Media Evaluation

By

Mark Leonard

Front Cover Conventions

• Music magazines tend to follow a list of conventions. From these music magazines you can see that they all have a large centralised image.

• The names of the mags seem to be positioned in the top left corner or in the centre. They don’t appear to be in the top right corner of the cover.

• The covers have text that surrounds the cover image or go over it.

• Some of the mags don’t just tell readers about music. Some tell readers about the latest “celebrity gossip” and “fashions”.

• Most front covers follow a grid system.

My Front Cover

Grid system towards the bottom.

The front cover looses it’s grid system look, to be replaced with a more geological look, as rocks are commonly dipped in the earth. This can represent a double meaning in the name.

Banner

People in the picture giving a direct mode of address

Pug, giving an incentive. Free attract buyers.

Mast head and tagline. At the top of the page, people tend to look there first

Secondary images show the reader other articles.

The colour scheme is repeated through the magazine. Creating house style.

Contents Conventions

• Some contents pages have the name of the magazines name at the top of the page. The page numbers and names are usually in columns.

• Some list the name of this page (Contents) at the top of the page, either next to the image or the repeated title.

• Near the top or bottom of the page, the contents page will have the date and/or the issue number.

• There may be an image related to the main article or a less important article.

My Contents page

Contents of the magazine.In columns

Date and issue number

Images related to articles

I deliberately made it list like to appeal to a primarily male reader.

Repetition of the title adds to the house style

Competition and subscription advert encourages regular readers.

Double Page Spread Conventions

• Double page spreads consist usually of 300-400 words, a large image/several small images, changes in text size and vibrant colour schemes.

• When the image is a large singular image. It the image will usually be of an artists face or the whole band together.

• The articles usually have a headline/title and a stand first before the main text. The text is usually in columns.

Double page spread conventions

300-400 words. Humorous mode of address to appeal to male reader. Column are used to structure to article.

Picture of the whole band. This is the largest part of the feature.

Image is direct mode of address

Title

Stand first, creatively positioned to emulate the title.

Continuous house style.