industry. This would be assured to draw in
these types of readers and give them what they are after.
Regarding age I aim to target 16-19 year olds, aiming mainly on students and passionate
musicians who want to read a new music magazine with hopeful opportunities and information
on their favorite artists and events. This is why on my double page spread I feel the article about
‘Ellie Morris’ is appropriate as it would involve people who love music but also give musicians a
better idea about real life things that can happen whilst in the industry but not giving it such a
negative impact, which in some cases is exaggerated to all be bad when featured in the news
papers.
This is at the
bottom of the my
contents page and I
think it would
engage the music
fanatic audience
very well.

8. 4) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
Media institutions that would distribute my product
would mostly be music industries. I would aspire for my
magazine to be displayed in waiting rooms at record
companies, displayed in high-end shops and also
newsagents. This is because MIU would have a sense of
superiority to other magazines, being affordable yet with
a sense of class. I would want it to be displayed in record
companies because this would be good way of
advertising so my magazine would become well
known, respected and talked about by people in the
industry giving it a better name for itself. The reason I
would want it to be distributed in newsagents as well as
this is so it can get well known by a variety of customers.
There will also be a website where there will be sneak
previews of upcoming issues and it will be accessible to
be ordered monthly by post and through mobile phone
and tablet apps making it accessible on the go. I am
hoping that this will create a regular demand for the
product.

9. 5) How did you attract/address your audience?
I attracted my audience by brainstorming and mind mapping what audiences would be relevant
to what genres of magazine. As well as this I created my questionnaire and handed it around to
get a view on the public demand for music magazines. After this I eventually decided to create an
indie genre magazine as this currently is the most demanded. I feel that I have addressed my
audience by including interesting topics and spreads in my magazine that would appeal to them
specifically. As well as this I feel I have used appropriate language in my double page spread and
throughout my magazine that would appeal to the teenage audience I aim to please. From all of
my photos I feel that the model has been dressed appropriately to what people the age I aim to
please would wear. For example ‘Geek glasses’ are popular with the age range I am targeting.
Also the clothing that is featured in the photos are fashionable products which the average
teenager would wear.

10. 6) What have you learnt about technology?
For this project I have learnt a lot and developed
my skills within technology. First of all when I
made my sixth form magazine I used Microsoft
word, this is why you can tell that the quality of
that magazine is not as strong as my indie music
magazine. Whereas when I made my music
magazine I used Photoshop which I feel has
developed my skills within technology and made
my work a better quality. During the coursework I
used blogger to present all of my work as it gives it
a different edge. On blogger I enjoyed trying out
different backgrounds until I found one that I think
suited my style of work. As well as this I improved
my skills with in general technology using the
website Slideshare. This is where I’m uploading my
evaluation, then will be posting it on to my blog so
it is easy to access and makes it more enjoyable to
read.

11. 7) What do you feel you have learnt in the progression in the 2 tasks?
Throughout the two tasks I improved my general media skills. For
example my photography skills have improved and my research skills.
Which I feel has had a positive impact on my layout of the magazine
and all of the other key conventions. I feel like my music magazine is a
lot more professional than my sixth form magazine and it is
noticeable that my editing skills have improved to suit the genre and
target audience I am aiming for.