Main Task Flat Plans

Firstly, I have created the above flat plan for the front cover of my main task. I have abided by the conventions which I previously stated I would include. For example, I am going to ensure that the masthead falls behind the main image and that the main coverline is written in a slightly larger font than that of the masthead.

I believe I will call my magazine 'Ambiance'. The reason for this is because I feel that the inclusion of French language would give the magazine an original feel as opposed to if this was simply written in English. As well as this, 'ambiance' refers to the character/atmosphere of something which I believe is relevant to my magazine as I have made it clear that the artists featured within my magazine would use their fashion sense to create 'character'.

I have followed the main conventions of having the masthead at the top of the page and coverline further down as I believe that if I changed these elements my magazine would not appear as professional and realistic.

To continue, as well as including coverlines on the front cover I will also include a pull quote from my double page spread. This will be relevant to the front cover as the 'artist' will appear beside it in the main image. I have decided to include a pull quote on the front cover as quotations taken out of context can create a completely different idea and consequently intrigue the reader and make them want to buy it.

Next, I created a flat plan for my contents page. I have decided to make the masthead 'A This Week' and the 'A' will appear in the same font as it does on the front cover to create a sense of structure and allow the contents page to make reference to the brand of the magazine.

Furthermore, I have followed the convention I previously stated I would by organising the list of contents into categories. Although this may be subject to change when producing my contents page, I currently believe these categories will be 'Features', 'Reviews' and 'Regulars'.

I have decided to make the stories which were introduced on the front cover through coverlines instantaneously recognisable on the contents page by putting a star beside them. Many people only buy magazines due to something that intrigued them on the front cover and therefore I feel it is important to have these pages clearly marked.

On top of this, I have chosen to include 3 images on my contents page, the largest of which being of the same person featured on the front cover. I came to this conclusion as as this person is the focus of the double page spread they may be viewed as the main selling point of the magazine and should therefore be included wherever possible.

Another element I have chosen to include is an editors letter or list of the UK Top 40. I have decided to include something like this on my contents page as I believe that if I were to add another image or simply increase font size to fill the space left on the page it would appear unprofessional. Therefore, I want to include something that is a genuine feature in various music magazines.

Finally, I will include a thick line of colour along the bottom of the page which will then be sectioned off by a smaller line to feature the page number in the bottom right hand corner. I decided to include this as I believe that having this line of colour along the bottom of the page would tie the colour scheme together and create a professional effect. As well as this, it will add structure as this is an element which is also included on the double page spread flat plan below.

 

Finally, I created a double page spread flat plan. In a similar way to the Q and TOTP double page spreads I deconstructed, one of my pages will simply be an image of the ‘artist’ my feature is on.

 

As this page will appear in the 'Regulars' section on the contents page I am going to make it apparent that this would be a recurring feature in every issue be adding a heading such as 'Upcoming Artist' at the top of the page.

 

I am going to follow the typical magazine convention and organise the article into columns. I believe that my interview will be organised into a question and answer format as I feel this is appropriate for my target audience as it appears more fun, less daunting to read, and allows them to get to know the idiolect of this particular artist.

 

Furthermore, I am also going to include a smaller image within the article which would be related to the questions within the article and therefore suitable/appropriate.

 

Finally, I will also include a sub-article as seen within the Top of The Pops magazine I deconstructed. Due to the fact that I would like my music magazine to have a fashion orientated twist, this sub-article may be the artists 5 favourite items of clothing, 5 favourite singles at the moment etc.

 

 

I am currently unsure of what I want my colour scheme to be however I am aware that I am going to keep it to around 3 colours to create a simplistic and organised effect. Through deconstructing previous magazine front covers, contents pages and double page spreads I have found that red, black and white seem to be recurring colours within music magazines. Due to this I will consider using these colours within my own magazine.

Photoshoot Planning

Within my photoshoot I am going to photograph one of my female friends, Jessica Jackson. I have decided to photograph her in 3 different outfits to allow for alternating aesthetics on the front cover, contents page and double page spread.

