Institutions

The New Musical Express, or NME is a popular music magazine published in the UK weekly since 1952, it was the first British paper to include a singles chart and became the best selling music magazine in 1970. It is published by a leading magazine publisher in the UK called ipc media. I then found out that this company is then owned by another, Time inc, who are then owned by Time Warner. Time Warner is the worlds second largest entertainment conglomerate. The Time Inc division produces approximately 150 titles worldwide. It is the leading magazine publisher in the U.S and the UK.

Institutions

Nylon magazine is an American pop culture magazine focusing on art, beauty, music, deisgn, travel and celebrities, the name references New York and London tying in with their editorial focuses on both cities. In preparation for Nylon Ray Gun publishers sold their majority interests and founded Pop Media. The design of the magazine was intended to be "hyper legible" and so easily accesbile for all readers and therefore appealing to a wider audience. In 2006 Nylon and Myspace collaborated for the first time creating their first international music issue which was readily availabe online.

Audience Research

 The magazine that I am looking into is NME as the concept is similar to the style of music magazine I will be producing. I searched this particular magazine and found out that it is published by a leading magazine publisher in the UK called ipc media. I then found out that this company is then owned by another, Time inc, who are then owned by Time Warner. Time Warner is the worlds second largest entertainment conglomerate.
These are the websites for each seperate company:
http://www.timewarner.com/corp/
http://timeinc.com/home/
http://www.ipcmedia.com/


 On the ipc website there is a link to the NME media pack. This shows who the target audience are and how the magazine appeals to them, this can help me as from it I can learn how I can produce my magazine in an appealing and interesting way for my specific target audience. There is a small introduction to the media pack;

NME has become a truly unique multi-platform media proposition. Across the magazine, www.nme.com, NMETV, NME Radio and the brand's live events and awards, NME reaches over one million music fans every week. NME is the longest published and most respected music weekly in the world.
Every week it gives its readers the most exciting, most authoritative coverage of the very best in contemporary music, including award winning features, the latest releases, live reviews, the definitive guide to the best new bands in its Radar section, as well as a regular look back through the magazine's incredible 58 year heritage.

This includes key information as to the success of the magazine. Through reading the media pack I have learnt that NME is predominantly aimed at men with a vast majority of its readers being male and at the ages of 18-25 with the median age being 23. Almost 50% of readers are students and almost 70% being ABC1 explaining the mature smart nature and layout of the magazine. The readers are also keen on their mobiles, film and obviously music. Several quotes are used one being "Its full of facts that we should all know but don’t BUT we do now thanks to NME” this shows that the readers are constantly suprised and interested by what they read in NME. Also we are told that readers rely and trust this magazine to keep them up to date within the music world. The advertisements used focus upon clothes, food, drink, gadgets, cars and personal appearance all of which its young mostly male target audience can relate to.
From this I can learn that within my magazine my information needs to be up to date and fresh to keep the readers informed and create an image that they know they can rely on for the updates and news in the music industry. I need to be giving interesting, unknown information to keep the readers attention and create a buzz around my magazine. Not only do I need to be thinking about the content of the articles but I also need to consider the advertisements used as they need to appeal and be appropriate for my target audience.

Overall Target Audience.

Overall, from my target audience research I have found out that my magazine will be aimed at older teenage/young adult females with a strong interest in music and fashion. The two most predominant music genres I will focus on will be Indie and R&B, however I will also focus upon a wider range of music such as Pop and Hip Hop however in less detail as I discovered that my target audience are interested within a wide range of music. I also know that I shall need to include a wide variety of articles with the most focus upon reviews and interviews, knowing that my target audience have a strong interest in music I will need to keep the pieces written up to date and fresh to keep the reader interested with well thought out articles and information. The cover of my magazine should be kept ordered with a simple colour scheme that stands out and catches the eye and as I know that the audience for my magazine also read gossip and fashion magazines I should incorporate and element of both into my magazine to appeal to a wider audience.

My Target Audience

The vast majority of people that have completed my survey are either 16 or 17 years old showing that my target audience will be older teenagers/young adults.

70% of people that took my survey were female, through my research I have noticed that a majority of music magazines are targeted at the male audience and so as there are so few I will create a music magazine predominantly aimed at young females.

 All of the options given within this question were each chosen by at least one person showing that my target audience listen to and enjoy a wide range of music, therefore within my magazine I should cover a majority of music genres so to please a wide range of people. However the two most popular music choices were Indie and R&B and so the predominant genres covered and targeted in my magazine will be these two top choices.

 More than half of the people that took the survey said that they downloaded music very regularly with everyday and once a week being the most popular answers. This shows that within my magazine I should include information and articles focused upon music download. I could use this to my advantage as an incentive to read/buy my magazine buy offering competitions and free gifts surrounding the topic of music download. Also as I know the majority are avid music listeners my magazine should take a serious approach towards music with well thought out interesting articles and information.

