Double page spread example 2

This double page spread is different to any other magazines. The image dominates the page to make it clear who the article is about. The part of the image which is not important is filled with the text, this makes the page more attractive and avoids making the age look blank. There is no heading to the article and no other information, this emphasises the article itself, to focus the reader's attention only on the image and the text which are relevant to the article.

The image shows the model positioned to the side but looking straight towards the camera, this creates a connection with the reader but still suggests that the image is being taken in a normal environment which relates to an environment similar to the reader's. 

Quotation marks are used in the article to clearly separate the quotes from the article, this suggests are more story-like structure which the reader will understand.

Double page spread example 3

This double page spread is extracted from an NME magazine. The heading is 'USA got the love' and 'got the love' is in italics and smaller. This is because it is inter textual, it also refers to Florence and the machine's song 'you got the love,' the heading refers to this song because the article is about the music artist Florence and the machine. USA is in bold and dominates the page to draw the reader's attention to the main purpose of the article, which is to promote Florence and the machine's music being popular in the USA.
The image is a wide shot which shows the full length of the main product in the image, this is to ensure that the American flag is shown in the frame. The flag is similar to the American flag, this links well with the heading and the article.
The layout includes the image and the heading starting on the left, this entices the reader to analyse the conventions on the page from left to right. The main feature on the left page is the image and the beginning of the heading, this summarises the main subject of the article. The American flag is shown just below the heading USA to directly refer to America, Florence is just to the left of the line 'got the love,' this creates direct synergy. These four codes meet in the centre of the main image to blend the two codes to form one main code.
The colour code of this double page spread is grey, black, white and red. The red and white refers to the American flag, the black colour of Florence's dress links with part of the heading and the text and the grey is a separate colour to highlight the beginning of the heading and the lead of the article.

Double page spread example 1

The layout of this double page spread mainly includes imagery, this grabs the attention of the reader to entice them to read the main article. The centre and largest image on the page is of the lead singer of the band, therefore, the reader is more likely to recognise the featured band straight away if the centre image features the lead singer. The centre image is also spread over both pages to create the clear, recognisable layout of a normal double page spread.

The name of the featured band is not in bold so looks like it is not trying to draw the attention of the reader, this is because the reader will recognise the band by the images on the page. 

The main colour scheme is black and white, which is the same as the house style of the magazine. When the colour scheme is black and white, it helps to emphasise main features in the magazine that include attractive bright colours. 

The masthead of the magazine is included in the double page spread to add to the music genre that is being represented. It also shows that the page is the same house style as the rest of the magazine.  

Contents page example 3

This contents page example is from an NME magazine. The layout of the contents page is very similar for every issue, which creates consistency and helps the reader to recognise the house style of the magazine.

The masthead is included in the contents page title followed by the phrase 'this week,' this suggests that weekly music update are the main content, this is in bold to highlight the purpose of the contents page. The main article that is featured in the magazine is placed in the centre of the page, which entices the reader to focus on that article first. It also has a caption to summarise the main parts of the article in one sentence. Although the band index is on the left and the text is in red may suggest that the reader will read it first, it is in small print suggesting that it is not a main feature but something that the audience can refer to depending on their major interests.
The small black arrows on the right hand side direct towards the articles which feature on the cover of the magazine. This helps the reader to find the articles which are important more easily. It also separates the articles from the sections, but still including them into these sections for easy reference. 
The exclusive information which is included in the magazine is highlighted using a red arrow, similar to the small black arrows, pointing to the edge of the page. This suggests to the reader that they have to turn the page to find out the information.
The colour scheme is red, white and black with some attention grabbing colours such as yellow which is the same as the masthead and the front cover. This creates a consistent house style format.
The subscription information is at the bottom to show that it is not a main feature but it is something that may be useful for the reader. The image shows two issues of NME magazines to clearly show that it is an NME magazine subscription. The most important information and commands are highlighted in yellow, while the rest of the text is written in white text. This draws attention to the main points of this section and emphasises the persuasive language which is used.

Contents page example 2

This contents page example is extracted from a Billboard magazine. The title of the main content is in bold font to highlight the purpose of the text and show what the main feature is. The cover article fills most of the contents page to summarise the cover before the reader continues to read the magazine.

The other features in the magazine is in a yellow coloured column on the left side of the page to draw the readers attention to them, the text is written in a smaller print to suggest that they are least importance.

There are images included at the top of the page to create anchorage to the other features. They also include page numbers for easy reference.

The main colours in this contents page are black and white, each important caption or article feature includes a yellow colour to draw more attention to it and convey to the reader what is the article and what is content.

Contents page example 1

This contents page example is from a 'Kerrang!' magazine. It includes the front cover in the top left corner to show which issue it features in.

