Audience Profile of HAMMER magazine

The title of this magazine is "Hammer". This could connote or suggest that this magazine is loud, hardcore and violent. Knowing this, I would assume that it is mostly aimed at the older years maybe 16 years onwards. Jugding by the price £4.25, I would say that this magazine is aimed at the C1, C2, D classes. The price ensures that its easily affordable by the targeted classes. The gender interest for this magazine would be males as hardcore rock metal music are mostly associated to them.  To be interested in this magazine, you would have to be a lover for screaming hardcore music. 

The genre of this magazine is also shown through the layout of the front cover. The front cover is filled with violent images such as, explosions, guns , Bold colours and text. The front cover also had holes in them representing bullet holes.  This is a way that also targets its audience and appeals to them. This magazine is also filled with freebies such as dog tags, free cd's and others. All these help attract the readers eye and appeal to its targeted audience.

Dog Tags: The use of the frere dog tags is very effective as every one loves a free object. The dog tags also shows the toughness that is linked to this magazine and its genre.

Free CD:  The free cd also helps appeal to the targeted audience as this allows them to listen to their favourite bands for free. It also makes sure that the same audience buy the same magazine each month to get another free object.

Colours, text and images:  The use of the colours and text also helps target its audience. For example the bold bright colours are linked to the heavy hardcore rock image. The use of the red could represent blood, while the use of the yellow could represent fire. All of these colours combined could represent hell. The image of the two men also targets its audience as they look like the typical hardcore image. All of these help attract the readers eye and makes it stand out from the rest.

Textual Analysis of "NME" Magazine

In todays lesson, we were asked to make a textual analysis on either the "NME" or "Kerang" Magazine. I chose to analyse the NME magazine as i found it more interesting.
In our analysis we were suppose to look at how the targeted audience were attracted through ideas such as:
-The design
-The Promotions
-Contents
-And Language
We were also asked to examine how the details were linked to the targeted audience.

Design

Personally I think the "NME" magazine is mostly aimed at teenagers mainly male. It is also targeted at rock music lovers. The designs used in the magazine also helps attracts it targeted, for example the use of bold colourful fonts will help attract the readers eye. The red and black colour scheme is also aimed at the targeted audiences as this is linked to the stereo typical image of darkness that is associated to Emos, Goths, Punks and mainly rock lovers in general. As the same colour scheme is used through out the magazine, the audience will not get bored and drift off to other magazines.

Promotions

Promotions are also used in this magazine to help attract its audience and keep them happy. The promotions are basically advertisements promoting giggs, festival and other music events. These advertisments also include images of guitars and other musical instruments, which again is linked to the rock genre.

Contents

The information in this magazine also helps attract its audience. As this is a rock  magazine, the content is all about the different bandds and their life styles. This appeals to the targeted audience as they want to know everything about their favourite band and also want to be like them. With daily information such as these, the audience will be kept up to date n hooked.

Language

The informal and care free language used also helps attracts its audience, forexample the use of swear words in some of the interviews will attract more readers as it might make them feel at home when reading the magazine. The language used will also make the reader feel like there are no boundaries and also make it easy for them to understand.

Finished Front cover, contents page and Evaluation of School Magazine

Finished Front Cover and Contents Page:

For this task, We were asked to create a front cover and contents page for a school magazine. We were also asked to use photoshop to do this. This had to include pictures and texts, colour and logo. As you can see from the images above, I have created a front cover as well as a contents page.

Front Cover: 

For my front cover, I tried to add as many images as i could. I also added the St Marks masthead to ensure that the reader knew what the magazine was. I used a variety of images but most of all, i used images of studying pupils. This helped give a positive effect on the school and also showed how hard working the students of the school are. I tried to keep the front cover simple and with only one colour scheme. As well as the logo, I also included the issue date of the magazine. This helped inform the reader of when the maggazine was released. Some of the texts that i included were very positive for example i said "Believe and Achieve". I used the text button in photo shop to help put my text vertically on the right hand side of the page. This helped make my front cover look a bit interesting. As well as the positive piece of text, I included the school years that were available.

I also tried to aim my front cover at the students. I did this through the images of other studnets. I was hoping this would help get them interested.

Contents Page:

For the content page, I used images that showed leisure activities in the sixth form such as lifting weights in the gym and a playing snooker in the common room. I took these pictures in order to show that its not all work and no play. I was hoping this would definitely attract the readers. I kept the background white so that the coloured texts would stand out. I also kept all the texts on one side of the page to make it was easier to read. Again i added the school logo to show that this was still a school magazine.  

Analysis of NME and Kerrang music magazine

In todays lesson, we were asked to analyse to music magazines. These were the "NME" and the "Kerrang" magazine.

NME MAGAZINE

Front cover: My first impression of the front cover of this magazine was that, it looked dark and evil like. It looks like a rock magazine. I also thought it looked simple and effective and had the colour scheme of red, white, and black. The masthead of the magazine was also very large and in red and white. This automatically helps attracts the readers eye. The large image also helps attract the eye of the reader. One of the effective uses of colour on the front of the magazine is the link between the red top that the man in the image wears and the red font.

