Evaluation - Question 1

1. How does my media product use develop or challenge forms and conventions of other published magazines?

My magazine follows the codes and conventions like other published magazines such as NME and Q etc. Here is a copy of NME magazine and how it follows the codes and conventions along with my media product.


Nme magazine

· Title is always situated in the top left hand corner of the page where the audience begins to read.

· Prices are shown on cover.

· One main image, medium close up of usually a band or singer - image slightly covers title, never title covering main image.

· Cover line (main cover line) – always text that goes with the picture. Anchors the meaning of the main image, which is the largest on the page.
· Positioning statement is always positioned either above or below the title.

· Most Title, Positioning Statement, Date, Price – Masthead

· Most cover lines are on the left hand side of the cover.

· Buzzwords – exclusives, inside peek to magazine.

· Strip at the bottom of the cover – gives a list of names, bands and Typography is consistent throughout. Only a few fonts are used.
· Two types of font - SERIF (Hook) T, a (Most commonly used and traditional)

· Cover lines frame the main image

· Barcode is kept in the bottom right hand corner, because a paid for advert is on the back page.

Here is an image of an NME magazine;














This media magazine follows most of the codes and conventions and I had to apply the codes and a convention to make my work look professional and compete with other published magazines. Here is my media product and how it follows the codes and conventions.

My magazine front cover

· The title is always one word or letter long, and is the width of the full page.
My title is one word (strum) and is the full width of the page.

· Barcode is kept in the bottom right hand corner, because a paid for advert is on the back page.
My barcode and issue price and date are situated at the side of the page.

· All have a plus list of what is contained inside.
Yes I have a plus list situated at the bottom of the page.

· Prices are shown on cover.
Yes my price is shown at the right hand side of the page next to my barcode.

· Puffs - freebies included something extra; gives value for money.
Yes I have given my audience a free mixed guitar legends CD.

· The title is a unique font, and the largest text on the cover.
My title font is Britannic bold and is the largest text on the page to catch my audiences eye.

· Consistent colour scheme, only few colours used.
I have only used three colours throughout my front cover which are red black and white.

· One main image, medium close up of usually a band or singer - image slightly covers title, never title covering main image.
Yes I have taken a medium close up of a male playing guitar giving the audience direct address to invite them into the magazine.

Direct address – main image taken so that the person/people are looking at the reader.
Yes my image is giving the audience direct address as he is looking straight at the audience.

· Cover line (main cover line) – always text that goes with the picture. Anchors the meaning of the main image, which is the largest on the page.
My cover line anchors my main image as it is a singer called Mellow .D. who is the person featured on my magazine front cover.

· In most cases the main cover line will be two lines long.
Yes my coverline is only two lines long Mellow.D. Melting Charts.

· Cover lines are usually two or three lines, showing information about the contents to intrigue the audience and provoke interest. It is kept to as few words as possible.
Yes I have followed this giving my audience a little insight to the articles i.e. how well do you know music? - test your knowledge.

· Connotations of the front cover reflect the target audience and subject of the magazine.
· Yes my magazine is about music and guitars and I have made my front cover reflect the target audience with my image of a male playing a guitar, the title name Strum and the coverlines i.e. beginners guide to guitar.

· Cover lines frame the main image
· Yes my coverlines frame the main image as they are all relevant to guitars ,music and bands/singers.

· Positioning statement is always positioned either above or below the title.
· My positioning statement is positioned below the title towards the bottom of the page.

· Most cover lines are on the left hand side of the cover.
· My coverlines are mostly to the left hand side of the cover.

· Title, Positioning Statement, Date, Price – Masthead
· My magazine has all of these.

· Buzzwords – exclusives, inside peek to magazine.
· Yes I have used buzzwords such as plus and exclusive.

· Strip at the bottom of the cover – gives a list of names, bands and topics included.
Yes I have included this at the very bottom of my magazine i.e KT Tunstall.

· Typography is consistent throughout. Only a few fonts are used.
Yes I have only used a few fonts including brittanic bold and myriad pro.

Here is an image of my front cover.














Nme codes and conventions of a contents page

Picture of contents with page number

Title placed in left hand corner

Subscriptions included

Index list

Headings to divide contents

Black/white background

Page number then text arrangment

Text one or two words mainline bold slightly larger than the other text

Regular content appears in every magazine issue

Features one off articles

Same font used

Bottom of page – page number, title, issue date, website.

Contact details, website address.

NME Magazine contents arrangement differs for bands index, as it is a weekly magazine, so band index is shown as band/artist title then page number – shows what page each artist review is on, makes it easier.

My contents page

My contents page follows these codes and conventions.
· Pictures of contents with page numbers.

· I have included these.

· Magazine title is placed in the tip left hand corner.

· Yes my magazine title is placed to the left hand side.

· Date and Issue numbers shown.

· Yes the date and issue numbers are shown.

· Headings to divide up contents.

· Yes I have included two titles including regulars and features.

· Consistent colour scheme, only a few colours used.

· Yes only a few colours are used which are black and red.

· Page numbers shown on the pictures anchor image to written contents.

· Yes page numbers have been included to anchor the images to the written contents.

· Plain/white backgrounds.

· I have a plain white background.

· Word “Contents” at the top of the page.

· I have included this next to my magazine title.

· Page number and then text arrangement.

· Yes I have applied this to my contents page.

· Text (one or two words, mainline – bold, slightly larger than the other text).

· Sub line – smaller text.

· My subline is smaller font .

· Regular content – appears in every single issue of the magazine.

· I have included this i.e. interviews

· Features – one off articles which appear only in the one issue.

· I have included this i.e. beginners guide to guitar.

· Same font used as on the front page.

Yes I have used the same font
· Bottom of page – page number, title, issue date, website.
· I have included these at the bottom of the page.

· Contact details, website address.
The website address is at the bottom of the page.

Here is a screen shot of my contents page;