I have already picked out these outfits using a combination of clothes, shoes and jewellery from both of our wardrobes. The outfits consist of:
- A leather skirt, bright pink cami top, a denim shirt accompanied by a gold collar chain, a gold watch and black platform boots
- Patterned black, white, grey and pink pants, a black long sleeved crop top, gold cross earrings and black platform strappy shoes
- Patterned black and white pants, a black cami top, gold chain, gold hoop earrings and gold and black shoes

I decided upon these outfits as I believe they are slightly unusual and the inclusion of gold jewellery fits in with the R&B/Urban genre. As well as this, as I want my magazine to have a fashion orientated twist I believe that these outfits would make people instantaneously recognise this element.

I am going to use the photography studio within college to take my photographs to ensure that they appear as professional as possible. I don't believe that I will use any props as I don't want any attention to be drawn away from the 'artist' and her clothing and would like to maintain a simplistic and professional feel.

Furthermore, I am going to utilise the lighting facilities within the photography studio and use the backdrops available. I have been informed that the white backdrop appears dirty and so unless this problem is rectified I will be using the black backdrop. However, for the photographs I would want to use on my front cover I may use the green backdrop as I will later be cutting around this to allow the masthead to fall behind the main image and therefore I could change the background to white on Photoshop.

I do not believe I will be using any props within my photoshoot as I do not want to draw any attention away from my models clothing.

The conventions, producer & target audience of my text

As previously mentioned, deconstructing front covers, contents pages and double page spreads of existing magazines has allowed me to gain knowledge and understanding of recurring features and conventions within typical magazines. Due to the fact that I want to make my magazine appear professional and realistic, as if it would be seen on a shelf in a shop, I will include and adapt many of these conventions into my main task. To begin, I am going to design my front cover with a main image of one female ‘artist’ dressed in high-fashion items of clothing. I have made this decision as my target audience is teenagers to young adults, many of whom are very fashion conscious and gain inspiration from celebrities. Furthermore, although I am going to take many photos of my model I believe I will use an image where by she has forward facing eyes, as if she is looking directly at the audience. I came to this conclusion as I believe it would draw people in and consequently would increase sales if it were a real magazine.  To continue, I am going to use Photoshop to make the masthead fall behind the image of the ‘artist’ as when analysing the magazine front covers I found that the artist appearing on the front cover appears to be more of a selling point than the brand of the magazine itself. As a result, I will also ensure that the main coverline (the name of the ‘artist’) is marginally larger than the masthead as I found this was a recurring feature when I deconstructed magazine front covers. I believe this is a further element to support the fact that the artist is more of a selling point than the name of the magazine.

In addition, from the deconstruction of NME, Q and Billboard contents pages I concluded that I will organise my list of contents into categories instead of one long list. This was a convention utilised in all three of the previously named contents pages and therefore would be an element necessary to ensure professionalism in the creation of my main task. Not only this, but having the contents list organised into categories makes it easier for the reader to find articles they would be interested in. I will definitely include a heading such as ‘Regulars’ or ‘In Every Issue’ as this would be helpful for regular readers or subscribers. To continue, I will ensure that stories which were introduced through coverlines on the front cover are clearly indicated on the contents page through the use of arrows, stars or a change in colour/font of the text. I have chosen to include this feature within my main task as many people buy magazines due to a story they see on the front cover which they are eager to read. As a result, I believe it is important to ensure these stories are easy to find. I will also include a small number of images on the contents page which are relevant to articles within and would therefore have the appropriate page numbers printed on top. This would make the contents page appear less boring and more suitable for my target audience.

Furthermore, I have also gathered multiple ideas on the aesthetics of my double page spread through the deconstruction of current DPS. Firstly, the main body of my article will be structured into columns as this is evidently a very important convention of magazines and would therefore assist me in ensuring my magazine conveys a professional look. I am also going to include a pull quote, or possibly more than one, as when quotations are taken out of context they can dramatically intrigue the reader and consequently prompt them to read on. Therefore I am going to consider using a pull quote as my heading, similar to that of the Top of The Pops DPS I deconstructed. On top of this, within my main task I am going to include, where possible, a drop capital. This is a further element which would ensure my DPS appeared realistic and professional. A final convention which I am going to include within my DPS is that of making the article appear as though it is a regular feature within the magazine. This would be done by writing a small heading such as ‘This Week Lucy Meets...’ and naming the artist. As a result, my DPS would be under the ‘Regulars’ or ‘In Every Issue’ heading on the contents page. Additionally, I believe I am going to set my interview out in question and answer format as the TOTP DPS was. I decided upon this as the information appears less daunting to read for the younger of my target audience and would also allow me to include non-fluency features which would make the audience feel closer to the artist as they would learn exactly how they interact.

