Analyzing magazines!

Name of magazine= Metal Hammer

Contents page analysis and what i could include in my music magazine=

It has two contents pages names 'This month' and 'every month'. This month, starts on page 46 with an article called the Arch Enemy. It is written in black white and red which contrasts with the flame theme. There are 5 page numbers with key features on and below that there is a subheading named 'incoming' portraying two new articles to the magazine. On the page the featured band which are seen on the front cover are advertised again. The expressions on their faces are aggressive and masculine contrasting with the genre of the magazine.

A smaller picture of the exact replica of the front cover is printed and has a short explanation of why certain things have been used. A text box named 'Band finder' is efficient and it is helpful if the reader wishes to look at a certain featured band. There are 120 pages that have bands on them. The contents page is spread over 2 pages.

Analysis of double-page=
The writing is sectioned into two parts.
There is two big pictures not over powering the page.

Red black and white theme again.

Publishers=  Future!


Name of magazine= NME

• Band index
• Three single images
• advert for subscription
• List of 15 articles to read
• Colour same as front cover,black white red and pink.

Double page spread=

• One main image
• Text on one side
• Main headline in big print, in colour of front cover
• Album cover on show

Producer= IPC Media

Name of magazine= Total Guitar

Contents- 57 different articles, 5 images. pics dominate the page and contents writing is written down the side. 2 pages- no colour theme!

Double page spread- headline, caps, black, 1 page article 1 page picture!

Publisher= Future





Comparing two magazine's conventions

        

 

Mode of Address

We looked into a multiple of magazines and the content of which they used to work out how to address the reader. One i took great interest into and highlighted key ways of speech that i could include into my own writing;

British sea power have made their most glorioulsly epic album yet. Daniel Ross enters the Valhalla Dancehall to find all is odd as usual with the six piece....

The last time we heard anything on record from British Sea Power, it was a soundtrack accompanying a 1934 documaentary about spearing sharks on the Isle of Aran. Before that, on 2008's 'Do you like rock mucic', the surmounting sextet blustered their way through one of that year's finest rock records. Today, they are at the Fly HQ to record a Courtyard session featuring new matieral from their fourth album proper, 'Valhalla Dancehall', an album plump with enriching guitar noise and typically off-piste lyrical constructs. Even in this acoustic setting, drums are slapped with barehanded abandon, throats crackle under the strain of impassioned yelling and surreally, a musical saw wails over the top of everything.   

Its elaborated language like the above i wish to write in and address my readers with.

Case study on IPC media

         
Who Are IPC?

IPC stands for, International Publishing Corporation.

IPC Media produces over 85 media brands, the main target being magazines. These are read by almost two thirds of UK women and 44% of UK men, which totals overall a staggering 27 million UK adults. The online trade also receives 20 million users every month. IPC media help advertise and produce the magazines on the shelves in stores. It invests in the magazines and works to publish each one.

IPC has many divisions that help IPC to achieve an outstanding publication;

IPC/Advertising- offering access to all to IPC’s range of prints and online brands.

IPC/Connect- Providing powerful research, with its magazines read by 53% of all mass market women. Connecting with the readers and what they want to read about.

IPC/Inspire- This is the men’s division. It’s portfolio of over 55 brands covers a huge spectrum of interests including magazines such as Nuts, NME, and The Field.

MarketForce- Is the UK’s leading news trade sales and Distribution Company, successfully marketing 23% of the total magazine category.

IPC/Southbank- Is the upmarket women’s division, focusing on the two key markets of fashion and women’s lifestyle and home interest. Southbank is home to some of the most iconic magazine brands publishing.

What magazines do IPC Media Publish? 

IPC Media have invested and publish a range of magazines ranging in all different interests therefore they will be targeting most of the UK Nation and what they enjoy reading. IPC Media do not make the magazine themselves they simply help the magazine to sell and advertise it trying to produce buyers, then IPC will receive a share of what the magazine produces when sold. 

Ideal Home magazine- has regained the top spot in the Homes sector with an ABC rocketing up 9.8% on the period and 5.7% on the year to 205,659.

Nuts Magazine- Posts an ABC of 147,134, increasing its

share of the men’s weekly sector to a record 64.8%, up 1.8 percentage point’s year-on-year, making it one of IPC’s biggest seller.

Marie Claire magazine- Southbank’s flagship glossy, is back to stability with an ABC of 280,021. Marie Claire has outperformed the Fashion sector on the news stand and it remains its position as the third biggest title in the sector. Online Marie Claire is sold to 1.9million women a month.

What are the Prices?

Depending on the magazine the prices can range anywhere up from £1.00 - £4.00 being the average maximum boundary. It seems that the more popular the magazine obviously the more expensive it will be therefore both the publisher and magazine will make more of a profit. On the other hand It can work either way as the less sellable magazines have to be at a higher price therefore the ones they do sell can bring up the sales prices. 

