Conventions and Questionnaire

My questionnaire has a significant effect. The survey will allow me to recognise and to see what my audience expects to conventionally see on a rock magazine. This can prove very beneficial as this will give me a chance to consist challenging codes and conventions.

For example, many people would usually see a rock star or group on a magazine. From this I can challenge and question the convention by not having a rock star as a main image but having an image associated with rock and attaining a simple connotation towards the audience.

Questionnaire Results

From a survey of 30 people, I have grouped together my results of the questionnaire that have been distributed to the public.

Q1) Are you male or female?

From the 30 people chosen in my questionnaire, I have asked 20 males and 10 females. I have decided to associate my magazine with the male gender but keeping an open mind and keeping a balanced target audience.

Q2) What age group do you fit into.

Since my magazine was relating to rock, I wanted to specify my audience age group. As a result I have surveyed individuals who are between the age group of 16- 22, mainly teenagers and young adults.

Q3) What colours do you you think work best for rock magazines?

The most popular colours that were mentioned were purple/ blue/ black/ red. Bold colours were the clear choice that should be required for a rock genre.

Q4) What typeface works best for the masthead on a rock magazine?

Blackoak Std shows a popular choice for the masthead. Along with this font type, Forte is another typeface, largely considered for being a choice for my masthead. In further detail people have chosen a typeface consisting of large and bold lettering, along with some character and style. This suggests I will design and choice a typeface that is clear but shows signs of character.

Q5) What kind of images best associate with rock magazines?

Rock instruments, such as guitars, drums and microphones were suggested. Also, speakers and studios were some people's opinions, which gave a variety of images.

Q6) Which type of layout do you prefer and why?

This graph shows a representation of certain individual’s choice of choosing a clear layout. A busy layout would also be recommended as the page will be filled and consists of many features for the reader to read. A clear layout could be significant as it allows the reader to acknowledge the full page with no confusion. However, for a personal choice I would like my magazine to have a neutral layout, expressing signs of exciting features.

Q7) What type of main image would you see on a rock magazine?

A clear majority of people have said they would like to see a rock star or rock group on a magazine. This would seem very conventional but I would also like to design and take a good quality photograph and position it on the front cover, to represent my magazine. As a result, this will appeal to more individuals and may relate to specific people, also implying it’s a rock magazine.

Q8) How much are you willing to pay for a rock magazine?

£2-3 is the price range that people are willing to pay for their rock magazine. From the targeted audience being around 16- 22, they are willing to spend a low or medium amount, with only 3 people willing to pay £5+.

Q9) What content would you like to be consisted in a rock magazine?

This question brought individuals to say relevant and significant ideas. Aspects, such as charts, competitions and live performance dates and locations.

Questionnaire

My questionnaire will help me to evaluate my audience and be able to understand their interests about rock magazines. This will enable me to construct a rock magazine that will relate to rockers and will be a likely choice of purchase.

Case Study - Condé Nast

GQ (originally Gentlemen's Quarterly) is a monthly men's magazine focusing upon fashion, style, and culture for men, through articles on food, movies, fitness, sex, music, travel, sports, technology, and books.

This GQ magazine, represented by LeBron James was published quite recently, January 13^th 2009 by Condé Nast publications.

Condé Nast is credited with creating the now widely used magazine marketing strategy emphasizing magazines focused on a particular class or interest, sometimes known as lifestyle magazines. Many Condé Nast magazines have their principal focus in fashion, although the company's publications also include travel, food, home, culture, and other interests.

In late September 2009, Condé Nast was forced to cut 25% of their budget, resulting in advertising sales.

The foundation of the GQ magazine, presents fashion, style, and culture for men, through articles on food, movies, fitness, sex, music, travel, sports, technology, and books. This suggests GQ’s motive is to represent these topics to the public and to share interesting stories to do with celebrities, such as LeBron James shown in this GQ magazine.

Since GQ consists of a wide variety of topics like fitness, sex and sport. This seems to represent a male dominated target audience. Furthermore, to emphasis this specific gender audience, a famous well- known basketball player is presented on the front cover, LeBron James. Additionally, this GQ magazine would also target people who are aged mainly between 16 to middle aged adults.

This GQ magazine has been sold around the world to many countries, including the UK. Specifically in the UK, there have been 61,597 News trade and other single coy sales. Also, in other countries 23,359 single copy sales have been sold in 2007 in a two half month period. This shows how well the magazine has been sold, as the GQ brand has been advertised around the world and in wealth and popular countries such as the USA.

