By K.Dolla

UNIT G321 (MUSIC MAGAZINE)

How does your media product

represent particular

social groups?

Solange Knowles featured in VIBE magazine is what influenced me on the initial idea of using a less important person in the industry rather than using somebody that is very popular

within the public’s eye. VIBE gives the impression that Solange Knowles is outspoken and isn’t reliant on her celebrity star sister, Beyoncé Knowles. The representation given is that

she is just as important as this start and I used this to show in my magazine that the co- star leading lady from Trey Songz music video in my music magazine was more important than

the singer himself. The representation I hoped for the reader was to show factors of equality.

HOW DID YOUR INITIAL IDEAS AND THEIR EXECUTION CREATE SPECIFIC REPRESENTATIONS OF MUSIC AND THE

READERS OF MUSIC MAGAZINES? 

VIBE magazine used Ciara as an example to show that exposing your body isn’t

necessarily a bad thing as VIBE quoted her saying “I’m not gonna hold back…”, showing she is comfortable and is embracing her body which the magazine uses to attract the female audience. However, VIBE magazine also uses the Male gaze theory to exploit the celebrity by featuring words such as “sex, screams & scandal…” which would create a different

appeal to the magazine. After researching into this, I subverted this as I found that it brought down the standard of the magazine despite the high quality images and colour scheme and I would have wanted

to empower the female audience in a different way rather than through exposure of the

body.

WHAT SENSE OF 'REALITY' HAVE YOU CONSTRUCTED IN YOUR MUSIC MAGAZINE AND WHAT TYPE OF AUDIENCE IS

INCLUDED AND EXCLUDED AS A RESULT?

“Direct influence via mass media”.

The Hypodermic Syringe Theory is used to bring an immediate and powerful effect, influencing its

audiences. The Hypodermic Syringe Theory can also be used through

Propaganda which creates a behaviour and opinionated change from the audience This was firstly recognised in WWII with Hitler’s

monopolization of the mass media to unify the German public behind the

Nazi party and the Payne Fund studies of the 1930s, which analysed

the impact motion pictures had on children. I used HST in my magazine when persuading the readers to vote for the BET awards. However, I also

placed a ‘*’ by the artist the magazine are promoting. They are

also commonly positively mentioned throughout the double page spread

which would encourage the reader to believe they ‘understand’ the artist.

This then subconsciously would make the reader vote for the artist.

The effects theory was said to have developed in the 1920s and looks at media texts and how in influences

those who consume them. Throughout the decades where television, radio and over media products have been created and

further developed, more taboo topics have introduced such as negative messages i.e., sexual and violent

content which has effect on venerable audiences causing them to respond to these messages in every

day situations through violence, homicides and in humane activities. Although I used the effects theory to

a positive influence through my magazine despite the African-

Caribbean culture are sometimes negatively represented by the media, I used positive representations by the use of Power and success rather than

VIBE magazine’s feature of the singer, Ciara on the front cover

exposing her body. This would allow the audience to take determination

and hard- work into their lives through the effects theory used in my

magazine.

HYPODERMIC SYRINGE AND EFFECTS THEORIES

What kind of media

institution might

distribute your media product

and why?

Vibe magazine was launched by Quincy Jones, an American record producer in 1993 and made in partnership with Time inc. The publication had originally been called Volume magazine before the co-founding editor, Scott Paulson-Bryant gave it the name

Vibe.

The target audience for this magazine is predominantly young, urban followers of the hip-hop culture which commonly attracts

African-American readers.

In April 2013, Quincy Jones signed the magazine over to Spin Media. Spin Media then began reaching out to wider audiences

internationally, as there is now a Vibe magazine in the UK.

Based on my research, I would use Time Inc for my music magazine as they are very successful within their investment as

they publish over 100 magazines including Time, Sports Illustrated, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, Fortune, People,

Instyle, Life, GOLF Magazine, Soutburn Living, Essence, This Old House, You and Entertainment Weekly.

As this magazine is so successful, by choosing Time Inc to distribute my magazine, it would be internationally published.

MAGAZINE COMPANIES

Who would be the audience for your media product?

My target audience for my magazine would be for people interested in the Hip-Hop culture. I included the BET (Black Entertainment Television)

awards on my magazine which would predominantly target an urban, Black audience.

MY MUSIC MAGAZINE

 How did you attract/address your audience?

