Alex Lovett's Portfolio: March 2012

Questionnaire Results

I decided to ask more males than females as my intended audience are young to middle ages males who are interested in rap/hip hop music.

I asked this question to find out what to make my magazine either a weekly or montly magazine. From the results i will provide more detail as it will be a monthly magazine.

I asked this question to my intended audience to help me with the contents of the magazine. I found out that they wanted up and coming talent as well as mainstream and therefore will feature them both.

Almost all of my participants prefered the 'Vibe' or 'Rolling stones' magazine as apposed to 'XXL'. I will then use techniques used in both magazines and include in the design of my magazine.

I asked this question in my questionnaire to again gain an understanding into what i could include on my magazine and what the reader whats to get/see. From these results i have concluded to include all 4 to make my mag the most attractive to the audience that it can be and to have varied content.

The majority of my audience wanted a simple and effective layout and i will therefore give them a layout which is simple and pleasing to the eye.

Again i asked this question to further my understanding of my audience and to decide what material to include in my magazine. Reviews and interviews were the most wanted and therefore will merge them into my magazine article to appeal to my audience.

A Filled In Questionnaire

Here is one of the questionnaires that i got one of my target audience to fill out and complete.

Questionnaire

I conducted a questionnaire to find out more information about my target audience and to help me with my design of my magazine.

Identify audience and motive

Graeme Burton theory identifies the difference between socially grouped audiences (e.g age or gender) and media grouped audiences (e.g. Video game users or Magazine readers). My target audience will fall into both groups as i will aim at young adults between 16-20 and also people who are interested in music and poartically rap/hip hop genre.

Hartley expands on burtons theory and identifies the importance of audiences grouped by their aspirations. If you target musicians then you can offer articles about how to improve or tips to target this group of audience. I am going to include up and coming artists in my magazine and this will appeal to musicians who want to get big and possibly a record deal. He also expands the cultural values, i will be following western views as they are my main target audience and hold views like hard work to achieve your goals.

Richard Dyer states that people will respond to a media text if it offers them compensation for something they don't necessary have. People cant live their life and completely fulfill their needs or wants and try to replace it through media texts. This is his 'Utopian Solution' he believes that people try to replace the left with the right.

Isolation - Community
Confusion - Clarity
Boredom - Excitement
Loneliness - social networking

Interview with target audience

48 Hours of media Consumption

Saturday
8:30 - Check phone
12:00 - Check phone and turn on computer
12:15 - Watch Tv (Rugby match)
1:30 - Listen to radio while eating lunch
1:45 - Watch Tv (Rugby)
2:30 - Computer, check news and Facebook
2:45 - Check phone and turn on ipod
3:00 - Tv and downloading app on ipod
4:00 - Computer (again)
5:15 - Tv (Football match)
6:30 - Radio with dinner
7:00 - Ipod when being lazy
8:30 - Watch The fast and the furious DVD
11:00 - CHeck phone before turning off
11:05 Check Facebook and news sites, before turning off

Sunday
11:00 - Check messages and time on phone
11:30 - Tv whilst eating breakfast
12:00 - Check Facebook on PC and news sites
12:30 - Tv (Football)
1:15 - Ipod on way to gym
1:30 - Tv whilst at gym
2:45 - Tv with lunch
3:00 - Tv (Rugby)
4:30 - Computer Facebook and youtube
5:20 - Tv (Random)
6:30 - Tv after dinner
7:30 - Computer, doing coursework and listening to itunes
8:45 - Check phone and Tv
9:00 - Watch Tv film
9:45 - Got bored so went on computer
10:30 - Check phone then turn off
11:15 - Check few websites before going to bed

From my 48 hours of media consumption i have found that it is near impossible to not interact with media in todays lifestyle. And that you get used to doing media related things regularly like checking your phone before and after you sleep. Sites like Facebook can be a hourly task for some people and some getting 'addicted' to some websites. I have also learned that i tend to interact with media whilst eating breakfast or lunch which are less formal eating sessions and seem to be on my own. This shows that we try to include media to stop 'boredom' or just to have 'something on'.

Analysis Of Journalism

Research: Analysis of Journalism

Article (The Sun)

Structure

Always in magazine/news articles the first paragraph talks about important information like who,what and why. 'Students looking for new ways to earn cash when they finish college are cleaning up with kleeneze.' This quote from the article includes who the article is about, why and the company they are with. The first paragraph is in bold to stand out from the rest of the article and so readers can gain a insight into what it is about without reading the whole thing. As the article continues we see quotes from different people like a student and a company representative. 'This year the numbers of applicants have rocketed as traditional graduate jobs become much harder to find.' Quotes in the article are helpful as they give the reader a sense of personal interaction as your getting their view on it. The article talks about 2 different students that have benefitted from the company, the article then sums up by talking about the company 'kleeneze' and what they do. Language used in the article is a positive and friendly using words like 'perfect' and 'rocketed' are positive and make the reader seem that kleeneze is a brilliant company and support it.

Language

The language used in the article is as if the journalist is supportive of the scheme and this can easily be seen in the language like 'popular' and 'perfect'. These words make the article seem impressive and that it is a easy way to make money. 'They sign up to make money selling products door to door' is the subheading and gets to the point and is accurate. Unlike some article this article is truthful and doesn't exaggerate.

Headline

Like many newspaper/magazine headlines are often exaggerated or are a 'play on words' This article is no difference with 'Jobless Graduates get a kleen break.' This tries to make it look clever and typical for readers. Although it isn't 100% also as the few students they interviewed are still in university and therefore not graduates. But this is pleasing for many readers as it is a controversial subject at wether university is worth it or not.

Conclusions Of My Analysis Of Music Magazine

From my music magazine analysis of existing products on the market, i have found conventions that each of section include. For example

Front Cover
-Masthead in top left or top middle of the page
-Main image takes up the whole page
-Medium shot or medium close up
-A set colour scheme that represents the magazine/artist
-Main article that includes the artist in picture
-Different articles on each side of image

Contents Page
-Same colour scheme as front cover
-Date or mag issue in top right or bottom right
-One main image or a selection of smaller images
-Articles on left side with brief description
-Page numbers very visable and can be seen easily
-Commonly called 'Contents Page'

Double Page Spread
-One main image on the left page
-Article is writen in columns
-Pull Quote or main title for article
-Colour scheme the same and image reflexs this
-First letter in enlarged and bold to look visually appealing

Alex Lovett's Portfolio