The magazine consists of numerous advertisements. The magazine particularly advertises fitness and popular sports individuals, such as LeBron James. It also advertises fashionable clothing worn by celebrities, which emphasis how large the impact of the media is, as it creates a stereotypical mind of what to wear and especially how to look.

The LeBron James GQ magazine proves difficulty online availability. This could create a knock on effect as this may cause a decline in advertisement and publicising the GQ magazine. As a result the GQ magazine has a well thought out method of publicising their magazine. In the UK the magazine is monitored freely distributed which totals up to 9,533. This contributes to the advertisement of GQ’s content.

The GQ website portrays itself as showing several appropriate images to do with the magazines content and indicates clarity. This is because the website’s layout is shown in columns, written down the page. There are also a few adverts amongst the sides of the web page that provide a sophisticated aspect to the website. The GQ page consists of having sub headings at the top of the page, instantly giving the viewer more of a choice of their interest to browse upon, which also contributes of how the website is user friendly by considering the audiences point of view.

The online presence of the magazine is mildly good. The reason for this is that the website does show the magazine front cover and provides a small but relative amount if information. However, some magazines are far more accessible, as their websites allow viewers to browse through the magazine from being able to turn the page.

The website does not really differ in appearance from the magazine. This can be proved as the magazine has a world famous star, LeBron James who will immediately attract readers. Compared to the GQ website, which is so well known and viewed, it also consists of more than one international celebrity such as, Jay Z, Lily Allen and Nicole Kidman. Furthermore, the magazine also reflects the website’s content, as the front cover tells the audience what is the latest fashion, looking at physical looks of attractive people and other American attributes.

The GQ homepage consists of numerous features. This entails, things like downloads, links and other extras. The website has downloads of articles consisting of factors the audience sees and who are interested in, such stories, such as best high street shoes or even Daniel Craig Casino Royal workout. The homepage also obtains downloads of videos, like Jay Z’s music tips or an interview with Sir Michael Canine. Additionally, the website further has internal links, mainly towards the GQ daily comment from the GQ editors. All of these examples also relate to the term convergence as they merge together to back up GQ.

Furthermore, the website does present itself as up to date. It does this by, as previously mentioned has daily news, focusing on celebrity’s lives and shows what the most recent up to date fashionable look is. All these features allow the website to have a sense of verisimilitude.

In addition, the GQ website incorporates advertising, particularly focusing on fashion and accessories. Specifically, the website mainly advertises watches, clothes and technical devices, such as playstation 3 or an Xbox 360. It also presents a Stella advert portraying a more masculine audience.

When the website launched, this had a positive knock on effect. As the GQ name expanded in the world, magazines rose in sales, as more people have come in reading with the GQ website, individuals have been choosing the GQ magazine as the website shows what it has to offer.

Advertisements are different from the adverts in the magazine, compared to the ones on the website. This is a very good way of showing great variety, as the same adverts would bore the reader. Also, this would give GQ more profits as they are advertising more items or clips from different companies on the website.

Additionally, there is no real huge price difference between advertising in the magazine than on the website. On the other hand, if one is selling or viewed more, the price on advertising may change, as more people are looking at specific adverts.

The consumer obtains more of a visual and involved feeling from the magazine. This is because the website does not show all the magazine pages as this prevents the reader from looking at content. However, the magazine lets the reader have a more of a closer and personal view of the GQ magazine. It also allows audience interactivity through blogging, votes, links and downloads, as this creates an interactive experience.

Condé Nast is credited with creating the now widely used magazine marketing strategy emphasising magazines focused on a particular class or interest. Many Condé Nast magazines have their principal focus in fashion, although the company's publications also include travel, food, home, culture, and other interests.

The company's most recent publication, a business monthly called Condé Nast Portfolio, was shuttered after just over a year, in April 2009. One of Condé Nast's oldest titles and one with a paid circulation of nearly 1 million, the 106-year-old US edition of ‘House and Garden’ magazine, ceased publication after the December 2007 issue. In late September 2009, Conde Nast was forced to cut 25% of their budget, citing decrease in advertising sales. The cut comes in the middle of a failing print media industry that is struggling with a transition to a digital business model.On October 5, 2009 Condé Nast announced the closure of four of its publications: Cookie Magazine, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride. Gourmet Magazine will cease monthly publication with its November 2009 issue. The Gourmet brand will continue to focus on television programing and cookbooks.

