1. Media Evaluation Question-
In what ways does your media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
By Komal Mahmood

2. Double
page
spread
Contents
Magazine
page
front
cover

3. Introduction- Magazine
Front Cover
My media product uses, develops and challenges forms and conventions of
real media products because my magazine cover, contents page and
double page spread has the same generic conventions as existing
magazine covers, for example when I was researching existing magazine
covers I looked at what the magazine covers had and what I needed to
include in my magazine cover to ensure that it looks realistic and that it
can be a magazine that can be sold in shops. When researching existing
magazine covers I looked at the detail, for example I looked at the size of
strap lines, the type of font that was used in the strap lines and I made
sure that I included these features in my magazine so it looked realistic.

4. The magazine that I looked at and followed as a template
was ‘Billboard’ magazine because it reflected the type of
genre of magazine that I was creating which was pop. I
looked at some of the features of ‘Billboard’ magazine and I
made sure that some of these features were included in my
magazine. For example in ‘Billboard’ magazine I looked at
the strap lines, typography and the colors used and I made
sure I included some of these features in my magazine.
‘Billboard’ magazine

5. On my magazine front cover I have included strap lines and the font is
the same through out the magazine so it looks professional and realistic.
I have also included a kicker in my magazine because when I was looking
at existing magazine covers most of them had kicker’s including
‘Billboard’ magazine; a kicker is one of the feature that makes people
buy the magazine because the kicker is bold and stands out and the first
thing that people see on a magazine is a kicker so the kicker has to be
interesting so people will buy it.The kicker on my magazine is ‘princess
of pop’, the kicker is in bold and it is gold which stands out and this is the
first thing that people will see when they look at the magazine; this is a
generic convention of a magazine because when you look at the kicker it
gives you some idea about what the magazine is going to be about.
Kicker

6. Another feature that I noticed in ‘Billboard’ magazine was that
the model was covering some of the masthead; I included this in
my magazine because it shows the magazine is well known, and in
most existing magazines that I analysed and looked at this was
the case. Another generic convention that all magazines contain is
the issue number, issue date and the barcode; I added these key
features on my magazine as well.
Websites
Price Issue number
Issue date
Barcode

7. Model is covering
the mast head
Big number
’40’
Big number ‘4’
to show the
importance of
something
Kicker is bolder
and bigger than
the strap lines
Issue date, issue
number and Strap lines are small, which makes the
barcode magazine look realistic and professional

8. Contents Page
On the contents page I have included the same colors as the
front cover this is because it will show the contents page and the
front cover are linked, the magazine contents pages that I
researched had the same colors as the cover page, which shows
that they are linked and it also makes it look realistic as well.
Same colour
scheme

9. I made my contents page look simple yet realistic
because my priority was to make the information
clear so the audience can read the magazine
without any trouble.
Contents page is simple
because there is not
too much and colour
and it is easy to read.

10. I included one picture in the contents page where the model is putting
her finger on her lips; when the reader sees the picture of the model
they will instantly want to read it because the image connotes that there
is exclusive and top secret gossip inside, which will make the reader want
to read more.The reader will also want to know more about the picture
and what it means which will make the reader want to read more and
find out more about the exclusive and top secret gossip.
Model has her finger on her
lips, to show there is top secret
gossip and this magazine will
offer you music gossip and
information that no other
music magazine can.

11. On the contents page the numbers and the writing are in different
colors which appeals more to the reader because the information is
organised and it is not all over the place which makes the reader want
to read the magazine because it is neatly set out and easier to locate.
The page numbers and
writing are in different
colours, which looks
more organised.