Overall, I am going to maintain a very simple colour scheme, preferably with 3 colours. I have decided upon this as I don’t want my main task to appear over-crowded or childish as this would not be suitable for my target audience of teenagers to young adults. A further way in which I will attempt to maintain this simplistic feel is through the use of a small number of fonts. I do not want my fonts to vary dramatically as I believe this would make my main task appear unprofessional due to the fact that I did not come across this in any of the deconstructions I carried out.

If my magazine were to be produced for sale or distribution to the ‘real world’ I believe it would be produced by Hearst Magazines UK. I came to this conclusion as this is the institution which produces ‘Reveal’, a magazine which is suitable for my target audience. Not only this, but Reveal includes elements which I have previously mentioned I may adapt into my own magazine such as ‘Worst Dressed Celebrities of The Week’ and therefore appears as a suitable institution. Furthermore, as stated within my institutional research this company ensures that their websites are suitable for function on smartphones and have also launched an App. My target audience use their mobile phones to an extreme extent and therefore I believe it would be necessary for my magazines website to function well on their mobiles and also have an App which they could download.

As stated previously, my target audience is teenagers to young adults (14-29) of both genders. I believe they would be more city and town orientated as opposed to those who prefer the countryside and the outdoors due to the fact that this is a music magazine focused on Urban, R&B and Pop music. On top of this, my target audience is those who are interested in fashion and the latest trends presented by celebrities. I believe these are characteristics of the majority of people within my selected age range due to the fact that I, my friends, boyfriend and sister all fit into this category and possess the above characteristics. To continue, not only would my target audience be interested in the music artists and bands produce, but in the artists themselves and the ‘gossip’ behind their life. I have concluded this as although within my interview on my DPS I am going to include vital information about the artists single/album/tour, I would also like to include more personal questions, such as how the Justin Bieber DPS focused on his relationship with Selena Gomez.

In conclusion, I believe my magazine would be on sale in newsagents and corner shops as well as supermarkets such as Asda and Morrisons. This is because the younger of my target audience would be more likely to pick it up at their corner shop where as the older may purchase it during their weekly shop. The reason I have deemed the above places as suitable is because they all sell a wide variety of magazines, separated into categories. As a result, my magazine would be appropriate for those who would usually buy a music magazine and a ‘gossip’ magazine, such as Now, as it would be a bit like the two combined despite the fact that it would only include gossip about those within the music industry as opposed to actors/actresses and socialites which are included in other magazines.

Stage 2 Magazine Planning

My idea for the magazine is for it to be an original music magazine with a fashion focused twist. Although it will include typically music related elements on the contents list (e.g. reviews of performances or albums) it will also include pages which would inform the reader where they could 'get the look' of their favourite artist on a budget, showing them where similar items can be found in highstreet stores. Not only this, but the interview with the 'artist' on my double page spread will include questions about their choice of clothing as well as their success and love for music.

I decided to take this approach on the magazine because my target audience is teenagers to young adults, a category which I fit into myself. I personally do not read music magazines and I know many of my friends, boyfriend and sister of the same age group don't either. Due to this I wanted to make this genre of magazine appeal more to my target audience and I feel as though adding a fashion element would do this. I gained this idea as I, and my friends, read 'gossip' magazines such as 'Now' and 'Heat' which regularly include elements such as a 'best and worst dressed of the week' list, which is light-hearted fun and something people of my age group, particularly girls, enjoy. However, in this day in age males seem to be just as fashion focused as girls, with regular trends being taken on by the majority. These trends have usually stemmed from a famous artist or band member. However, this is also the 'iPod generation' something Kanye West recently spoke of in an interview with Kris Jenner. In this interview he made a very valid point by stating there are no boundaries anymore, people don't simply listen to one genre of music. Many peoples iPods range from music such as Lil' Wayne to Ellie Goulding and therefore I believe a music magazine covering a wide range of music would be appropriate and appeal to teenagers to young adults. Although I will be making my magazine suitable for both genders I personally believe it may appeal slightly more to females than males, however when I begin my main task I will attempt to obliterate this gender bias.

