When analysing the conventions of a front cover, a contents page and a double page spread, I decided it was best to use 3 different magazines to compare which conventions appear more commonly. I did this because I couldn't decide which genre of magazine to focus on so I thought it was a better idea to look at different magazines to help influence my final decision. I used a 'Rolling Stone' magazine cover because it is a generic, well known music magazine which doesn't just focus on one genre of music. For the contents page I decided to analyse an 'NME' page because it is an indie magazine which is also very popular and regularly features very famous artists. For the double page spread I analysed 'Billboard' magazine as it also focuses on more than one genre of music.
I think doing this was effective because it has helped me have a clearer image of what I want my magazine to be like. I have decided not to focus on indie music like NME, but to have a more compatible magazine which could feature more than one genre of music like Rolling Stone or Billboard.
Front Cover
Masthead - The masthead is always at the top of the cover and it usually is a large, bold font which is recognisable. The masthead must be an individual font and style because it is what makes the magazine stand out from other magazines. Rolling Stone magazine is known by many people and the masthead is iconic. The style of the writing shows the reader the magazine's place in the music industry. The main image is covering the masthead which is a convention regularly seen in music magazines.
Font Size & Text - Different fonts and text sizes are used on the cover to make it appear more interesting. If all of the text was the same size and font then the cover could look more boring as it is very repetitive. The more interesting stories on the cover will also be bigger because the bigger the text, the more visible it is.
Plug - A plug is sued on the cover to draw the attention of the reader. It is usually in a separate box to make it seem different from the feature stories. The plug is usually something engaging such as an exclusive interview or a competition etc. In this cover the plug is advertising a 'special report' which a reader would be intrigued about and hopefully buy the magazine.
Feature Stories - The feature stories on the cover are important because they give the reader an idea about what is in that particular issue. The feature stories usually fit around the main image to compliment it.
Main Image - The main image is one of the most important conventions of a magazine cover. The image must fit the main story (this one being 'Eminem Reborn') and therefore the image shows Eminem holding a beat box as he would of done at the beginning of his career and this shows that he is reliving his early days as an artist. From this we can infer that he is maybe releasing a new song or album, gathered from the work 'reborn'. It also shows the reader who the main feature is about and it is the first thing you notice when you look at the cover. The magazine has also used a very famous artist which would attract readers straight away who are fans of Eminem.
Issue Number, Date & URL - These are underrated conventions of a music magazine, however, they are actually very important. They give details on which issue the magazine is and when it was released, helping the reader find the most recent magazine. The URL is very important because now more and more people are going to the internet for news and reading and so having a URL is good as people can go straight to the website and read the magazine from there.
Main Feature - The main feature is important because it is the first headline that stands out besides the masthead. It is usually the most important story of the magazine and it almost always co-ordinates with the main image. This heading usually stands out from the rest of the sub-headings because it will be bigger and possibly a different colour or font to show that it is the main feature.
Colour Scheme - The colour scheme is important because it improves the whole aesthetic of the magazine cover. With Rolling Stone magazine, the colour scheme is red, white and black. This colour scheme is iconic and will be associated with the magazine which is why its important to stick to it. The artist in the main image is wearing only black and white, supporting the colour scheme.
Contents
Band Index - the band index on the left hand side gives the reader an idea of which bands are featured in the magazine and which page they are on. This is helpful because the reader can find out which bands are in this particular edition without having to look through the whole magazine. The font is smaller because it is not as important as some of the main stories which would be more relevant and interesting to the reader.
Main Image - The main image on the contents page is in the centre. This image is most likely from the main feature story because it is the one featured on the cover. This image gets the attention of the reader straight away as it is centralised and it stops the writing being overbearing as it breaks it up. This image will be of an artist/band that is recognisable making the magazine attractive to the audience as they want to read about someone they already know.
Sub-Heading - The sub-heading usually is large and bold but smaller than the main heading/masthead. This stops the heading from being the main feature but still allows it to stand out. The sub-heading on the contents page is introducing the shorter story underneath it. The short story features well known artists such as Johnny Marr which keeps the reader interested, making them want to read on.
Masthead & Date - The masthead and date are featured again on the contents page to remind the reader what magazine it is and which issue. The masthead is featured throughout the magazine because it is a constant reminder of the magazine, it also makes the masthead more recognisable so that people immediately associate it with the magazine.