12. On the bottom of the contents page I have included the page number, the
website of the magazine and the slogan of the magazine which is
‘twentyfour seven pop music & goss’, this makes the magazine more
appealing and interesting for the reader because it shows gossip and
information about pop music and celebrities is constantly being
monitored so people can read it. When I was doing research into
magazine contents pages I saw that the magazine website is always on the
contents page or the double page spread of the magazines, this could be
so the reader is aware that if they want more information they can always
go to the website and find out more information and gossip.
Slogan of music Website of
magazine the magazine Page number

13. Colours are the same as
the front cover
Information is easy to read
and it is organised
Page number and
website of the magazine

14. Double Page Spread
The double page spread of my magazine uses, develops and challenges
forms and conventions of real media products because I researched
various double page spreads of magazines and the feature that was
common in most magazine double page spreads was that they either had
writing in columns on one side of the page and a picture on the other
side, and on most music magazine double page spreads there was usually
one picture and columns or paragraphs of writing and usually the writing
is about an interview with a singer which I have done in my magazine
double page spread.
Writing in
columns
One picture
on one side
of the double
page spread

15. I have also included the same colors as I did on the front cover and
contents page of the magazine to show that the double page spread is
linked to the cover and contents page and when you see the double page
spread you will know that it belongs to this magazine because of the
colors.
Same colour schemes

16. The double page spread is simple yet realistic because the existing
magazine that I researched had a simple layout so the information
and pictures were not all over the place, it had a set layout to it and I
have done the same in my double page spread. When I was
researching double page spreads I looked at the smallest details, for
example the first word is always bold and sometimes a different
color and I have included these features in my magazine double page
spread so it will look realistic and professional.
First number/word is the
different colour from the rest of
the writing.

17. In the middle of the double page spread I included a quote from the
artist, this shows that this is the most important statement by the
artist because it is in the centre of the page; when I was doing my
research I found out that the quote from the artist is always in the
middle of the page and it is also bigger and bolder than the other
writing; this is because the quote is the most important and
interesting part of the magazine and when the reader sees the page
they will see the quote first and then they will read the rest of the
writing.
Quote from the artist
in the middle of the
page

18. On the bottom of the page I have included the page number and the
website of the magazine which gives the magazine double page spread a
professional and realistic touch. I have included only one picture on the
double page spread because then everyone can see that this artist is the
main focus in the magazine. I have added some editing to the picture so I
end with this framed effect. I have done this because it looks effective and
it is something different that stands out from other magazines. On the
double page spread I have also included a gutter which is key a feature in
magazines.
Page number and the
website of the music
magazine

19. Colours are the same as the front cover and contents page
of the magazine
Gutte
r
Writing is in columns Quote from
Page number and
Edited image so it stands out from artist
website
other magazine double page
spreads

20. How does your media product represent particular social
groups?
My magazine represents particular social groups because the
magazine is for teenagers and younger adults which are boys and
girls aged 15-22 and this magazine represents them because at that
age teenagers want to become someone and they are thinking
about their careers; and in this magazine it shows and tells people
about new singers and artists that are the similar age as them and
then teenagers will look up at these new artists as role models and
idols and they will want to pursue what they have done in their
lives.
Model is the same age as
the people who the
magazine is aimed at.This
is because of the clothes
she wears and how she
looks.

21. ‘Valor’ magazine represents teenagers and younger adults because ‘valor’
means bravery and courage, this means that the new artists that are
mentioned in the magazine have courage and are brave enough to come
out to the world and show the world their music and style which is what
many teenagers around the world want to do. The magazine represents
particular social groups because it brings everyone together no matter
how they dress or what they believe in to pursue one thing which is to
follow their dream and to express themselves, just like new artists that are
mentioned in the magazine.

22. What kind of media institution might distribute your media
product and why?
The media institution that will distribute the magazine would be Bauer
Media, this is because it has over eighty influential media brands and it
reaches to nineteen million people worldwide, so if my magazine was
being distributed by Bauer Media then people will start looking in to it
and reading it because they will know it will be interesting and good
because it distributes other well known and good music magazines like
‘kerrang!’ magazine. There is also a gap in the market for the magazine I
have made, because Bauer media does not have a magazine that is
aimed at both teenagers and adults and is a pop magazine and not just a
rock or hip-hop magazine.

23. Who would be the audience for your media product?
The target audience of the magazine are teenagers’ that are boys and
girls aged 15-22 and I wanted to use language that they use and
understood. On the front cover of my magazine and double page
spread I used some slang and colloquial language, for example ‘Brit’ and
‘cus, yeh, buds, woah’.This suggests that if I used long and sophisticated
words that older adults mainly use then most 15 or 16 year olds
wouldn’t understand them or even if they did they would find the
magazine boring and they wouldn’t read it, adding some slang into the
magazine makes it more interesting for them.