Condé Nast’s future looks realistically fine. However, the relationship between the institution and the audiences are crucial for social and profitable aspect. Since there are several media platforms in the world today, such as the internet, TV, mobils phones, it will require more of a challenge to engage and find what the specific audience is between a particular magazine. This is because the authentic world is becoming more digital and creates a harder task to pin point particular audiences.

Condé Nast is owned by a large comglomerate intitution that creates a huge impact to the world that is owned and riun by S.I Newhouse Jr. This company affects people’s lives in several ways, such as what they read and what interests of ceratin individuals are. This is because of the process synergy may occur to maximise audience viewing, especially from advertising. This has a huge influence of what the public think and what they do as media has a large impact of what people like and dislike. The is emphaisied by the media or large companies, such as Condé Nast can portray different madia texts in different ways.

Through merges and buyouts the company cuts down its competition. Investors and advertisers may be attracted to Condé Nast. The is because this giant media company has a predicted to produce high profits. As a result investors seem to look at the economic aspect and may see a good opportunity to invest to receive a large share. Additionally, advertisers may also benefit from the institution from yet another profitiable perspective as their products can be promoted from marketing.

Large global media organisations may not really appeal to the audience. This may be because these large crossmedia businesses are only interested purely in profit. This may cause the relationship between the audience and institution to deteriorate as the audience may seem to realise the institution does not take into consideration the demands and views of the audience. Also the quality of journalism is in doubt if a company owns all the the magazine in a particular genre.

Over the years, Condé Nast has maintained its position as one of the media giants of society. To ensure this this giant media institution has created a statergie of cross media ownership. This consists of having institutions owning several media, companies like Condé Nast, Fox news and Sky TV. Furthermore, Condé Nast have also used new technologies which entail developing hardware and software that will promote the consumption of the media. As a result the company receives a large profit which is created from these techniques inorder to maintain their position in reality.

Several magazines consider online and alternative publishing methods. I too, also think it is crucial for different magazines to consider various publishing techniques and which may lead to success.

Many inexperienced publishers lock themselves into a single strategy and they fall apart when their circumstances change. Magazines should always be prepared for change in terms of publishing as some resources that publishers use may run out. Furthermore, I strongly agree that articles should bear in mind numerous substitute strategies. This is because of new competitors who will come challenge magazines, with addition to that readers will change their reading structure. This will then cause an organisation to continually evolve and adapt to the large and unpredictable media industry.

By magazines that are taking into account alternative publishing methods, they are creating a knock on effect that will lead to broadening their target market. For example, if magazines are to consider online publishing this will attract a very large target audience. This will expand the number of viewers and consumers, mainly by people who have access to online equipment, such as a computer or iphones. Therefore magazines are targeting a wide range of audiences in order to receive a beneficial and profitable income.

As some magazines acquire different techniques towards their publishing strategies, this may lead to an issue of narrowing the accessibility. Similarly in the previous example of target audience, considering the publication online may limit the viewers, since not everyone has availability online.

This may prove unbeneficial, as fewer individuals will visit the magazine online, but overall, still a necessity.

However, the changes and improvements I would make if I were a magazine publisher would be making sure that my magazine would be more interactive with the reader. I would also consider pre planning in terms of knowing who are my target audience are to attract them to read my original and interesting content. Furthermore, I would also improve the availability of my magazine I would receive a maximum share of profit. In order for me to accomplish this greater access of my magazine I would act on numerous things. This entails actions, such as online use; the magazine would be attained in local shops or even advertising it on the radio, television or on billboards. I think this will help improve the publicity of my magazine significantly.

Case Study - Q

For my media case study I have chosen a British music magazine called ‘Q’. ‘Q’ is a music channel and in this specific magazine cover, portrays the band ‘COLDPLAY’. This magazine ‘Q’ was published monthly in the United Kingdom by the Bauer media group publishing company situated in Hamburg. The first issue of the magazine was in 1986 with a genre consisting of music. The main genre focuses are indie, rock, new rave and any bands, which may have a different sound.

The founders of the magazine, Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were disappointed by the music press who were ignoring the generation of older music fanatics who were buying CDs. Since ‘Q’ was published in 1986 it set itself high standards and drifted apart from other reading material, as it obtained a better quality of printing and photography. When ‘Q’ arrived in society, the magazine was called Cue. However, this had to be altered as this suggested the ‘Q’ magazine to be about snooker.