For Example; Look magazine bought by mostly young women and teenagers is priced at £1.60 in your local high street shops. I believe this to be because the magazine is very popular therefore IPC Media know they will sell many and do not need to price it highly. Also if young teenage girls are buying the magazine with their pocket money IPC need to take this into account and know what is considered affordable.

On the other hand, NME magazine which is extremely popular and benefits the most by being published at IPC Media is priced at £2.30 and each edition is published weekly. Even though this can seem quite high for a magazine it is priced averagely because it is mostly teenagers of both sex and middle aged men that by and collect the magazine. IPC Media have realised this therefore the price can be raised slightly as the public who collect these will be willing to pay a lot for an issue.

What do the online IPC Media subscriptions offer?

          By IPC Media offering an online subscriptions deals it is again opening up to a wider audience and disabled people and elderly people who are unable to leave their homes can buy the magazines bringing in more buyers. Another feature IPC make money on is if they make the prices online cheaper than in shops more customers are going to purchase online making an overall profit than they would if those people could not make it to the shops to buy.

          IPC Media have named their online account Magazines direct.com which is simple and gives a sense of responsibility and reliance that IPC will succeed and meet your expectations. 

IPC Media are very relevant and up to date by the use of their Christmassy background as we enter the November and December period. This colour scheme of red light blue and white also appeals to both genders and the red can be associated with Christmas yet on the other hand it could be showing that IPC Media is passionat on what they produce for the readers.

How do the public Know what’s going on in IPC?

         

On the IPC Media’s official website I discovered a diary form of events that have occurred recently in IPC informing the readers of what’s latest out, personal awards won by fellow employees and idea’s that have been brought up for future processing.

Are there any job opportunities’?

On IPC Media’s official website there is a tab especially for investigating into how to apply for a job. When you click on it you can access a short three minute trailer that gives you a tour around the IPC building and tells you who the editors are and managers and provides there details. Finally it brings up an email page where you can write direct to IPC Media. I have actually taken up this opportunity and am considering working there for a future career. I wrote to inquire if there is a possibility I can have a week of work experience at IPC and exactly what qualifications I need to gain a good chance of being offered a job.

Inforation needed for my music magazine!

How is music cosumed today?

• CD buying of both singles and albums
• Itunes
• Vinyl- records
• Radio
• Youtube
• Music sharing sites
• Bluetooth over mobile useage
• Television
• Social networking

What is publishing a new music magazine doing?

• Widen the target audience
• Money
• Broaden knowledge as a company
• Different apps are available
• More advertisment for their brands

What is a magazine for?

• Advertising
• Inform readers
• To entertain
• For many it can occupy time
• Promote certain products

From research i have found that the majority of people prefer to have a published magazine issue in print in their hands than downloading on the internet and reading it via computer.

These are a few of the local free magazines which will give me ideas on how to layout my music magazine;

School magazine front cover and contents

Contents; As you can see i have used the same theme of the diamonds throughout the magazine so far yet in a different colour so not to look exactly the same all the way through. I have included a print screen of the front cover to my contents then plan to analyse it!

Front Cover;   

I chose this green background that stands out to the human eye to draw the reader and in and can represent the earthly feel of how sixth form everyone is down to earth. This contrasts with the blue diamonds for the colours of Williaim Parker and Helenswood. The black mast head stands out as it is the darkest text within the front cover however i believe it is to thin for a dominant title yet i like the font of the text as it suggests hand written and school to me. Also the main picture is to instant, if i were to re take the photos i would take more up close yet the reason i chose this particular photograph was because it shows the female to be intelligent by reading a novel 'The great Gatsby' and is dressed smartly. Also if i were to re-do my front cover i would include more text boxes indulging the reader into a brief description in what stories are available to read within the magazine,


EXCEL   is the name i chose to use for my magazine front cover as the one desire of going to college is to 'excel' and succeed in all you do.



School magazine online i looked at to provide idea's for my own;

http://view.digipage.net/?userpath=00000674/00015330/00057697/

 Feedback on my magazine;
         I was told that my school magazine did not keep to the same theme throughout and was rather a messy layout. I equally agreed with this suggestion as i was not completely confident on the use of photoshop therefore my magazine looks unstructured and informal.
 Criticisms;
        I do not like the fact i used diamonds as i used them in the shapes options in the menu of photoshop as i was nervous and unaware how to use much else so it is to simplistic and unadventurous. If i were to re-do my magazine it would be more unique and have a house style. However if i were to re-do this i have gathered so much more skills throughout the course so the positive of my school magazine is that it shows me how far Ive adapted.