Codes and Conventions of a Music Magazine

The Definitions…

Convention - The “rules” that are generally understood and accepted when producing a media text in a particular genre

Codes – A system of symbols, letters, or words given certain meanings, used for delivering messages requiring secrecy.

SO…

…a media text like a magazine has a message that it wants to communicate to us (mainly, this is “buy the magazine”) and there are certain methods (or codes) by which it does this.

We might say that codes give a message or meaning to particular conventions.

Colour scheme: White, black, red, yellow. Black and white are quite formal, represents old age. Red is connoting power- “you MUST look!”Yellow connotes happiness, is a lure to get you to buy something. It also represents modern and new (the top picture).

A Bar code has: an issue number, Price (in several currencies), date, URL.

There is a Masthead. It’s Black and white, which is iconic. Has a 3D effect, so it stands out. Could connote/suggest importance. It’s recognisable.

There is a Puff to lure you. The strip shows old and new – David Bowie and the Undertones.

Main image: looking at the audience/ reader so he’s appealing to us. There is a relationship. The sublines are other stories which are featuring in the magazine.

The Cover lines is the main story, which will be linked with the photo.

The smaller image- the colour and yellow background connotes “new”

The Tag Line- “the music magazine” looks like it’s been signed- unique, important.

Colours: Red and yellow, very bold and stands out. Loads of pictures which makes it look quite chaotic, plus the same colour schemes are running through the magazine.

Same font as front cover, following house style. Smaller font, less information. House style suggests the target audience are older, or perhaps appreciate music more. It’s written in columns.

Images: They are very bright, and in the middle so the reader has a visual insight to what’s inside the magazine. The main images look like they have been drawn, so it could imply that these are some of the greatest artists of music around. There are two smaller photos at the bottom, under the title “This month’s contributors”, so it could show that it is real and they have earned their place in the magazine.

My thoughts…

Front cover:I think that the photo looks a bit too busy, but there is enough to look at so you can see what sort of thing will be in the issue.

Contents page:The contents page is very striking with its use of colour and again looks quite busy because of that, but it gets the reader’s attention.