‘Q’ magazine has a target audience of the older generation, such as 25+. This can be compared to the NME magazine where their target audiences are for people aged between 15-25. This is because most new music is created for teenagers who are more likely to go to concerts in their later teens. Furthermore, the front cover portrays a masculine image that will influence different types of people to read it. As the magazine consists of large bold lettering with four male individuals behind the title, this indicates that the target more males are more likely to read it

The magazine is in the category of music. As you can see from the front cover, ‘Coldplay’ which are a band would advertise in it. Also, the cover suggests that the magazine will advertise and feature all the month’s albums, gigs, films and reviews. This information is presented at the bottom of the cover inn white print.

What does the website look like?

The ‘Q’ website portrays itself as being very busy, colorful and lots of content. The layout is clear with each specific content obtaining its’ own particular space. In addition, the website consists of many advertisements, such as an O2 and Yahoo ads. Also the website has a clear menu features with an appealing and consistent design. As a result the layout differentiates the different contents, such as news, features and adverts from each other, making it easier to understand as these items are in a column form.

Q hyperlink

How easily accessible is it?

The website is very accessible to individuals with modern technology, such as computers, laptops, iphones, mainly electronic mechanisms that include the Internet. This can be examined as a factor of technological convergence.

How does it differ in appearance to the magazine?

The magazine shares similar design themes, such as the colours, which are mainly red, black and whit. This may suggest that a more masculine dominated target market, considering the bold colour.

What features, downloads, links and extras does it have?

The website consists of normal menu links and external links leading to the main article of various news in the music business. It also provides features that include data of the ’50 best albums of the year’, in addition to the ‘best lyric of the decade’. This enters the viewer with a feeling of involvement, as these features are also internal links.

Does it present itself as up- to- date/ cutting edge? How?

‘Q’ website has new and popular technology, such as flash. Furthermore, it has a large section for news, which means that’s it is always up- to- date considering the technology and the design The design is always very modern and stylish that contributes to the present day.

How does it incorporate advertising?

The website advertises certain things in several ad columns, which are also animated. Some advertisements are in shapes of long columns and boxes, this conveys a more neat and tidy effect and provides a certain bodily structure to the website.

Did magazine sales rise or fall when the website launched?

Magazine sales did rise when the website launched. The reason for this was more people became aware of the website, therefore having the brand name of ‘Q’ being publicised by the media. The different types of media may come from music games, television adverts or even in actual magazines and websites in this case. Also, Q radio is currently a digital radio station with 282,000 listeners, which may contribute to the rise in magazine sales, as more individuals became used to it considering the advertisement of it.

Are adverts/ advertisers different from those in the magazine?

Yes, adverts are different from those in the magazine because the advertisements on the website are very interactive and well animated. As well interactive, the adverts are internal and external links, which may prove beneficial to the user.

However, the magazine consists of advertisements that are mush more simple and more of a visual purpose, as they are mostly images which include a little text in some cases.

Is there a price difference between advertising in the magazine and online?

Yes, there is a price difference between advertising on the website than in the magazine. This is because you will pay the same price every month to advertise in the magazine.

On the other hand, advertising online depends vitally on how many times the advertisement (ad links) would be clicked on by the consumer or even how many individuals have visited the website.

How does the consumer experience differ from reading the magazine?

The website is a dynamic piece of media, making it seem more interactive and feeling more involved. Furthermore, this may provide the consumer with a more visual experience, which may benefit the consumer’s way of thinking and understanding. This will entertain the viewer, which makes it more likely they will revisit the site again or even find great interest in a specific advert. However, the magazine depends more on the article and writings but the website is about short articles and creating a two- way situation with the user, which is known as interactivity. Also, the website obtains a ‘Q daily vote’ that will always encourage users to click their favourite icon. Therefore the website might be the best approachable way for the user, making sure that the consumer achieves the best experience.

Several magazines consider online and alternative publishing methods. I too, also think it is crucial for different magazines to consider various publishing techniques and which may lead to success.

Frequently, many people often spend most time worrying how their publication would be portrayed at the end product, not how well it would sell. In order to achieve the best outcome for magazine publishers is to a variety of options and ideas.

Many inexperienced publishers lock themselves into a single strategy and they fall apart when their circumstances change. Magazines should always be prepared for change in terms of publishing as some resources that publishers use may run out. Furthermore, I strongly agree that articles should bear in mind numerous substitute strategies. This is because of new competitors who will come challenge magazines, with addition to that readers will change their reading structure. This will then cause an organisation to continually evolve and adapt to the large and unpredictable media industry.

