1. Zerminay Shah
In what ways does your
media product, use, develop
or challenge forms and
conventions of real
media products?

2. I began my research by looking into the
conventions of broadsheet, tabloid and
local newspapers, to give myself an
understanding of what the main
differences there are between each type
of newspaper and what they also share so
I would have a clear idea when creating
my newspaper what kind of newspaper I
would want to make and to follow there
particular conventions.

3. The Difference between tabloid
and broadsheet newspapers?
Broadsheet newspapers.
• Hard news.
• Front cover is heavy text,
rather than mainly
pictures.
• Not as many images or
advertisements.
• Not Colourful.
• More serious and less
sensationalist.
• More expensive than tabloid
newspapers.
• Overall a thicker newspaper
(more stories).

4. Tabloid newspaper –
• More relaxed and laid back
language.
• Front cover is mainly
pictures.
• Soft News (mainly about
celebrities and gossip).
• Designed to appeal to a
mass audience and
readership.
• The format is smaller giving
the news in condensed
form.
• Usually many pictures.
• Cheap.

5. I researched the difference between national
tabloid and broadsheet newspapers
to learn the different codes and conventions used.
Just by reading the headlines of the articles and skimming through the
articles I could tell the language in broadsheet newspapers is much more
serious and informative than in tabloid newspaper, articles such as
politics or serious incidents in the UK or other countries.
The type of articles and language used in tabloid newspaper is a lot more
laid back language and soft news, such as celebrities, gossip and
sensationalist crime stories.
In comparison, the mode of address for both these type of newspapers
are completely different, Broadsheet newspapers are much more formal,
therefore are aimed towards an upper class, especially as they are also
more expensive. Whereas tabloid newspapers are more informal,
therefore aimed towards working class or lower class people, and are
also cheap.

6. Local Newspaper Conventions:
Large bold
mastheads
Soft news
Local businesses
advertisements
Large, bold and eye
catching headlines
Three colour rule
From my research, I learnt most newspapers are aimed towards adults and elderly
people. The typical subjects included in local newspapers would not appeal to
teenagers or a younger audience. Most of the local adverts would not appeal to
them either.

7. Ham& High Local Newspaper.
From all my research into local newspapers
from different areas, Ham&High, which is
aimed towards people living in Hampstead
and Highgate, was my favourite local
newspaper.
The main reason I feel I preferred this the
most was because of the layout and design
they used. I found many of the local
newspapers I researched layout and designs
very simple, such as the fonts and colours
used.
As I wanted to create a local newspaper which
would be eye catching and look interesting, I
chose to use this newspaper as a guide
throughout creating my newspaper, such as
using the same gutter and bleed
measurements as they used and also a similar
layout.

8. I chose to do conventions similar to tabloid newspapers as I felt this would appeal more
towards my target audience, being young people. Yet I also used some broadsheet
newspaper conventions.
Conventions I used from tabloid newspapers for my front
cover:
Colourful
Many images and
advertisements
included
Large bold
masthead
Various fonts
used
Celebrity Included
Large bold font
used for main
article
Language appeals
to target audience

9. Conventions similar to broadsheet
newspapers for my front cover:
More text used on
the front cover
than tabloid
newspapers

10. How Is my local newspaper similar to
other local newspapers?
Large, bold and eye
catching masthead.
Local businesses being
advertised
Main article is soft
news.
Three colour
rule used.
Different fonts and
font sizes used
Banners
Captions

11. First page of local newspapers
codes and conventions:
Contents
4 columns
Regular topics
included within
the newspaper
By line
Contact
details
Events in the local
area
Welcome
paragraph
Local business
being advertised

12. Similar conventions with my local newspaper and another
local newspaper:
Contents
Local advertisements
Subheads
in large
bold font
Four columns
used
Contact details
Soft news,
e.g. events
in the
area,
what's
new in the
are etc.

13. Challenging & Developing
conventions
• I feel with my first page of my local newspaper I made,
I challenged and developed the conventions. I
followed the conventions of adding a contents, and
articles which are soft news.
• Conventions I feel I challenged was adding many more
pictures and colour than what would normally be
put in a local newspaper, as my target audience is
teenagers and young people I felt I had to add this
to attract them more.
•

14. Radio Advertisement
Before I began writing the script and
recording my radio advertisement I
did some research into how to make
effective radio advertisements. Once
picking up the typical codes and
conventions, I knew how to structure
my radio advertisement.
• I followed the conventions
of keeping it under 50
seconds, so the
audience listening don’t
become uninterested.
• Using various sound effects.
• Keeping it simple yet unique
at the same time.
The script I wrote for my radio advertisement.

15. Billboard Poster.
Before creating this media product, I
also did some research into effective
billboard posters. Unfortunately I
was unable to find any newspapers
being advertised on billboards as
they are not typically advertised on
them. Yet I followed the
conventions of:
• White background with a simple
yet eye catching image which
is relevant to the product
being promoted.
• Giving a large bold question,
which is sometimes a quote
as well.
• Giving simple and short
information about the
product being sold.

16. • Overall I feel I used most conventions from tabloid
newspapers mainly. The conventions I challenged
would be my target audience, as most local
newspaper's are aimed towards the elderly or
adults.
• Another convention I challenged was having more
text than most tabloid newspapers and more
similar to broadsheet newspapers.
• Conventions I developed would be including a
twitter address for the newspaper, and also an
app which could be downloaded. I did this as this
would appeal for my target audience.