1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.