Question 1

I researched real media texts (music magazines), such as Kerrang!, Uncut, Mojo, Q and NME, but I mostly focused on Kerrang! Magazine, because of the similarities to music genres.

‘Kerrang!’ Magazine.‘Metalium’ magazine (my media product). FRONT COVER

MASTHEAD COVER IMAGE MAIN COVER LINE COVER LINES DATELINE BARCODE AND PRICE PULL QUOTE

I’ve chosen to compare my magazine to Kerrang! To show if my media product follows or challenges the conventions of a music magazine. Firstly, I've looked at the masthead of my media product against Kerrang!’s masthead. I believe my masthead follows the conventions of a music magazine, because the masthead is bold and big, standing out on the page. Also, the name ‘Metalium’ is quite metal and rock, which goes along well with the design of my masthead. However, my masthead challenges the conventions because of the colour. My magazine I decided is aimed at a female audience, so I made the colour girly and pink, which isn’t familiar with this genre of magazine.

Next, I’ve looked at the main cover line on my media product against the main cover line on the Kerrang! Magazine I decided to look at. I think my magazine follows the conventions of a music magazine here, because I’ve included the artists name in big block letters that are easy to read against the cover image, with a pull quote aswell in a smaller font, but still easy to read. This is similar on the Kerrang! Magazine, with the artists name in a different colour to the pull quote and added typography. The name in bold and a bigger font is to catch the audiences eye so they know what the main article inside is going to be about.

Now I’m going to talk about the cover image (the models used). On the Kerrang! Magazine, the model (Gerard Way, My Chemical Romance) is shot at a close up, showing his face with a direct mode of address (directly looking into the camera). This is the same with my model on my media product, she’s looking into the camera, giving the audience a direct mode of address and a simple smile because I wanted the audience to relate to her, and so they would feel comfortable in reading articles etc. This doesn’t follow the normal conventions of a music magazine, because on the Kerrang! Magazine shown above and to the left, the model has a ‘shocked’ expression, as if he’s just told a secret, and so that would attract the audience, wanting to read the article.

Next, I’m going to talk about the cover lines on Kerrang!’s media product, and on mine. Firstly, on Kerrang!’s magazine, it includes a stamp-like box at the top with an exciting article in. This is to attract the reader to the magazine, to make it look more spectacular. On my media product, I've included the same at the top, with a competition to win gig tickets. This means I’ve again followed the conventions of a normal music magazine with my media product. Also, the cover lines and neat and all aligned to the left, showing in different colours to identify the different articles, alike the cover lines on the Kerrang! Magazine. This means I’ve also followed the conventions of a music magazine here.

Also, at the bottom of my magazine, I’ve added a barcode and the price, alike on Kerrang!’s magazine. This means I’ve followed the conventions of a music magazine here. I included the barcode to make my media product look more real and appealing to an audience.

‘Kerrang!’ Magazine.‘Metalium’ magazine (my media product). CONTENTS PAGE

MASTHEAD DATELINE TABLE OF CONTENTS SUBHEADINGS PAGE NUMBERS CONTENTS IMAGES EDITORS NOTE/FOLIO

Now I’m going to talk about my contents page on my media product. Again, I’m comparing it to a contents page from a Kerrang! Magazine issue. Alike the Kerrang! Magazine, my contents page includes a table of contents, with subheadings and page numbers. The subheadings are shown in a bolder colour on both mine and Kerrang! Magazine, with the page numbers on the left-hand side to the article. This means my media product follows the conventions of a normal music magazine.

Also on my contents page are some images that are to do with some of the articles in my magazine, with the page numbers at the bottom indicating which page that article will be on so the audience will have an idea what the article will be about. This is also included on the Kerrang! Contents page, so that means my magazine follows the conventions of a normal music magazine.

As well as that, on most music magazine contents pages, there is a little editor’s note included normally at the bottom of the page, explaining what the issue is about. I have included this on my media product so that the audience can read it and feel that the magazine is more personal and appealing to them. This also proves that here I’m following the conventions of a music magazine with the contents page.

‘Kerrang!’ magazine.‘Metalium’ magazine (my media product). DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD

ART PULL QUOTE FOLIO DROP CAPITAL THREE COLUMN- GRID HEADLINE DECK PAGE NUMBER

Now I’m going to talk about my double page spread in my media product in relation to a double page spread from a Kerrang! Magazine. First of all, on my double page spread includes a three-columned grid in which my article is. This is also included on the Kerrang! Double page spread. This makes my media product look professional and so the audience will appeal to it more, and so this makes it also follow the conventions of a music magazine. Also, I’ve included a drop capital at the beginning of the introduction to the article, and the questions and answers clearly marked on the page.

My media product also includes a headline, which is also on most music magazines, meaning my product follows the conventions of a music magazine. My headline is in a big bold font and bright colour, alike my masthead on my front cover to catch the audiences attention, making them read the text, and then making them want to read the article. This could be a large pull quote, or just something about the article.