Music magazine revision guide

Year 11 Examination 2013

The Exam1 hr 30mins

4 Questions to answer

2 Questions on the theory behind Music Press. 2 Questions based on your own Pitch.

The Brief4 weeks before your exam you will get a brief

from the exam board and this will hint at the content of the exam

For those 4 weeks we will only be able to give you guidance and not teach you from then on.

2 Questions on Theory?These are hinted at through the Brief. It could be something based on the issues of:Relevance of the Music PressIssues of targeting Young PeopleRelevance of Print PressHow to make money from Online VersionsGender and Ethnicity issues in the Music IndustryStereotypes and Genre

My Pitch?These questions will ask you to do two very clear things:1.Describe your idea for a new/rebranding of a Music Magazine2.Design your front cover/Home Page

Key Points from the Exam BoardYou should be able to:1.Analyse the generic conventions of the front cover of a music magazine. Discuss their effect on the target audience. 2.Compare the content of a print publication with the online equivelant.

Where do we find out about music from?Music Magazines?Magazine

Websites?Youtube?Facebook?Twitter?Radio?

Friends?Going to Gigs?Myspace?Charts?Fan Sites?Chatrooms?

• itunes Genius• Spotify• Soundcloud• Adverts• Tv

Programmes• Apps

Changes in where we find out about musicWe don’t look at Print based media for our

info as much any more. Only 2 people out of 3 classes used them.

We like the immediacy of the internet

Apps like Shazam mean we can hear a song and link straight to on youtube or buy it on itunes.

Not interested in Music journalist as we can just read comments on youtube.

1. Analyse the generic conventions of the front cover of a music magazine. Discuss their effect on the target audience.

NME MagazineStarted in 1952 and continues today.Went through a lot of changes since it startedChanges to suit the music interests at the time. During the 60’s and 70’s it was the source of all

respected music journalism. The journalists were rock stars along with the musicians they followed

Biased accounts of music and artists they didn’t likeDuring the 80’s it became more commercial using

artists they knew would sell on the cover. Still going today because it understands it’s

audience. Has become less biased.

1. Analyse the generic conventions of the front cover of a music magazine. Discuss their effect on the target audience.

Smash Hits MagazineStarted in 1978 and ended in 2006Established by Nick Logan the ex editor of NME. Primary audience was always femalesBegan to decline in 1990’s when Top Of the Pops

magazine came out and the rise of Gossip magazines which featured soap and film stars

Used to be for teens. When younger girls became interested in the magazine their older sisters stopped buying because they felt it was no longer cool.

It could not change to keep up with the demand without changing it’s focus and lost out on market shares to gossip magazines such as Heat and Now!

1. Analyse the generic conventions of the front cover of a music magazine. Discuss their effect on the target audience.

What does this tell us?Music Press need to change to suit the

audienceAudiences demand more than just hearing

about music careersThe change in culture means that the press

must evolve along with them.

1. Analyse the generic conventions of the front cover of a music magazine. Discuss their effect on the target audience.

You Do…Consider why Music Press have set up

legitimate websites that match, in places, the content of the magazines.

What do you think this has helped to prevent?

1. Analyse the generic conventions of the front cover of a music magazine. Discuss their effect on the target audience.

Magazine TerminologyMasthead

Buzz Word

Puff

Pug

House Style

Copy

Lead

Headline

Caption

Drop Capital

Banner

StraplineSell line

Anchorage Text

Name of the Magazine

“Wow”, “Exclusive”, “Free” are all examples of this.Colourful boxes promoting

features inside the magazine

Placed at the top left and right hand corners of the paper and are known as the ‘ears’ of the page.  The price of the paper, the logo or a promotion are often positioned there

A magazine’s distinctive design that distinguishes it from its competitors

Text used either inside or out the magazineThe introductory paragraph of an article. Usually written in bold or capitals.

Main Story in the magazine

Description of an image

Really big letter; starts off an article

Text, which stands out because it’s on a coloured background.. Runs along top or bottom of the cover.

A MottoText on the cover that helps to sell the magazine to the audience.

The way in which text helps to pin down the meaning of a picture and vice versa

1. Analyse the generic conventions of the front cover of a music magazine. Discuss their effect on the target audience.

Banner

Sell line

Anchorage Text

1. Analyse the generic conventions of the front cover of a music magazine. Discuss their effect on the target audience.

Headline Drop Capital

Lead

Copy

Website TerminologyNavigation

Landing Pages

Homepage

Splash Pages

Jump Pages

Microsites

Interstitials

Banner

Skyscraper

Overlayz

key terminology that simply refers to the process of working through a web page or website, thus revealing its content. Primary navigation refers to user interaction with the main section of the site.

are where you literally ‘land’ after clicking on a link from the Front Page. Often there are less graphic design considerations on a landing page than a front page.

simply refers to the main page of the website

are a graphic introduction that directs you to the front page, often using Flash animation. Market research suggests some Splash Pages often alienate and frustrate the user in terms of time and the need for simplicity.

are pages that suddenly appear that have not been requested by the user. The obvious example is a piece of advertising that you have to navigate through or in some circumstances, close the website down to remove.

– cross between landing pages and front pages, often containing their own domain name. They ‘extend’ the user experience and relate indirectly to the front page.

similar to Microsites they are adverts that load between two content pages (a Pop Up is an Interstitial). They draw an above average amount of response and resentment.

a long, horizontal, online advert usually found running across the top of a page in a fixed placement.

a long, vertical online advert (resembling a Skyscraper) usually found running down the side of a page in a fixed placement.

a quirky graphic design that takes over the whole page when clicked on

Rich Media – where as many interactive and audio-visual elements are used to give richer content and a richer experience for the user e.g. watch a film, play a game, listen to audio. It is a form of convergence.

1. Analyse the generic conventions of the front cover of a music magazine. Discuss their effect on the target audience.

Navigation Homepage

Rich Media

Banner

Skyscraper

1. Analyse the generic conventions of the front cover of a music magazine. Discuss their effect on the target audience.