1. Alix Kelly
A2 Media Studies
Media Report
For my final idea, I am going to produce a local newspaper for the Salford area. My newspaper will
include several, typical conventions of a newspaper. Most of my ideas have come from the theory of
Steve Neale’s repetition of conventional techniques.
For my final product I have decided to do a local newspaper that focuses on crimes within the local
area. My newspaper will also include a page based on gossip and celebrity based articles. The genre
of my newspaper will mainly be on crime in the local area. The language of the newspaper will be
formal towards the older audience on the more serious crime related articles. However, on the
celebrity articles, the language will be slightly more informal as it is aimed at the younger end of the
audience. The headline I use will be short and snappy, using language that is suitable for the
demographic in the area.
In terms of the genre and conventions, the colour scheme will be red, white and black. I have chosen
these because they will create a dramatic contrast to make the mast head stand out as well as the
articles. The colours will attract the target audience of 24-30 as they are quite formal and mature.
The house style of the newspaper will be the consistent layout that has been used over the last 100
years. This will keep a professional and sophisticated house style.
For the design principle, I will use the rule of thirds and the Guttenberg design to create a
professional and dramatic image that the target audience will be attracted to. In my photograph, I
will use an image of a man, stood on a white background; this will be the picture of the thug that will
be in the article. It will be a close up of his face so the audience can see what he really looks like, and
it will also stand out to the audience. When using image editing and manipulation. I will have this
picture in black and white, using a brightness and contrast to bring out the details in the man’s face.
The audience will see that he looks threatening and dangerous, attracting them to read the
newspaper even more. He will also be easily recognisable to the audience because he will be a wellknown thug in the area.
Furthermore, the photograph will be a portrait as it is an image on a person. There will also be an
image of a house, situated in a busy area. This house will be one of the victims that have fallen to the
thief’s destruction. The image will be slightly darkened as the article is negative. The criminal will be
well known in the area. For the second page of the celebrity articles, I will use an image of the judges
on well-known TV programme the x factor to link the articles and the newspaper together.
In terms of iconography, I will use the colour red on my colour scheme because it symbolises
importance and danger, which will lure the audience to read the newspaper. For the image of the
criminal, I will use the black and white editing because it looks like it is a mug shot from a prison of
him or also like he has been caught on CCTV at a local shop. For the layout of a conventional
newspaper, I will use slim, detailed columns under the headline. There will be advertisement placed
around the articles to give the audience more to read. The advertisements will be of local
businesses, charities, job vacancies within the local area.