I wrote my fifth question, being 'What are your interests and hobbies?', as an open question. Therefore the answers I received were varied however throughout music and shopping/fashion were common. This shows that those who have an interest in music may also be interested in fashion so therefore I could incorporate a fashion element into my magazine to appeal to a wider audience.

Again with this question when asked, 'What kind of magazines do you read?' the top answer was fashion. This could be due to the majority of people completing my questionnaire being female, however again it shows that, to appeal to a wider audience, I should include an element of fashion within my magazine. The second most popular answer was Gossip magazines. This could be incorporated well into my magazine as I could use the two together and write/produce gossip articles amongst celebrity's within the music industry.

Pixie Lott was the top answer for this question, again could be due to the female audience of my questionnaire, however closely in second were Example and Justin Bieber, showing that I also need to cover other genre's of music within my magazine such as Pop and Rap.

The top answer for this question is Black and Red, I chose this as one of the options as it would produce a simple yet eye catching cover for my magazine. In close second was pink, white and purple, I used this idea from one of the magazines I focused upon earlier in my research, again this choice is most likely due to the predominant female audience and as I am aiming my magazine at young females this colour scheme would be a good choice.

The results from this question show that within my magazine I should be covering a wide range of articles mainly focusing on interviews and  reviews. This piece of information is very useful as it can also help me to decide upon an image for the front cover, for example if I were to include an interview I would choose to use an image of the artist interviewed on the cover and thus giving the reader and idea of what to expect inside.

For my last question (below) I asked which layout would be preferred. It is clear to see that an ordered layout was chosen by the majority telling me how my target audience would like to see my front cover.

Target Audience Questionnaire

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

NME Double Page Spread

For the first page of the double page spread there is little writing however we can see the main image for the article along with several smaller. Through the route of the eye we first see the main image along with a caption in the top left corner then the article title and introductory paragraph and finally the smaller pictures. Within the primary optical area we can see the title the main picture and the introductory paragraph therefore meaning that when the reader scans over the page they see an overview of what the article is about and will hopefully want to read on. The font for the title is serif, several of the letters are slightly different to the others as they appear to have been sketched, this fits well with the article as it surrounds tattoos.
The second page is mainly writing as this holds the bulk of the article; however there are also some smaller pictures to the right as a smaller feature article is included. Also we can see a quote from the piece in larger bolder writing. As the reader flicks through the magazine this will catch the eye and will create interest in the article making the reader want to carry on reading.

NME Cover

This front cover is very cluttered with the articles, masthead and image overlapping.  It is clear that the focus of this page is Kings of Leon, we can  tell this as the first thing seen through the route of the eye, instead of the masthead which is usually seen first, we see Kings of Leon in large white writing contrasting the black background. Also within the primary optical area we can see again Kings of Leon and Return written in bold letters, the word Return is written in red so to catch the eye and stand out.  The more minor articles are either side of the image in white font so to stand out from the dark background. The route of the eye follows through the main focus, Kings of Leon and also through other minor articles so when scanning the cover of this magazine the reader gets an overall idea of what is included.
In contrast to the other magazines I have analysed NME has a slightly darker more male orientated look to it, whereas the other two magazines seem to have been aimed more so at females with a lighter hearted informal approach.
The image used is a mid shot from a live performance at a concert, this connotates the idea that the magazine includes music aimed at an audience who prefer the rock/indie genre.

NME Contents

This contents page is very structured and each article has been divided into its own box, size dependant on the importance of the article. The principal of thirds lines follow the lines of the structure and you can clearly see the page has been divided into three vertically. This has the effect of showing us which of the articles are the main focuses and the most important, as the centre of the magazine is where the eye is drawn to the key articles are included here with the minor articles either side. Within the primary optical area we can see the main article headline along with its page number and part of the picture; this is so to create interest and also makes the reader want to follow the article on. The hotspots include other key ideas which in this case are four other minor articles so that attention is also given to several other parts of the magazine. The route of the eye first follows through the masthead of this page and then date then trough almost every article so when the reader is scanning the page they will have a clear idea of what is in the magazine.
A majority of the article titles are quotes from the actual article/the band or artist being interviewed. This creates interest as not only does it give the reader an insight into the article/interview and make you want to know what was being said but also it is an alternative take on a typical headline so therefore creating interest.
The colour scheme is minimal with the background being white and the text black, the only colour coming from the images themselves. This connotates the image that this magazine focuses solely on the music and the artists themselves rather than the aesthetics, so therefore seems a music magazine for serious music lovers and a true keen interest.

Nylon Contents

This contents page is very basic and keeps the images and writing to a minimum. The articles are organised in columns with the main articles at the beginning moving through to the more minor and every issue features. Through the route of the eye firstly we see the date of release for the magazine, then through the image and finally through the articles. The colours are mainly dark and a black or white font is used to contrast the opposite backgrounds. The image is a long shot and is a very fashion focused shot playing with reflection and the lighting. This connotates the image that this magazine is very up to date and ‘edgy’ that incorporates fashion into its pages. It uses both serif and san serif fonts all in lower case.