My intended audience for my magazine is towards Class E in the Socio-Economic System. Although my magazine is mix gender and the contents mentioned could be seen as

biased towards a female audience, the colour scheme could seem as if it’s directed towards a male audience.

The ways on which I tried to appeal to my audience was through the use of two step flow through reader

participation. For example, I input into my magazine ‘ who wins > you decide’. This appeals to the reader and

influences them to believe that they are apart of the magazine. I also used the use of star power of urban day

celebrities to appeal to younger audiences.

WHO IS THE INTENDED AUDIENCE FOR YOUR MUSIC MAGAZINE AND HOW DID YOU ATTEMPT TO APPEAL TO THEM THROUGH THE DESIGN AND CONTENT OF YOUR MAGAZINE ?

From the responses of my questionnaire, I designed my magazine based on the highest amount of answers given from 20 responses. I expected my audience to agree with

font style, themes and content of the magazine.

However, my audience generated surprise as only a small percentage of the audience liked the name I had originally

chosen the title ‘KXYLS’ for my magazine. The audience found it difficult to understand and the name didn’t look

appealing. I then chose the name URBAN which suited the look and design of the magazine. The audience responses

wanted the background t have block colours that stand out against the writing within the magazine.

By taking the audience’s feedback into account, I structured my music magazine to fit my target audience.

DID AUDIENCE FEEDBACK CONFIRM EXPECTATIONS OR GENERATE SURPRISE? HOW DID YOUR AUDIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE INFORM

THE OVERALL LAYOUT/DESIGN OF YOUR FINAL PRODUCT?

Before I had officially created my magazine, I researched into a lot of urban and contemporary magazines targeted at

audiences from 16-25. Especially focusing on VIBE magazine, I noticed that the less structured the layout is, the more informal the writing tended to be and I used this technique for my double page spread by using a range of

reds and blues in text to make the reader more comfortable as the text is informal and rather chatty. I also noticed that a lot of the magazines use more than one photo on a double page spread with different adjustments to colour balance. Not only did I use this effect for my double page spread,

but for my front cover and contents page.

THROUGHOUT THE MAKING OF THE MUSIC MAGAZINE YOU WILL HAVE BEEN MAKING CREATIVE DECISIONS BASED ON IDEAS YOU WERE DEVELOPING ABOUT YOUR READERS. WHERE DID THESE IDEAS COME FROM AND HOW DID THEY INFLUENCE THE PLANNING OF MISE-EN-SCENE, TYPOGRAPHY, LAYOUT,

MODE OF ADDRESS AND REGISTER YOUR FINISHED MAGAZINE?

I used the contents page by VIBE magazine featuring Kanye West as my inspiration for my contents page. I found the page layout and fonts used eye

catching and would be effective to the reader for my magazine also. This helped to attract my audience as it is very artistic and simple.

WHEN CREATING YOUR MUSIC MAGAZINE, WHAT EXISTING PRODUCTS DID YOU USE AS INSPIRATION? HOW DID THIS HELP

YOU ATTRACT YOUR INTENDED TARGET AUDIENCE?

6. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT ABOUT TECHNOLOGIES FROM

THE PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING THIS PRODUCT?

“What technologies did you use during the Pre-Production of your music magazine?”

-Technologies used within my magazine was DSLR Camera for the photo shoot, I used red head lights, to add effects to images. I also used Google Drive to upload and create questionnaires for

my audiences.

“How did the technology for the photo shoot allow you to have full creative control over your photo shoot?”

-This allowed me to have full control over my photo shoots as it made it easier to use Photo Shop when removing backgrounds as bright green isn’t a colour that can easily blend. The Red head

lighting allows me to add a mood and to create an atmosphere, having impact on the reader.

“How did the desktop publishing technology (Publisher for College Magazine and Photoshop for Music Magazine) allow you to do things that extended your creative

control?”

-The publishing technology allowed me to extend my creative control because the technology offered all software that would bring my image editing to a higher quality. The magic wand tool

especially made it easier for me to remove the green screen from images.

“What ICT software did you use to display your magazine and gain audience feedback?”

-I used Google Drive and Google Sites to get audience feedback from so I know what the audience would like to see from my music magazine.

“Are there examples of the technology obstructing or limiting the creative process?”

-Some examples of the technology limiting my creative process is when I am particularly focusing on removing a background when the colour has reflected onto the material of the clothes the

models are wearing.