The main article has an image on the contents page which is larger then the other articles to show dominance and importance. The images which show the main articles have captions to create anchorage for each image and shows a clear content layout by including page numbers.

Below the contents page logo is a quote that a member of a famous band has said, it makes the contents page less formal and more entertaining to help attract its target audience. The contents page also includes an editorial, which allows the editor of the magazine to connect with the reader. On the right hand side of the page are all the articles which are featured in the magazine, each article is put into a category of a certain section, such as, 'news' or 'album reviews', this creates an organised layout which the reader is familiar with to allow them to find a specific article easily. 

The magazine subscription advertisement is included in the contents page in the bottom corner to make it easy to find but shows the reader that it is not an important contents feature.  

magazine front cover interpretation mark 3

Language -  The main technique used to distinguish the mediated language of this magazine is shown by the layout. The brand image covers all of the page and the cation to the brand image in shown in the centre. The caption to the image is also the banner headline, this not only draws attention to the main feature but also creates anchorage. It also features a strap line to summarise the main story. The image is of the main people shown to be standing on a country road with a typical country background, they are wearing casual clothing and looking towards the camera, this suggests a 'laid-back,' normal approach to the image to which the audience can relate to their own lifestyle. The magazine cover is mainly composed of a black, red and grey colour scheme with the exception of some white to highlight the main articles. Most of the important content is arranged in the left-third of the page, this shows to the reader that they are most important and that they should be analysed first, this is included in all NME magazines as a house style which uses a similar layout throughout each magazine.
Institution - The institution of this magazine example is 'NME' and is published by IPC. NME are an institution which produce rock/alternative music genre magazines, this is recognised by the logo and the house style. 
Ideology - The ideology used in the production of this magazine example includes the clothes that the models in the brand image are wearing, as they are casual clothes that the reader may wear themselves, they can relate to the magazine because it shows realism. The layout of the front cover is also important to grab the attention of the reader, making them want to purchase the magazine. The brand image and main feature on the cover dominates the page and leads the reader to believe that the conventions of the front cover are the same throughout the rest of the magazine. The layout is easily identifiable to the reader. The second most important feature in this magazine is summarised in a strap line at the top of the page, this suggests that it is as important as the main feature and attracts the reader into reading it after the main caption. 
Audience - The magazine is sold at a reasonable price of £2.20, this suggests that the main target audience are lower or middle class people. The magazine is targeted at teenagers to middle-aged people as it uses language which this age group can relate to, there are also conventions such as colour schemes which attract a younger target audience. This type of target audience means that it is more likely that they are interested in the magazine content and music updates.
Representation - A variety of music genres are represented in this magazine example, these genres include: rock, pop and indie music. This allows the magazine to widen its target audience depending on their interests and shows that there is a variety of different people and music artists being represented. Different conventions can be used for the different representations. In this example the band Muse is representing the rock/indie music genre, we know this because the text for their band name is in a red plain bold font, it suggests an rock/indie house style.

magazine front cover interpretation mark 2

Language - The media language of this front cover includes the layout. The brand image dominates most of the page with some of the masthead hidden behind the image, this draws the readers attention to the image. The model is also facing the camera to connect with the reader. The anchorage of the brand image is in bold and in pink colour, this is unusual for a music magazine and attracts the reader to the meaning of the caption to link it with the image. There is also an added teaser at the side of the page that completes the caption. The fact that it has a star and is placed vertically attracts the reader and anchors the image without adding too much text to the caption making the layout look too busy. The exclusive and main features of the magazine are on the left-third of the page and the extra less important features are in the bottom right corner, this entices the reader to read the exclusive features first to draw attention to the rest of the magazine. The background colour of the magazine is white, this helps to emphasise the more attractive colours uses for the subheadings and the small colourful areas in the masthead. The colour of the caption reflects on the colour of the models hair, therefore it creates a clear link to the image.
Institution - The main institution of this magazine is Billboard and the publishers are Prometheus Global Media. The publisher produces a variety of magazines which feature different music genres, in this example the music genre is mainstream music. The recording institution which the featured artist (Avril Lavigne) is also an institution which is part of the magazine, in this example it is RCA Records.
Ideology - The ideology of this magazine is to promote the positive values of the mainstream music genre. It makes the reader inspire the music artists which are featured, the reader is more likely to invest in this type of magazine if it features an artist to suit their individual interests. The title of the magazine suggests that it is a worldwide advertisement and is observed by a niche audience, meaning that many different types of audience will appeal to the magazine in different ways depending on the house style and textual features. The idea of including four different colours in the masthead is also used to appeal to a wide variety of people, as different people are attracted to different colours. The idea that the caption to the brand image is at the top of the page in bold emphasises the main article which is featured in the magazine to grab the readers attention to the main idea. The selling line on this magazine is 'experience the music' this suggests that the magazine is a positive music experience for the reader and that other magazines do not offer the reader the same thing.
Audience - The main target audience for this magazine is young people or teenagers, mainly female as it is designed to be sold for a low price. It is also mainly younger people who aspire mainstream music artists. The magazine also uses a colour splash which will appeal to the younger generation and keep a consistent theme, but altering the semiotics of the main front cover to convey different main features. This magazine has a recognisable logo which the audience relate to their interests and beliefs.

