Researching The Conventions Of Regional Magazines The following slides contain annotations of the cover, contents page and advert of Sheffield based regional magazine Now Then. The purpose of these annotations is to display the generic conventions which are included in a real media product.

Example of a real media product- Cover of Now Then. magazine (Issue 44) Regional magazines can get away with minimalist covers, as they are free to pick up and do not require purchasing. Cover lines can be kept to a minimal, as the company which produce products such as this do not need to rely on audience purchase, but instead, advertising. The running of these types of magazines (production and distribution) is reliant on the money brought by advertisers. Now Then. Mainly uses photography and artwork produced by local creators. This majorly appeals to its target audience, as it gives an insight into the local culture. Now Then. is a Sheffield based magazine, which shows a strong sense of regional identity, as each issue represents Sheffield and more to the point Yorkshire as a whole, through the use of both imagery and content. Each issue is quirky and conveys Sheffield’s artistic nature in its own way, this is one of the main purposes of this magazine, as well as to inform. Cover Image- This image conveys Sheffield as an industrial, urban areas through the use of pylons in the imagery. As mentioned previously, Sheffield is renowned for its artistic nature, this is represented through the shot and editing. The effect used is grainy, which brings a gritty realism to the photograph. Now Then.’s covers are usually minimalistic and simple, where text and layering is concerned, this helps portray more of the artistic side of the region, as it makes solely the cover image stand out. Masthead- This is the branding of the magazine, it portrays its identity. The font type used is sans serif, which is a contemporary style, this is an embodiment of the magazines personal style. The text is white in colour, which complements the image which it is layered onto, this is also an effective way of making it stand out. Sell line- this a line that is designed to sell the magazine, by drawing in potential readers. The magazine’s title ‘Now then.’ stands for “Shall we begin?” in a business sense, however as a narrower used term in Yorkshire this stands for “Hello”. This has been picked in order signify the importance of regional identity. I think that this was also picked as only the inhabitants of this region will understand the use of this term, it is not broadly used in this manner. Cover lines- this is an insight into the magazines contents. Now Then. is consistent in using short cover lines for each issue, again this helps to embody a minimalistic and contemporary style which the magazine aims to achieve. This is also done to shift the focus solely onto the cover image and artistic structure, which defies the typical conventions of a magazine. Generally the following features are included in a basic template, and are altered in order to give the magazine its own identity. Now Then. specifically opts for a minimalistic style, as the main focus is the art and body text within.

Dateline- this is the date in which the magazine was Issued. Impressum- a list of people who have participated in the creation of this issue and/or the magazine in general. Example of a real media product- Now Then. Regional Magazine Contents Page (Issue 44) Editorial- an introductory letter from the editor, introducing you to an issue. These are usually signed off using a signature to add a touch of personalisation, however in this issue it appears that the editor has opted for a more contemporary feel and gone with the consistent use of a type face. This is not a necessary contents feature and is not used in every real media product, it is a matter of preference. It is mostly used to establish a connection with the reader, which helps build an element of trust. Table of Contents-this is a rundown of the magazines contents. Page numbers-(Roland Barthes theory of anchorage). These page numbers correspond to the page in which the article is located. These are used as a form of navigation. Features- an organised list of the magazines contents, along with page numbers. The features subtitles are written in a bold grey sans serif font, which contrasts with the block white background in which it is situated on. The colouring of the font has created from a swatch of the photograph which the white blocks have been layered onto. The font remains consistent in both style and colouring. Rule- the space between the text and the page. Now Then.’s house style is a continuing use of sans serif font’s as well monochromatic colouring with a hint of grey. No image has been used on these contents pages, this is unusual for a real product, however Now Then. have not included this convention in order to maintain a minimalist look, in which they aim to achieve throughout their magazine.

Example of a real media product- Now Then Example of a real media product- Now Then. Regional Magazine Advert (Issue 44) This advertisement is organised into a two column grid, this makes it easy for readers to navigate, as well as contributing to visual contentment. This is an advertisement for gigs at a local venue in the centre of Sheffield, which is the area which the magazine is mainly targeted for, it is relevant to the subject of regional identity. A brand logo (specifically the one for Corporation night club) has been incorporated into this advert, this is to refer the audience to the creators of the advertisement, which is helpful , so that if they need more information about the event/product then the producers can be contacted regarding that. This also helps to establish identity, which is the major reason for logo incorporation. This is a generic feature of an advertisement. There is a variation of font styles (use of both serif and sans serif) but consistent use of colouring. Colours such as the ones used here (red, black and white) are gender neutral, so appeal to the whole audience. This advertisement is linked in with the target audience of Now Then., which mainly steers clear of anything branded ‘mainstream’, it is targeted more at the indie scene. The stereotypical reader of this regional magazine identifies as indie, meaning that they listen to independent music, specifically up and coming bands, as seen here. This advert specifically showcases Sheffield’s vastly growing musical talent. The use of adverts falls under the subheading of generic convention types. Without the use of adverts, regional magazines such as this real product example would not be able to run; this is all because they’re free of charge, print and distribution costs need to be covered somehow, and this is not done through the audience. Companies pay for the advertising space, and this cost covers the magazines print and distribution costs. It is generally the same with all regional magazines, as the majority of them are free to pick up. Similar to the other pages featured in Now Then. the advert is layered onto a piece of photography, which is consistently used throughout. The ‘coming soon’ feature uses bold titling in monochromatic colouring to draw attention. This sparks the audience’s interest, promoting them to look further into it.