24. How did you attract/address your audience?
The ways that I attracted the audience to buy the magazine was that I
made the magazine clear so it was not over crowded but I also made sure
that it was not too plain as well.
Magazine is not too
overcrowded with words or
pictures

25. The image on the front cover of the magazine is bigger than the writing
and everything else on the front cover of the magazine because when
people buy the magazine the first thing that they will see is the image
and if the image interests them then they will read everything else in
the magazine. I also noticed this in other magazines that I analysed; the
image is the key selling point so I made sure that I included this in my
magazine.
The image stands out than the
straplines. So when people first see the
magazine they will see the image first,
and then they will read the straplines.

26. On the front cover of the magazine the model has eye contact with the
reader, so when the reader looks at the magazine they will feel like they
instantly have to read the magazine because the information and gossip
will interest them and it is for them.The eye contact of the model will
make the reader feel as if this magazine is for them and they are special
enough to have it and read the exclusive interviews and gossip.
In my magazine ‘Valor’ and
‘Billboard’ magazine both models
have eye contact with the reader.

27. The reason why I made my contents page simple was that I wanted the
reader to feel like they can locate the pages easily, I did not want to put
too much pictures and writing everywhere because then It will look
crowded and the reader will be put off by it.Thus if the contents page is
simple yet realistic It will appeal to the reader to have a look inside the
magazine and read it more.
Contents page is easy to locate

28. The magazine is not
overcrowded with lots of
pictures or text
Eye contact
The image is bigger than
everything else on the magazine.
It’s the first thing people will see.

29. The contents page is not
overcrowded, people reading it can
easily follow it. If there was a lot of
text on the contents page it may have
put the audience off reading it.

30. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of
constructing this product?
While I was constructing the magazine I learnt many new skills that
I never knew before, one of the key things I learnt was how to use
Photoshop; while I was constructing the product I learnt new things
about Photoshop and step by step I developed my skills even further
and learnt more things about Photoshop that I never knew before.

31. I have learnt various things from the technologies while constructing
the product, for example I have learnt more about Photoshop and how
to use the tools to make something look professional and realistic.
While I was constructing the product I learnt many skills about how to
make a magazine look realistic, I also learnt that the smallest details
count like you have to add a gutter and the font size and colour is a
key feature to make your magazine look realistic and professional.
Gutter
Colour Font size

32. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you
have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
When I was doing my preliminary task I did not know much
about Photoshop, so I did not know how to use certain affects
or how to make a magazine look realistic and professional.
While I was doing the preliminary task I learnt more about
Photoshop and I also learnt how I can make a magazine look
realistic. When I was doing the preliminary task I made many
mistakes that made my magazine look unrealistic, for
example I over crowded the magazine with strap lines and I
also made them big which looked unrealistic.
Overcrowded
Straplines are big and
they take over most of
the page, which looks
unrealistic

33. When I was doing the research on music magazines I found out that
strap lines are small and they do not go across the magazine, I made
sure I will make the strap lines smaller when I was doing the music
magazine. I also added too much colour to the magazine so it looked
unrealistic; when I was doing my music magazine I added less color
so it will look realistic.
Straplines are too big
Too much colour and it is
overcrowded

34. On the preliminary task magazine cover I added a lot of pictures and on
the contents page as well, I put a lot of pictures and colors in, when I
was doing my research I found out that less is more and most
magazines have less color and pictures on the front cover and contents
page which makes them look realistic.
Too much pictures makes
the magazine front cover
and contents page look
unrealistic

35. After I had done my preliminary task and research I made
sure that I will not make the mistakes that I did and I will
take everything into account about what I learnt about
magazine covers in my research for example making the
strap lines smaller. My pop music magazine is better and
improved than the school magazine because I knew more
about Photoshop so I was able to use more tools and while I
was doing my research on existing magazine covers I made
sure that I would make the magazine look realistic and
professional by looking at my preliminary task and picking
out the mistakes that I made and how that made the
magazine look unrealistic and so I improved that certain
part that was unrealistic.

36. Too much colour
Strap lines are going
across the page and filling
up the page which makes
the front cover of the
magazine look crowded
Everything is
overcrowded and
squashed together
Too much pictures
No page
number