Main Task - Research and Planning

Before I start to plan and create my magazine, I needed to research the codes and conventions of music magazines. Some of the key codes and conventions are:

• Cover line - words around the main image telling readers what is in the magazine.
• House style - special rules for a particular magazine about its size, layout, font, colour scheme etc. 
• Masthead - the name of the magazine that is nearly always at the top of the front cover. Acts as a logo with a fixed style of lettering and font size.
• Mode of address - The way the magazine communicates with the audience e.g. the model on the front maybe making eye contact with the reader, giving direct address. 
• Slogan- short phrase used to sell the magazine, a unique selling point. 
• Puff - short phrase used to sell the magazine e.g. FREE INSIDE.  

So, knowing the codes and conventions, I decided to analyse a range of magazines so that I can develop my knowledge of codes and conventions. Also, I could get ideas for my magazine and use them e.g. a magazine uses a certain text, or the placement of text on the page etc.

Questionnaire Results

What significance does the continuing development of digital media technology have for media institution and audiences?

With technology in today’s society increasing in both how popular it is and the increasing amount of people using different types of technology, there is a real significance for magazine companies to develop their technology.

Between 2007 and 2014, magazine sales have dropped from 1.2 billion to 781 million. In order to keep reaching their target audiences, magazines need to create a multi-platform approach. One magazine that has done this is Kerrang! which started as a magazine but, after being brought by Bauer, now has Kerrang! Television, Kerrang! Radio, Kerrang! Online and has social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube). This creates more ways in which the target audience can access the latest news etc. and whichever one they use e.g. Kerrang! Radio, the radio station will promote the other parts of Kerrang! E.g. Kerrang! Magazine. Also, with social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter, people who like or follow the Kerrang! account can like or retweet any of the pages posts, which can reach out to new listeners/readers, increasing the popularity of Kerrang! This is known as synergy and in turn will allow Kerrang! to make profit, as well as Bauer who owns Kerrang!.   

Bauer is a British based company which owns over 300 magazines. They currently employ just over 11,000 people and in 2013 had a profit of 2.4 billion euros. At any one time 4 0ut of 10 people in the UK are reading, listening or watching something that is owned by Bauer. It is renowned for being “influential, relevant and trusted” as stated on their website and they clearly are with one example being FHM magazine. After buying the magazine in the 1990’s (at the time it was called “For Him Magazine”), the magazine has flourished into a best-selling magazine, due to the increase in technology it uses e.g. online. Bauer is a Conglomerate institution which means it owns some radio, TV, Magazine, Radio etc. and in terms of other institutions, it is oligopoly meaning it is one of the top institutions globally.

For Bauer, technology is crucial for them to keep developing as a company and it is what Bauer is known for as mentioned in the previous paragraph. By increasing the amount of technology used, magazines have a better outreach and encourage new listeners or readers, which widen the target audience. This has a knock on affect as with more people reading or listening to the magazine, this will encourage people to spend on the magazine and therefore make profit. Also, the target audience that does read or listen to the magazine regularly have easier access to the magazine. Again, this can make profit for the institution and magazine.