Sub-Categories - the sub-categories on the contents page are helpful because they break it up into smaller sections. By dividing the contents into different sections such as 'news' and 'reviews' it makes it easier for the reader to find what they want to read about. This is helpful because it helps the reader quickly find what they wish to read about without them having to read the whole magazine.
Plug - The plug on the contents page is quite large, making it eye-catching so the reader sees it straight away. It is advertising a subscription to the magazine which is probably discounted to make the reader more interested. The use of yellow font shows that the plug is designed to stand out more as none of the other writing on the page is yellow.
Double Page Spread
Stand First - A stand-first is that initial few lines you see in magazines and web pages that stand out. It is normally in a different font to the rest of the text to make it eye-catching and is usually in a less formal tone to attract the reader by making them feel like the article is tailored to them. It is acceptable for music magazines to use informal language because their audience is interested in the music and details about it.
Featured artist - The name of the featured artist is usually in very large writing, and acts like a second headline. The font is usually different and it can be in a different colour, making it stand out from the rest of the article. The featured artist is mentioned because it gives the reader the name of the artist and if the artist is well known, it makes the magazine more appealing.
Drop Capital - A drop capital is usually a lot bigger font than the rest of the text and can be a different colour or font. A drop capital is used at the beginning of the article (the first letter) because it stands out to let the reader know where to start writing. This is helpful because sometimes the paragraphs in an article are placed where its hard to tell which is the first one and so a drop capital shows the reader which the first paragraph is.
Sub-headings - Subheadings are usually slightly larger than the rest of the text and are mostly bold or in a different font. This makes the sub-heading stand out from the section of writing. Sub-headings also make it easier to find a specific part of an article if you only wanted to read a small amount of it/find a specific detail. In this case the sub-headings also help the article seem more authentic as they are influenced by the Ten Commandments and therefore the headings bring the article together.
Main Image - A double page spread usually has a main image which is large, taking up almost half of the page. This helps divide the writing into smaller, more manageable sections to read. In this DPS the main image is centralised and is a medium shot. In the image the artist is doing a pose which is seen often in hip-hop, complimenting the strap line describing her as 'the Queen of Hip-Hop'.
Quotations - A quote is usually embedded in the article which ahs been said by the featured artist. The quote is usually something important/interesting which the artist has said to make the reader want to read the whole article. The quote is usually highlighted and in a bigger font than the rest of the text to make it stand out. They would also use a quote because it makes the reader feel like the artist is more involved in the article.
Mise-en-scene - The text on the page is arranged so it wraps around the artist's body. The artist is wearing animal print which is seen regularly in hip-hop and the outfit is mainly black and white because these colours fit the colour scheme. the small amounts of colour on her jewellery makes the image stand out more because it is the only colour on the page which isn't pink, black or white. Going with the colour scheme, the artist is wearing pink lipstick which is a similar colour to the back ground, bringing the whole page together.
Headline - The headline is usually at the top of the page and is normally a lot bigger than the rest of the text, in a different font and sometimes a different colour. The headline is always short and snappy, capturing the most interesting parts of the article, engaging the reader. The headline tells the audience what the story is about.
LIIAR Analysis
Language -
Media language is used to portray the codes and conventions in which makes something a good media text. This is shown through the conventions such as the masthead, main image and the feature stories etc.
Institution -
Rolling Stone is a biweekly magazine which focuses on popular culture. I have chosen to look at the magazine Rolling Stone in further detail in my LIIAR analysis because it is a magazine which features music from almost all genres and as I haven't decided on a fine genre, it thought this was the best magazine to analyse.
Ideology -
I think the ideology of Rolling Stone magazine is to be a popular and respected magazine which focuses on music and bands from all different genres. The magazine looks at music which is popular on a large scale, and also looks at bands and artists which are older and respected but which are still popular and possibly making an appearance again.
Audience -
The magazine was first known for its musical coverage and for political reporting. In the 1990s, the magazine focused on a younger readership interested in youth-oriented television shows, film actors, and popular music. In recent years, the magazine has resumed its traditional mix of content and therefore a mix of readers.
Representation -
The cover of Rolling Stone is represented as a general music magazine. It follows all of the codes and conventions which a music magazine generally follows. The magazine has an iconic mast head which is well known worldwide meaning the simple design represents the magazine in a way which is effective for its purpose.
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