In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Ways in which I have used forms and conventions of a regional magazine for my front cover

The font size tend to vary on the front cover of a regional magazine and is a convention featured on all magazine front covers in general. This is to emphasise certain words and phrases. I have used a larger font depending on the importance for example, the anchorage text, ‘The Way Youth Zone’ is in the largest font suggesting this is the main article of the magazine. Also, I have emphasised, ‘2’ and ‘save’ on one of my puffs because I think my audience would be enticed to read this due to the illusiveness.

Magazines I have researched into such as, Southside magazine, a masthead has been included and is prominent on the front cover and establishes the brand identity. With this the masthead, contains the logo and cover price which I have also included.

I have included the conventional anchorage text to caption the main image of ‘The Way Youth Centre’ and I have also used sub-images to promote the content of the articles in the magazine.

A convention I have used on my front cover is the use of catchy and memorable puffs. To done this through the use of puns with simple language so a possible buyer can easily gain information from the teasers of what will be inside the magazine.

Magazines tend to establish their brand identity through the colour scheme. My chosen colour scheme of orange, black and yellow represents my regional area. Also, the brightness of the colours reflect the energy of teenagers, who are my target audience.

Ways in which I have developed forms and conventions of a regional magazine for my front cover

With a couple of regional magazine front covers I have analysed, such as Time Out London, they included a feature with extra insight on articles in the magazine with sub images. The separation of these images and teasers actually make them stand out more on the front cover than if they were layered over the main image. Also, the use of the feature is so that the consumer is not over whelmed with all the information on the front cover, as this breaks up the information.

Ways in which I have challenged forms and conventions of a regional magazine for my front cover

Some of the regional magazines I analysed such as, Coast and Country had a tagline in their masthead. The tagline contributes to the brand and makes it unique an memorable. However, I challenged convention of a regional magazine because I did not use a tag line because the name my magazine serves as a tag line itself as it commanding the reader to kick back and enjoy the magazine.

I have challenged a convention of regional magazines by not including an image of the regional area as the main image. Instead, the main image is more illusive, it is of the inside the new regional youth centre which is captioned by the anchorage text, clearly indicating what the image is of to readers. Furthermore, I chose to do this because my target audience are young teenagers and did not find the magazine as attractive with the exterior of The Way Youth Zone as the main image.

Ways in which I have developed forms and conventions of a regional magazine for my editor’s commentary

Including an editors commentary isn’t necessarily using a convention of a regional magazine because I have only seen this in one magazine I analysed which was Wolverhampton West Magazine. I would consider including an editors commentary as a development of a regional magazine. The purpose of a regional magazine is to introduce the magazine. I decided to use on as a way to personalise the magazine and engage the reader as more than a consumer.

To conclude the editors commentary I have put my signature at the end to personalize the article. Also, on the pages that include articles, at the bottom of the page is the website address and magazine name for reference

Ways in which I have challenged forms and conventions of a regional magazine for my editor’s commentary

I have challenged the structure of the magazine because the editor’s commentary usually comes on a separate spread to the contents page along with an advert on the opposite page. However, I have put it as the first page next to the contents page because I am introducing the reader to the content of the magazine, so from reading the commentary they can look up the page number of what they are most interested in.

Ways in which I have used forms and conventions of a regional magazine for my contents page

All the contents pages from regional magazines I have analysed have used sub images to entice readers to read those specific stories. To follow convention I have also. With this, I have layered over the page numbers where each of the articles are in the magazine to make the magazine more accessible.

Not only does the contents page contain name of the articles included with the page number, they also include contact details for the magazine to encourage reader input, which I have also done.The contents page tends to reflect

the same mode of address as the front cover. To this this my contents font is the same as the main heading on the front cover and contains the logo. With this, I have followed through with the convention that the heading of the contents page is not usually in a large font but a slightly smaller than a heading on a main article page for example.

Ways in which I have developed forms and conventions of a regional magazine for my contents page

With a few contents pages I have analysed such as Sussex magazine sub headings have been a main feature. I have included sub headings to section the articles so readers are able to readily turn to the articles within the category. Also the articles are in alphabetical order within each sub heading.

Ways in which I have used forms and conventions of a regional magazine for my double-page spread

The articles in a regional magazine usually use a set structure, most commonly they use the pyramid method to write article. I have used this method to write the soup kitchen article, which means I have mentioned the important information first as a introduction and then the bulk of the article follows.

The articles always have images that relate to the article like I have. I used 2 long shots to convey the atmosphere of the soup kitchen before an during the food has arrived. I have also used a mid shot of the two women in charge of the soup kitchen to show their happy expressions when as they volunteer.

Ways in which I have challenged forms and conventions of a regional magazine for my double-page spread

My magazine does have a subtle winter seasonality but I have not dwelled on theme too much because of my previous audience feedback, my target demographic didn't identify with it. However, I have used a article with a winter seasonality to introduce the magazine and the winter theme.

The regional magazines I have analysed use the same font for the heading through out the magazine which makes the magazine seem sophisticated. However, my magazine’s target audience is teenagers and so the different font for the heading is fun and ‘funky’ and is attractive to my audience. With this, ‘Christmas’ is in the conventional font to connote Christmas and is reinforced by the article.