I want my front cover, contents page and double page spread to look as professional and as much like a real magazine as possible and therefore will abide by some major conventions. Firstly, I will ensure that the masthead on my front cover falls behind my main image. As well as this, I will make the main coverline slightly larger than the masthead as I noted this as a repeating feature on the magazine front covers I previously deconstructed. I also believe I will use a main image where the 'artist' is pictured with forward facing eyes, as if looking at the reader as this is an element which could be used to draw the reader in. Furthermore, on the contents page I will indicate which stories were introduced on the front cover with arrows or a change in colour of the text. On top of this, I will organise the contents list into categories, and definitely use a 'Regulars/In Every Issue' subheading as this is a convention I noticed recurring during my contents page deconstructions. I may also include a small review of a performance, album or single to the contents page however this is not a convention I am positive I will include. Within the double page spread I will structure the text into columns as this is a major convention of magazines. As well as this, I will include a pull quote and drop capitals to keep the DPS looking professional and realistic. Finally, I will attempt to include an idea I gained from the Q and TOTP double page spreads I deconstructed. By this, I mean I will attempt to make the interview a feature which would be in every issue with a different artist by using a heading similar to what the previously mentioned magazines included (e.g. 'EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW').

Finally, I will use a simple colour scheme which is instantaneously recognisable and therefore would be automatically associated with this magazine.

I have chosen a friend whom I want to appear on the front cover and double page spread of my magazine as the main artist. I am going to take the images in the photography studio within College to ensure they appear as professional as possible. I have been looking at various magazines which feature a female on the front to gain inspiration for poses and decide what I believe would be suitable for my magazine however I am yet to finalise what stances I would like to photograph. As well as this I would like my contents page to include around 3/4 images of other 'artists'/'bands' however I am yet to find people who would be available and willing to do so which could prove to be an issue. If I do find this to be a great struggle I will simply reduce the number of images on my contents page and consequently alter the layout slightly.

Double Page Spread Deconstructions

To gain ideas on how to design my own double page spread I have deconstructed three from existing magazines in 3 areas: layout, images and language.

Firstly, I deconstructed a double page spread from Q magazine which features an interview with Jay-Z.

Layout	The first element which stood out to me when looking at this double page spread is the initial ‘J’ behind the article. This is a recurring element which Q uses when they feature an article with an artist and it makes them stand out from the rest. The font used is very professional and almost patriotic which makes the article appear important and interesting before the reader has read it. As a result, this would subconsciously attract their attention and make them want to read on. Furthermore, page number 51 is simply an image of Jay-Z displaying a caption and pull quote where as the 52 features the article. The caption beneath the image of Jay-Z states ‘Better red than dead: Jay-Z shot exclusively for Q, New York, July 2010’. This mention of the colour red is conveyed throughout as there appears to be a red light shining on Jay-Z’s face and the pull quote and his name at the top of page 52 are also printed in red. As previously mentioned, the initial ‘J’ is also in red text and I believe that this recurring colour is not only reference to the caption, but to the Q magazine logo. Continuing this colour scheme portrays the idea that this interview is exclusive to Q magazine. At the top of page 52 the text states ‘the most exciting people in music’ followed by ‘Jay-Z’. In every issue Q creates a ‘the most exciting people in music’ article of which the double page spread features the same layout and has the artists initial behind the article. This creates a sense of structure to the magazine and allows regular readers or subscribers to know they are going to find an article featuring a big name artist in the next issue. Although it is important for magazines to include new and exciting stories within every issue to attract the reader I believe keeping a similar format from issue to issue allows magazines to be distinguished from the rest. Therefore within the double page spread I create for my main task I will consider doing this in a way which could be altered slightly to accommodate a different band are artist if there were to be another issue. Another element I plan to take from this double page spread and incorporate into my own is the fact that is it laid out in columns. This is a typical convention of a magazine and as I want my own to appear as professional as possible I will be using this in my main task. However, this article simply as two large columns where as many others have multiple smaller ones. I believe the use of a smaller number of columns keeps the page looking neat and makes the volume of text appear less daunting to read. Despite this, there appears to be more to this article than that of this double page spread as at the end of the text on page 52 there are 3 arrows ('>>>') to indicate that it is continued on the next page.
Images	There is one large image of Jay-Z which takes up the whole of the page. As a result it is instantly recognisable to the reader who this article is going to be about and consequently would allow them to know whether this is something that would be of interest to them or not. Not only  this, but this image features Jay-Z in his trademark sunglasses and serious face which is discussed within the article. Furthermore, the red light shining on one side of his face makes the image fit in with the colour scheme and consequently ties the double page spread together.
Language	Where as many magazines simply print interviews as questions and answers, this has been written in a format where by quotes are simply an extra in the ‘story’ of the interviewer meeting Jay-Z. Due to this, the article has been written very formally and almost like what you would expect to see in a newspaper. Using this format also allows the journalist to include background information on Jay-Z such as where he grew up and his living conditions which therefore expands upon information he reveals himself through the quotations. The font used is also very similar to that of a newspaper which reinforces the professionalism and ‘importance’ of the article. To continue, additional pieces of information are situated in brackets and I would like to attempt to include this in my own magazine as it gives the reader an even greater insight into the life of the artist. In this article, brackets are used in cases such as ‘… a business portfolio that includes a basketball team (the New Jersey Nets)’. A further feature of this double page spread which I would like to include in my main task is the inclusion of drop capitals. What is interesting about this article is that there is not a drop capital at the beginning of the whole article, however they are situated at the beginning of the following two. I believe the magazine has decided to do this simply because having a drop capital at the beginning of the first paragraph may have made the page look too crowded. However, the use of the drop capitals further reinforce the sense of professionalism which I would like my double page spread to convey.