All the texts are placed on the left hand side of the page, leaving the image on the right. This makes it easier to read the information given as well as see the image at the same time without getting distracted by too much text.

Denotation: The denotation of this front cover is of a man wearing red and black with rock related jewelry.

Conotation: The conotation of this front cover could be that its a rock/indie magazine. The use of the dark colour also gives the effect of evil and the use of red makes it look like blood.

Audience Profile: I think this magazine is aimed at teenagers and above due to the use of strong language. It is also targeted at rock and indie lovers however it tries to target a large range of audiences. I think this magazine is mostly aimed at the male gender howeever some of the articles inside it also appeals to  females.

Inside the magazine: The inside of the magazine fulfilled my expectation through the use of the rock bands and other rock related items. The articles also included information about giggs and festivals. The texts also keeps the same colour scheme of red white and black. The articles also had puns that helped attract attention for example "Panic Over!". This makes the reader want to know more about what this panic was all about. The use of large images also helps attract the readers eye. The use of informal and strong language, backs the point that this magazines is aimed at teenagers and older readers.

Advertisements: The advertisments that are included in this magazine are also linked to its genre. For example, it advertises musical instruments which is also associated to rock and indie. These advertisements also help attract readers. The magazine also advertises giggs and musc festivals.

Interactivity: This magazine interacts with its audience through advertisements such as the chance for a lucky reader to become an artist and record his or her own song. Furthermore, it also allows its readers send in their oppinions which is then published in the next edition of the magazine.


Kerrang Magazine

Front Cover: My first impression of this magazines front cover is that its very bright and has a colour scheme of blue, white and black. I also noticed that the texts have been purposely placed around the image to ensure that it doesnt block the images as well as makes the text visible for all to see. The help of the bright colours also help attract its reader. The large masthead has a black background visible enough for all to see to also help catch the readers eye. The image of the lady also helps appeal to the different genders and not only one. The use of the pink mixed with the text also shows that the magazine appeals to the different genders. It also tries to get the female readers invloved as the texts are about valentines day.

The conotation of the pink text would be love. The denotation of the large image is a man pointing at the camera how ever, the conotation could be that the man is pointing at the reader in the sense persuading them to buy this magazine.

Audience Profile:  I think this magazine is aimed at older reader and older teenagers as it includes a lot of strong languge. It is also targeted at the hardcore rock/indie lovers, however, a section of the magazine includes an R 'n' B artist, meaning they also try to attract a range of audiences.

Inside the Magazine: The inside of the magazine doesnt follow the same colour scheme as the front cover. There were alot of image as well as texts. There are more texts than image on some pages and the opposite on othe pages. Some articles were of interviews with rock bands. This also helps attract its audience as they like to know what their favourite bands interests are. There is also a lot of strong language in the articles showing that they are free to speak their mind.

Advertisements: There are advetisements of  guitars and other musical instuments that are related to rock/indie.

Comparisons

Both of the magazines have their similarities and their differences, for example they both use the same technics to try and attract their audiences. These different technics include the use of colours, images, texts and advertisements. It is also obvious that both the magazines are mostly targeted at the rock and indie population. A difference between the magazine could be that the "NME" magazine follows a colour scheme all the way through the magazine, whilst the "Kerrang" magazine doesnt. Both the magazines also have their ways of interacting with their readers. Some of these methods are similar whiles some arent. A similar method that both magazines use to interact with their readers are the advertisments.  

School Prospectus Pictures (Pleminary task)

In todays Media lesson, I was asked to take some pictures that I might use for my School prospectus as i missed the media lesson before due to a school event. Whiles taking these pictures, I kept in mind the use of different camera angles and the effect that they give in an image. I also thought about the mise en scene of the images. I took a large variety of pictures that may or may not be included in my final prospectus. Some of these images included the different facilities that St Marks has to offer. It also included pictures of students in their natural learning environment. These pictures have been posted below.

Home work ( Magazine Analysis)

This is the Gaurdian weekend magazine. The masthead is posted at the top left hand side of the front page. As there isnt a lot of text on the page, your eyes get drawn straight to the only texts on the page. This is the Mast Head, the issue date and the play on words at the bottom of the page.

The issue date allows the reader to know when the magazine was published into the shops. The Mast head also  advertises the company name, and the play on words at the bottom of the page helps attracts its readers. For example the use of the phrase "HITTING BACK", in bold letters will automatically get the reader thinkng and wanting to know more.

At first glance, it seems like a plain simple looking magazine. This allows the reader to focus only on the image in the centre. In this case an image of the R n B artist Rhianna. The use of the image will help appeal to the artists fans, therefore persuading them to get the magazine.
As an improvement, i would suggest putting the price of the magazine on the front cover. I would also suggest more images and text as this would help appeal to a larger range of audiences. Personally, I find this front cover too boring. Keeping this in mind, i will make sure that i make my front cover look explosive and alive with information.