Question 1:
In what ways does your product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions
of real media products?
Due to technical difficulties, I haven’t been able to upload some
pictures properly. As you can see, I have uploaded them as print screens to
show that I have done the work and I hope it will suffice. Sorry for any
inconvenience.
Question 2:
How does your media product represent social
groups?
Personally, I think the only social groups I have represented in my
product are females and teenagers. As I have used a cover image of a young
girl, I have shown that it is aimed at young girls. The colours I have used can
also suggest this.
I think I have
portrayed young girls to be quite flamboyant and outgoing. This is because I have
used more than one bright colour to draw in my audience. In doing this, it
suggest that young girls are hectic and hyper, whether it be the case or not.
That last point
can be argued by what my cover girl is doing in the image. As she is biting
down on her coat, it shows that she is timid and maybe a bit embarrassed by the
camera. However you could also say she is flirting with camera, and the
audience, as she is smiling whilst she does so.
Due to the main
cover line about the new artist ‘Holly Timms’, it shows that women and young
girls are interested in gossip and like to take part in gossip. This can also
be said about the ‘Free iPod’ competition I have included on my cover. It may
be portrayed that women only like free things and that they are materialistic.
Looking back over
my product, I also feel that I may have represented a lower class of people. As
we look at the price of £2.00, it shows that it is not a sophisticated and
expensive magazine.
Without realising, I have represented American men in a certain
way. In my double page spread, I have written about how hot American men are,
from ‘Holly Timms’ point of view. This presents American men not as people, but
slightly as objects just to drool over.
As a result of my
use of colours and featured stories, and also sentences I had written without realising,
I feel I have represented young girls and possibly women in general. However I feel
I may not have done this in such a positive way.
Question 3:
What kind of media
institution might distribute your media product and why?
There would be many potential media institutions who could
distribute my magazine. However not all would be appropriate – from not knowing
what style of music I have decided to use, to not knowing how to appeal to a
British audience.
For example, I wouldn’t use Disney. Despite it being the largest
conglomerate in the world, it wouldn’t deem right. This is because they’re key
target audience is children. As my magazine is for the age 16+, it wouldn’t be
suitable. I believe that the cover of my product is too old for their audience,
let alone the stories featured inside. I understand that Disney is venturing
out with their audience, aiming for a slightly higher age range. But they will
always have a pre-existing fan base.
I also feel I could not use
CBS Corporation. This is because they are based mainly in the US. I want my
magazine to be published in the UK, therefore I would have to choose a company
that know the UK audiences well enough. If they do not understand the UK
audience, then my product wouldn’t not be successful.
I would most likely choose to have it distributed by Time Warner.
Not only are they one of the biggest conglomerates in the world, but they also have
a well-known publishing brand. The company Time Inc., which currently has 150
titles to its name worldwide, is the leading magazine publisher in the UK and
US (having made a profit of $5 billion in annual revenues). Not only that; they
also own IPC media, as I’ve previously studied as part of my research. As they
have had a music company (Warner Music Group), I could trust that they would
know how to improve my magazine if needs be. Another reason why I feel Time
Warner would be a good choice of distributers is because of cross media
convergence. As they own multiple radio stations and TV channels all over the
world, this would mean that my magazine could feature bands and artists that
appear on their television or radio shows. In doing this, it would save them,
and me, money.
Other companies or
conglomerates to take into consideration would be those who own music
businesses. Such as Sony Corporation. If they ever made a publishing company,
it would be possible to have them distribute my magazine. The style of my
magazine would mirror the quirkiness of the Japanese producers and editors and
distributors and it would fit in well with their music business, Sony Music
Entertainment. They would, as well as Time Warner, be able to introduce in the
art of cross media convergence. Not only could they advertise their own
electronic equipment in my magazine, but also new artists under their music
label.
So after researching into multiple
different conglomerates, I feel the best type for me to choose to distribute my
magazine would be the one who had a good understanding of the UK audience; who
could offer the chance of cross media convergence; and also the one with the
most successful publishing companies.
Question 4 and 5:
Who would be the
audience for your media product?
As my Prezi's and PowerPoints will not upload onto my blog, I have included to the link in the hope you will be re-directed to my Prezi on the website. I apologise for any inconvenience.
Question 6:
What have you learnt
about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
http://app.sliderocket.com/app/sliderocket.aspx#
Question 7:
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you
feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
The first thing I
have learnt from the preliminary task during the process of making my product
is the conventions of a music magazine. After I did my research about this
particular topic, I felt I understood what aspects it takes to make a
successful music magazine and I knew I could use them correctly in order to
make a final product I was happy with.
Another thing I learnt was not only
about my intended target audiences, but also about other potential audiences
too. Because of my questionnaire in the target audience, it helped me achieve
knowledge of what different age groups would like to see; giving me an opportunity
to do similar work to my coursework, in my own time, to possibly make another
style of magazine.
Making the Prezi about target
audiences made me take into consideration the less noticeable things of a music
magazine. After producing it – which I quite enjoyed – I began to think more
deeply into the use of colours and fonts; about what they might represent and
what that could portray to the audience.
I have most certainly learnt a lot
about using technology (see question 6). When you look at my final product for
my student magazine, you can tell that I wasn’t quite equipped with the
programmes I used (InDesign and Photoshop). After more and more practice during
the process of making my music magazine, I did become gravely comfortable with
using them confidently.