Nylon Cover

The cover of Nylon is relatively cluttered with several article headings spread across the page overlapping the background image. Only one image is used that coordinates with the main article. Through the route of the eye we see the masthead first the image and the main article and then finally several minor articles at the bottom of the page. Through the principal of thirds we can see that this magazine cover has been divided into three sections vertically, from left to right we first see the headline article, secondly the image telling us who this issue is focusing on and also what sort of music the audience of this magazine may listen to and then finally the several minor articles included. The hotspots are the areas at which the lines intersect, here we can see these have been used effectively to include key areas of information that we know the eye will be immediately drawn to. These areas include four separate articles so when the reader is scanning over the page they immediately know what is included and these headline titles create interest making the reader want to read on.
The colour scheme used is predominantly blue, purple and pink, thus connotating the idea that this magazine is mainly aimed at females. Although through scanning the colour is less intense bright vivid colours along with bold san serif fonts attract attention and create interest. The image used is a mid shot and as Lily Allen is wearing an editorial fashion piece this gives the reader the impression that as well as music this magazine also includes fashion.

X Factor Double Page Spread

The first half of the double page spread, is split into three columns with a picture at the top of each, it has a very structured layout. This article we can assume is promoting Charlotte Church’s new album, therefore within the primary optical area the question of the article regarding the new album is included as a key element coordinating with where the main focus for the eye is.
The second page of the spread includes one main photo of Charlotte Church we presume from a shoot conducted by the magazine. Through the Route of the Eye we see the picture first, glamorising Church and the second part we see is a sub article, with ‘tips’ from the singer. Within the primary optical are on this page a quote from the article has been included in larger bolder writing, so as the reader is flicking through this catches the eye and makes the reader want to read the article to see what is being said.
The colour scheme used throughout is again pink and orange following with the scheme used for the front cover. These colours have been chosen as pink is the predominant colour within the photo shoot of Charlotte Church and so orange has been chosen as the contrasting colour. The interview has been kept informal fitting in with the relaxed style of the magazine.

X Factor Contents

Again the contents for this magazine is divided up into several sections, vertically there are three sections the first of which includes the letter from to the reader from the editor of the magazine giving an outline of the week’s events, the second and third both contain articles included in the magazine along with their page numbers set out in columns. Within the primary optical area the ‘Features’ section of the articles have been included. This is as the primary optical area is the main focus of attention on the page and is where to eye is immediately attracted to so the featured articles are placed here as they are the key elements of the magazine and are what creates interest and causes the reader to want to read on. In the terminal area the ‘Every Week’ articles are included as this is the last thing the reader see’s when scanning over the page this gives a sense of familiarity so the reader knows they can rely on these articles always being in the magazine.
The fonts used are mainly serif across this page, within the section of the editors note a handwriting font has been used to address the reader and also to sign off which gives makes the letter seem more personal and also gives an informal relaxed tone as it opens with ‘Hello!’.

There are several colours used across this page, all are bright and attract attention and also contrast the white background causing them to stand out and catch the eye.
The main image used on this page is large and covers almost a quarter of the entire page, this is as it is part of a main article conducted and has also come from a photo shoot included that has been carried out by the magazine. The several other photos included are pictures from an archive that have been taken by press photographers in everyday life or as in Nicole Scherzinger’s case at an award ceremony.
The actual articles included mainly fit the ‘gossip’ genre with interviews with several celebrities and as this magazines main focus is X factor there are several articles on the contestants, as well as competitions and news surrounding the show.

X Factor Cover

 This magazine is divided into 3 sections horizontally and 3 sections vertically using the principle of thirds. The first horizontal section includes the masthead and an introduction into what the magazine includes. This immediately attracts attention from its target audience as we are informed that music, stars and style are the main focus of the content. The section below contains the main articles and features of the magazine all of which are focused upon music.  This is the middle section and so contains the main focus and most important parts of the magazine as the eye is immediately attracted here. The article headings used attract attention and create interest as words such as ‘Exclusive’ and ‘Drama’ are used. These words entice the reader and make you want to read on further, so therefore purchase the magazine. The final lower section contains sub articles that play a smaller part within the magazine. The division of the magazine into vertical sections is perhaps most prominent within the middle section in which the main 3 articles are included. The primary optical area includes an entire article, heading and photo, so becoming the main focus of the magazine.
The Route of the eye follows through each section of the magazine, first the mast head so the reader knows what the magazine is and then through the main articles indicating what will be inside and encouraging the reader to read on so to buy the magazine and finally through the minor articles at the bottom of the page again causing the reader to want to buy the magazine.
The magazine uses san serif fonts, and also the main colour scheme is pink and orange, as it seems most music magazines are aimed at males this one however is targeted more so towards the female audience as can be inferred from the articles included and the colour scheme. The magazine also uses an informal mode of address which suggests that this magazine is perhaps not for the serious music fan but for those who have an interest in the ‘gossip’ articles and other elements of music, such as the lives behind the songs.