magazine front cover interpretation mark 1

Language - The media language used on this front cover includes the colour scheme. The colour scheme of this example is black, white and red. The black stands out against the white banner headline and the white colour of the models shirts. The red colours used for the tag line on the banner headline and the puffs create anchorage  as well as connecting with the red colour of the tie on the models. The brand image is a medium close-up and focuses on the models eyes as they are looking straight towards the camera, this helps to draw the attention of the reader to the brand image. The smaller images at the bottom show action shots of other features in the magazine, this makes it look attractive but is still different to the brand image, they also have captions as anchorage to direct the reader through the signifier of the image. The masthead is shown as a painted font which looks like smashed glass, this suggests an aggressive rock image to the magazine, this reflects the genre of music which the magazine is focused on.
Institution - The main institution of this magazine is 'kerrang' and is produced by Bauer music. Other institutions are advertised in this magazine. These include the different clothing, music and record companies, such as, 'visible noise records,' 'criminal damage' clothing and 'converse' merchandise. These institutions feature in this magazine example because they match with the rock genre of music.
Ideology -  The ideology of this magazine cover is to promote the aspirational moral values of rock music. This example includes successful bands which the reader may want to aspire from, thus buying the magazine and any other products which feature the bands. The selling line of this front cover is 'K! week of rock poster special' this word special suggests that the magazine is a must have to the reader and it creates the message that this particular issue is different to any other, which entices the reader to purchase the magazine. The title of the magazine is made to sound like a guitar sound to further express the message of the rock music genre.
Audience - The target audience for this example is lower/middle class citizens because it has a low selling price, this means that the target audience will be able to afford to by the magazine frequently. The social class of the target audience will be young people and students who are interested in rock music and concerts, which are a regular feature in kerrang magazines. The gender of the target audience is either for this magazine because it features rock music that both male and female audiences will appeal to, the magazine therefore aims to appeal to both genders in different ways.
Representation -  This magazine represents the rock music genre, rock music artists and members of the public who are interested in rock. They are represented by using connotation within the images and text which the reader can refer to the genre and make it more 'realistic'. The magazine provides certain versions of stereotypes to make the representation accurate, words like 'uproar' and 'storm' convey a sense of aggressiveness which is referred to many aspects of the rock stereotype, which creates a mental picture towards a person or group of people. The codes which are represented in this magazine signify meanings that are culturally accepted by the target audience, they also represent the target audience through each magazine to help the reader to maintain a consistent conventional analysis.

LIIAR interpretation of the main task brief

Language - The language includes the camera angles used when producing the images, these camera angles could be wide shot, mid-shot, medium close-up, close up or extreme close-up. The language is also the colour codes which are featured, these create a continuous theme to the magazine and the conventions of the type of magazine. The house style of the magazine is an important aspect of the language, it needs to be the same with every issue because it needs to represent the same target audience for every issue.
Institution - Some examples of institutions i am researching for my magazine are:

• Q (Bauer publishers)
• NME (IPC)
• Metal Hammer (Future)
• Mix Mag (Development Hell)
• EMAP

The magazine name and the publishing organisation that publishes the magazine are both institutions.
Ideology - The ideology is the conventions of the magazine which make up the overall product. Each message has a specific purpose. These include aspirational values, these are things which entice the reader to wish to become what is featured in the magazine and the selling lines which are used to persuade the reader to invest in the magazine and other products that connect with the magazine. The ideology of the title NME, stands for new music express, this suggests that it provides new music quickly and officiantly, it could also suggest that it is the enemy of mainstream music because the title sounds like enemy and the magazine features alternative music.
Audience - When choosing a target audience the producer of the magazine needs to consider the following factors; age, gender, social lifestyle and social class. The social class depends on the amount of income that a type of audience has. The economic spending power depends which type of magazine they buy because of how much it costs. The type of magazine needs to adapt to these different audiences.
Representation - The main representation of the magazine is the genre of music and the artists.  The central image on the cover is the main way that these can be represented. The magazine also represents the target audience by including some features that associate with their lifestyles and interests.

Main Task Brief

The front page, contents and double page spread of a new music magazine. All images and text must be original, produced by you - minimum of four images.