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Next, I decided to analyse a double page spread from NME magazine which focuses on Darwin Deez.

Layout	The layout of this double page spread differs greatly to the previous one as the text and images spread across both pages. However, in a similar way to the Q double page spread, the one above also features a pull quote on top of the images in capital letters. Due to the fact that this has been a recurring feature across both of the double page spreads I have deconstructed so far I will attempt to incorporate this convention into my own magazine. Although the text on this NME double page spread is also organised into columns, they are smaller columns than those in Q as there are 3 per page. Furthermore, an evident difference between the two is the fact that the spread featured above contains a pull quote within the text as well as on the main image. I personally believe this is aesthetically pleasing as the text falls around it neatly. Finally, the colour scheme simply consists of black, white and blue and this is further conveyed through the fact that Deer is wearing a white top and blue jeans. This simple colour scheme keeps the pages looking neat despite the fact that there is a lot going on due to the multiple images. Due to this I will use a simple colour scheme when creating my own double page spread as I believe it looks professional and prevents the pages from looking crowded.
Images	The images are spread over more than half of the double page spread and feature 8 photographs of Darwin Deer in different poses which have been Photoshopped to make it look as though he has been cloned multiple times. The images are fun, energetic and link to the heading ‘LET’S DANCE’ as they appear to catch Deer in various different dance moves. Similarly to the Q magazine double page spread, these pages are very much image led. The images are the main focus of the page which prevents the reader from looking at the pages then skipping past it because it appears as though there is too much for them to read. Consequently, I will take this into consideration when creating my own double page spread and will attempt to make mine image led.
Language	These pages include two different fonts, one of which is used for the heading and pull quotes where as the other is used for the subheading and the article as a whole. As a result, the heading and pull quotes stand out from the article. This variation adds life to the page and prevents it from appearing as dull or boring. I would like to ensure that my double page spread does not look dull and therefore would like to include more than one font. An interesting element of this DPS is the fact that ‘Darwin Deez’ and the interviewer ‘Dan Martin’ are both typed in blue text. Although this fits in with the colour scheme they stand out from the rest of the line which is printed in black. As a result, the reader would know straight away who the article is about and it also gives credit to the journalist. In the same way to the previously deconstructed double page spread, this article is also written in a narrative format, with the journalist taking on a first person approach. This allows the reader to grasp a real idea of the setting as it begins describing the scene before going on to the conversation which took place between them. Another similarity is the fact that it is written in a relatively formal format which I believe is necessary when writing in this narrative style and so if I choose to write in a similar style I may also adapt this approach.

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Finally, I deconstructed a double page spread on Justin Bieber from Top of The Pops magazine.