By magazines that are taking into account alternative publishing methods, they are creating a knock on effect that will lead to broadening their target market. For example, if magazines are to consider online publishing this will convey a very large target audience. This will expand the number of viewers and consumers, mainly by people who have access to online equipment, such as a computer or iphones. Therefore magazines are targeting a wide range of audiences in order to receive a beneficial and profitable income.

As some magazines acquire different techniques towards their publishing strategies, this may lead to an issue of narrowing the accessibility. Similarly in the previous example of target audience, considering the publication online may limit the viewers, since not everyone has availability online.

This may prove unbeneficial, as fewer individuals will visit the magazine online, but overall, still a necessity.

However, the changes and improvements I would make if I were a magazine publisher would be making sure that my magazine would be more interactive with the reader. I would also consider pre planning in terms of knowing who are my target audience are to attract them to read my original and interesting content. Furthermore, I would also improve the availability of my magazine I would receive a maximum share of profit. In order for me to accomplish this greater access of my magazine I would act on numerous things. This entails actions, such as online use; the magazine would be attained in local shops or even advertising it on the radio, television or on billboards. I think this will help improve the publicity of my magazine significantly.

Research of Photography

Photo framing/ composition

The composition of photography is the way you position the subject or the subjects in the frame. A well-composed photograph should be readable and understandable, delivering a message.

The composition is a key element of good photographs and includes the Photo composition main rule: the rule of thirds

The main rule in photo composition is the rule of thirds, also called golden rule:

This photo of a landscape shows the rule of thirds. The red boarders are indicators separating the different layers of the landscape. The top 3^rd horizontal division consists of the blue sky. The middle consists of the main part of the image, focusing on the centre of the hills. The last horizontal third is of the grass, creating a divide with the rest of he photo.

This photograph is a portrait of man with the golden rule used to show how the photo is divided. In this case, one of the thirds conventionally and nearly crosses the eyes of the individual.

Composition and framing link

Lighting

The lighting is a great presence in a photograph. It can create an object or person to be highlighted in the frame or unnoticed. In this photograph the woman is in the spotlight with the only two colours presence of black and white. This creates an enigma but focusing on the lighting, the contrast between the white around her head and the black is softened and diffused together. This connotes a light and delicate feel that work well as the subject is a female.

Mise-en-scene

The mise- en- scene in both photos are very different. Peter Jones is wearing a suit compared to Lil wayne who is wearing colourful but yet youthful clothing. A hoodie, and gold chains connotes and reflects the younger generation. In contrast to another rich individual, Peter Jones who mirrors older and more sohisticated type of indivuals.

As a result we cann see mise- en -scene is vitally important as it conveys different messages.

Single point of interest

Each picture should have only one principal idea, topic, or center of interest to which the viewer's eyes are attracted. Insignificant elements within the picture must support and focus attention on the principal feature so it alone is emphasised.

A picture without a dominant center of interest or one with more than one dominant center of interest is puzzling to a viewer. Subsequently, the viewer becomes confused and wonders what the picture is all about. When the picture has one, and only one, dominant point of interest, the viewer quickly understands the picture.

As you can see photography is a significant part to my project. Photography is a large topic and must be studied to have a better understanding of how to take a photo, knowing what connotation is giving out to the audience.

Conventions of rock

Codes and Conventions

From my research of rock magazines, I have recognised common codes and conventions in rock magazines.

Focusing on the front cover of rock magazines, they share very similar features. They usually consist of a rock artist or a rock group presenting themselves from their stationary stance. However, an even common factor on the front cover is rock artists who are performing and showing signs of movement and life.

Specifically, looking at the artists shown on the front cover, seem to normally have long hair. The mise- en- scene also attains individuals having eccentric make up, or costumes. Props, such as guitars and microphones are also well known on rock covers, which associate with rock music, especially from the tattoos and wide-open mouthed facial expressions enforcing common conventions of rock magazines.

Stereotypically, specific codes and conventions are always required when thinking and creating a rock magazine. The common theme is also shared on the contents page. Usually, the contents is mixed with images and words. Page numbers are on top of images; columns are also a common convention to present the contents to the audience, suggesting an appealing appearance to the reader.

Double page spreads contain different codes and conventions, as they want to portray specific meanings towards the audience. However, some features are kept the same, such as the text appears to be so inferior to the image, from the small lettering typeface of the text compared to the dominant image of the rock star. Quotes are also used to intrigue the audience to usually draw the reader, and perhaps shorten the article into a short statement.

These codes and conventions are used throughout society to represent the rock magazines. As a result from these features staying the same, individuals know what they are looking at from the simple denotations from rock magazines.