Time Management

I set up my blogger account in the first lesson upon when it was due.

I posted my brief outline upon when it was due, this explains what I have been asked to complete.

I created a post on my blog regarding the genre of music I have chosen and I am interested in to relate with my college magazine.  The post was finished in time and when it was due.

However, I was asked to create a post about researching conventions of magazines which was to be finished on Friday 11th September but didn't finish or get posted until Sunday 13th September. I also had a time management problem with the inspirational texts post which wasn't posted until Sunday 13th September when due to be posted on Friday 11th September. I think this is due to the tasks being lengthy compared to the beginning tasks.

Magazine Conventions

Masthead

The masthead is the main title and at the top of the front cover. The masthead is usually the title of the magazine publisher.

Cover Lines

The cover lines are usually down the side of the front cover and tells the audience and readers what the magazine features.

Main Image

The main image is the largest picture on the front cover. The masthead is either behind or in front of the main image, however this depends on the importance and significance of the main image.

Barcode

A machine readable code in the form of numbers and a pattern of parallel lines.

Issue Date

The particular week or month the issue is sold and will be sold throughout.

Inspirational Texts

Colours

'Billboard' is what my college magazine aspires to be like. 'Billboard' has 2 colouring techniques one which is black and while, while the other is a variety of colours. Although the black and white thme is very synchronized, I prefer the coloured theme as this is what I think my target audience enjoy more as it is playful as well as attracting. The magazine being more casual, makes it more suited for my audience of 16-18 year olds in college. However, although the black and whit theme has a more formal element it, the masthead has primary colours added o t which takes away from of the formal element which I am trying to achieve with my magazine.

The magazine 'We <3 Pop' has a brightly coloured front cover, however, is very gender aimed through the consistent use of pink which is accociated with females. I don't want this for my magazine.

Images 

Although the front pages are by the same publisher, I prefer the Miley Cyrus front cover to the Beyonce front cover as there looks to be more behind the image and attract a wider audience this way through the use of props. The use of props, I think, makes the magazine more noticeable. Although they're by the same publisher, they are different in aspects of how the main image is presented and posed.

On the other hand, 'We <3 Pop' has a range of images including one main image which is due to the different audience the magazine is aimed at. 'We <3 Pop' has a younger audience which is why there is a wide range of images instead of just a single image. This could be due to the younger audience enjoying a lot of things more instead of an older audience which can enjoy one single thing which concludes the variety of images.

My magazine might have one main image as I think varied images aren't what would appeal to my audience. However, if I do have more than one main image, and a variety, the image count will be at a minimum.

Fonts

The 'Billboard' font is very informal along with the cover lines font. The masthead is lower case writing, while the remaining writing is in uppercase. This is very unique as I think only the masthead being in lowercase is trying to retrieve attention while in other cases uppercase will be used to try and retrieve attention.

However, 'We <3 Pop' has very informal fonts as this is what their audience would enjoy most as they are a younger audience compared to the 'Billboard' audience. Unlike 'Billboard', 'We <3 Pop' has varied fonts. Again, this could be due to the intended young audience.

In my magazine, I like the idea of the masthead being lowercase while the remaining text is uppercase as this is a very unique and different idea.

Layout and Overall Design

I like the layout and overall design of 'Billboard'. I like how the main image is surrounded by text which tells us what is in the magazine. I also like how the largest text on the front page is realted to the main image and who it is, this is very informative for the reader as well as the writing being minimalistic.  However, I dislike the overall design of 'We <3 Pop'. There's to much going on in my opinion, and a lot of unneeded writing.

My Genre Of Music

During 2014, pop music took 32% of shares in sales. I'm interested in this genre because it has a very wide range of an audience and popularity. The genre has a lot of conventions which I could associate my magazine with shuck as the figures in pop music are seen to be fashionable, stylish but very mainstream which I would like my magazine to relate to. The conventions of the genre are often associated with teenagers which will suit my audience of college students mostly aged between 16 and 18.

I would like my magazine to involve the latest pop news as well, for example the recent 'one direction' split and I will involve other forms of media instead of just music in the magazine such as artists on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as well as films, TV Programs and radio shows which involve popular artists and songs of pop music.

My magazine will be similar to 'Billboard' as this is very focused round pop artists. (Pictured Below)

A Outline Of My Project & Initial Ideas For My Magazine

As part of my AS Level Media at Sunderland College, I have been asked to produce a new college music magazine consisting of a front page, contents page and a double page spread. The magazine will feature a photograph of a student in a medium close up plus some laid out text and a masthead using DTP and an image manipulation program. In addition, I must produce a DTP mock up of the layout of the contents page to demostrate grasp of the program. My magazine will be focused on pop music as this took 33% share of sales in 2014, and has a widely attracted audience which I think will suit students 16 - 18 years old. The magazine will feature popular pop artists such as; Rihanna (Pictured 3rd Below), Beyonce (Below), Ed Sheeran (4th Below) and Calvin Harris (2nd Below).

One of my initial ideas for my magazine will be the genre of music, which at this time I am aiming to be 'pop music'. I find pop music easier to understand compared to other music, and I am able to relate to it more compared to other music genres such as rap or heavy metal.

My magazine wil consist of local artists as this is a local college magazine which is part of the criteria, so I will be creating new artists and promoting existing artists round college.

I want my magazine to have an average magazine price as this will be aimed at local college students which some will be unemployed so this will be attracting to them if it's a low price. As I am thinking of the magazine being a monthly concept, a low price will be well suited as it seems right and fair for my target audience of college students to pay.

My core audience will be college students typically between 16 - 19, however the magazine will still be a concept of pop music lovers.

I want the magazine to have a vibrant feel, but also have different elements of pop music through color such as usually very bright and colorful but also dark shades occasionally. The magazine title is quite large and stands out and the image is usually the main feature which is sometimes overlaid on top of the masthead or underneath depending on the significance of the main image compared to the masthead.