Layout	In a similar way to the first double page spread I looked at, this TOTP dps features one page which consists of a full size image of the artist which is the topic of the article – in this case Justin Bieber. However, in this case the image is found on the right hand page where as that of Jay-Z in Q was on the left. On the other hand, a layout feature which differs greatly from the previous double page spreads is the fact that this interview is set out in question and answer format as opposed to a narrative style. This would appeal to a younger audience, many of whom would be Justin Bieber fans, as the text appears less daunting to read. This also obliterates input from the interviewer/journalist and focuses on what the reader is really interested in, what the artist has to say. Conversely, in the same way as the Q and NME double page spreads, the interview within this dps is organised into columns. It is very clear that having the main body of text structured into columns is a very major and almost necessary convention of a magazine and therefore I will definitely be using this in my main task. In contrast to the previous dps the heading on this one is a pull quote. I believe this is very effective because a quotation taken out of context can be very intriguing and therefore make people want to read on. As a result, I am going to consider using a pull quote as my heading when creating my own double page spread. In a similar way to the Q magazine I deconstructed, this appears to be a recurring feature within every issue of TOTP magazines. I gathered this impression from the text ‘EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW’ at the top of the page which is reminiscent of ‘THE MOST EXCITING PEOPLE IN MUSIC’ within Q magazine. As a result, when creating my own double page spread I may make it look like this is an article which could keep the same format but change the images and text issue to issue while featuring different artists. Another similarity between this double page spread and that in Q is that they have the same simple colour scheme (red, white and black). As all three of these double page spreads possess simple colour schemes I will use this convention within my main task. Finally, this double page spread also contains a list of Bieber’s backstage requests. This would interest people who enjoy celebrity gossip as well as the music they create and so extra information like this is something I will consider including when I create my double page spread.
Images	The main image shows Justin Bieber sitting on a clear plastic chair backwards. The use of a clear chair ensures that the prop does not ruin the image by taking any attention away from Bieber. However, the utilisation of this prop has allowed him to sit in a seductive manner which would appeal to the main target audience of his music, young females. To continue, the fact that the main image shows Bieber looking directly at the camera would further entice his fans into reading the interview as it looks as though he is looking directly at him. Many music fans display posters and images of their favourite artists and bands on their bedroom walls and the fact that the main image is A4 size means that many young girls would rip this out and stick it on their wall, in the same way people may with the previous image of Jay-Z. Not only this, but there is an arrow pointing to the following page which states ‘Turn over for a swoontastic Biebs poster’. There is another smaller image embedded within the main body of the interview which shows Bieber and his girlfriend at the time Selena Gomez and features the caption ‘Biebs takes an easy stroll with Selena’. This would be particularly intriguing to people flicking through the magazine as he appears very loved up and happy in this image which is a direct contrast to the heading “Girls give me a headache!”.
Language	The language used throughout is informal and conversational as it depicts the conversation between the interviewer and Bieber including non-fluency features such as ‘Oh’ and ‘Well’. This would appeal to a younger target audience such as the target audience of my own magazine and consequently I may use this question and answer format within my own double page spread.

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My Magazine

Following the above deconstructions of double page spreads, I have gathered some ideas and conventions I would like to include within my main task.

- Organise the text into columns

- Include a pull quote either as the heading or within the text

- Include drop capitals

- Put a heading at the top which indicates that this would be a recurring feature in every issue as Q and TOTP did with 'THE MOST EXCITING PEOPLE IN MUSIC' and 'EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW'

Institutional Research

This company, originally called IPC Magazines, was formed in 1966. However, prior to this time the company was in development from 1799 as it came to existence through the merging of other major magazine publishers such as Oldhams Press and the Mirror Group.

IPC Media is a Time Warner Company based in London with more than 60 iconic media brands. They have three publishing divisions:

- IPC Connect - Their mass market women's division (e.g. Now & Chat)

- IPC Inspire - Their men's portfolio (e.g. Rugby World & Country Life)

- IPC Southbank - Their upmarket women's division (e.g. Marie Claire & Ideal Home)

As well as this, in 1952, they launched New Musical Express (NME) which gained its own website in the 1990s. With this being such a popular and widely known music magazine I should therefore consider using IPC Media as the publisher for the music magazine I create in my main task.

More recently, in January 2010, IPC Media restructured their focus to three target audiences: men, mass-market women and up-market women.

Due to this, it is possible that this publishing company may not be suitable for my magazine as my target audience is teenagers to young adults, both male and female.

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National Magazine Company Ltd was established in 1910 by William Randolph Hearst under the trading name Hearst Magazines UK.

This company publishes 20 consumer titles within the UK such as: Cosmopolitan, ELLE and Reveal. As these magazines have a focus on fashion or celebrity gossip this leads me to believe that Hearst Magazines UK would be a suitable publisher for my own magazine as I want to focus on artists who's fashion sets them apart from the rest and the inclusion of interviews is similar to 'celebrity gossip'. However, although the three previously mentioned magazines appear to steer towards a female audience, I do not believe this would be a problem if I chose this company as my publishing company. This is because I presume more females would be interested in my own magazine however I would like to try and remain impartial and cater for both genders.

Furthermore, Hearst Magazines UK also has many digital assets and I believe this is vitally important when choosing the publisher for my main task as I feel as though it would be necessary for my magazine to have a website, or even an App. This is because my target audience (teenagers to young adults) are very well educated in the digital world and almost all own smartphones. Due to this, this company would be a very good choice as all of their websites are optimised for the smartphones that their audience carry and in 2012 Good Housekeeping launched an iPad App.

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In 1973 Felix Dennis and Dick Pountain attempted to set up a company as underground-comix publishers which unfortunately fell through and left them bankrupt. Then, inspired by Bruce Lee, they saw the opportunity to bring out Kung-Fu Monthly in 1974. From there they began to launch and buy other magazines and their company really took off.

Now, Dennis publishes over 70 magazines, digital magazines, websites and mobile sites throughout the world (e.g. The Week, Monkey, Auto Express and Men's Fitness).

Furthermore, Dennis Publishing released the first magazine App, iGizmo, which became the number one download in Apple's store. It is important to me that this company can create, advertise and sell Apps as this is something that would definitely appeal to the target audience of my magazine.

On top of this, it is clearly very successful as every year it posts over 25 million subscription copies to customers and someone buys a Dennis Publishing magazine from the newsstand every 2 seconds. It is crucial that the company I use could guarantee sales and therefore in that sense this company appears suitable.

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My Magazine

After researching 3 different UK publishing companies I have found pros and cons to each. However, I have decided upon Hearst Magazines UK. I came to this conclusion as many of the magazines this company publishes I read myself, and therefore I know they are suitable for my target audience. As well as this, although the main focus of my magazine will be music, I want to include fashion and interviews which I know many of these magazines, such as Reveal, do. Furthermore, I would like to launch a website and iPhone App for my website as teenagers to young adults spent a lot of time on their laptops, iPads and smartphones. This company has launched an App in the past and also ensures that their websites function on smartphones as well as computers and laptops and consequently I feel as though Hearst Magazines UK would be the best publisher for my main task.

Audience Research

I created a survey using SurveyMonkey to learn more about my audience and ensure that the magazine I design focuses upon an appropriate music genre.

Firstly I asked general personal questions, below are my results:

Due to the results of the above questions I can conclude that the results of my questionnaire will be valid as I would like to design my magazine for teenagers to young adults. Not only this, but due to the fact that I want to add a fashion orientated twist this may appeal more to males than females. As a result, the fact that more females responded to my questionnaire than males my data will be appropriate and useful.

I then went on to ask music orientated questions so that I can ensure the genre of my magazine appeals to the audience. Below are the responses I gathered from these questions: 

From the above answers I have gathered that the audience enjoy up to date chart music and therefore I will ensure my magazine doesn't sway from this genre. I may also include a 'UK Top 40' as 8/9 respondents said they keep up to date with this.

To continue, I also asked a fashion based question because although my magazine is a music magazine I believe that within the music industry today an artist's fashion plays a key role in their popularity.

Due to the results of the above question I will ensure that when dressing my models I will gather inspiration from these artists. Many of them (Drake, ASAP Rocky, Pharrell and Rihanna) have an urban look and therefore I will use gold jewelry etc.

Finally, I asked questions to gather information on my magazine itself:

If I decide I would like to advertise a freebie on the front cover I will add a free iTunes voucher/gift card as this was the most recurring answer.