Generic Research - Music Magazine Analysis 3

Billboard analysis from 10-klam

Analysis of Billboard Magazine (April 2015 issue)

Generic Research - Music Magazine Analysis 2

Analysis of Q from Katie Lam on Vimeo.


This is my analysis of Q Magazine in the form of a video.

Generic Research - Music Magazine Analysis 1

Nme music mag analysis ppt from 10-klam

Analysis of the music magazine, NME.

Generic Research - "Farewell to Smash Hits" - interesting points

The original article.

• Smash Hits managed to lose 840,000 readers in 17 years, despite running for three decades. 
• The article explains how Smash Hits was known for possessing an "impertinent tone and peculiar sense of humour" - the content was considered quirky, reflecting what pop music was apparently like during the time of Smash Hits. The article mentions how a former writer claims that "the magazine's standard line of questioning was never 'What's your favourite colour?' but 'What colour is a Thursday?'. The article seems to praise this. However, nowadays, if a music magazine verged on quirky and asked ridiculous questions like Smash Hits did then the magazine would not be taken seriously as a music magazine. Many magazines are criticised and labeled as "tabloid" if they ask artists/bands questions not relating to music.
• The article talks about how Smash Hits, although a pop magazine, had a specialist indie page.
• Smash Hits' reviews were not very professional and resembled something more like a regular music consumer would say. For example, a critique of David Bowie's 1983 album, Let's Dance, consisted of simply, "Well ... dull. DULL DULL DULL DULL DULL. But so what? Everyone makes a dull record occasionally." It implies how Smash Hits was not just another magazine in the industry but consisted of people with actual opinions and did not beat around the bush.
• The main reason behind Smash Hits' downfall was what may have been appealing to its target audience in the 80s as something refreshing, it didn't appeal to the audience then. The writer blames the lack of "rounded, interesting, flawed human beings" in teen pop, which Smash Hits thrived off of. According to the writer, record companies began "media-training" their artists and essentially "depriving" them of their personality.

Another magazine which has recently experienced a downfall is NME. Here is an article regarding that and how it is trying to deal with the rapid decline of sales.

Generic Research - Summary of sixth form/college magazine analyses.

What forms and conventions can you identify in sixth form/college magazines?

• Branding: like all magazines, there is a sense of branding. Demonstrated through the use of a school logo and the iconography of the school colours. 

• Masthead: for two out of three of the magazines I analysed, the masthead was placed in the top third of the front cover. This is also often the case with other magazines from other genres, implying this is the norm - a convention. On "The Novaportan" magazine, the masthead was in the lower third, showing how it is a magazine that is perhaps marketed for a more niche audience since it does not follow the regular codes and conventions of magazines.

• Contents page: there is often an editor's note welcoming readers - this may also take the form of a "headteacher's introduction" in sixth form magazine.

How are students and young people represented in these publications?

In these magazines, young people are often presented as youthful and full of joy. The abundance of colours on the magazine reflects this and how a teenager's time at school is supposedly one of the best times of their life. It reflects nostalgia and happy memories. 

Who would the audience be for these publications? How can you tell? What techniques have been used?

The primary target audience would undoubtedly be the students. The magazines' format are broken up and easy to read, suitable for a young audience. The content is aimed for a student audience - the magazines are written by students, for students.

There would be a secondary audience of parents and teachers - the magazine also has aspects for these demographics. For example, "The Novaportan's" house style is very formal and suitable for a more mature audience with the way the font is all serif and the colour scheme is very mature.

Generic Research - Analysis of sixth form magazine 3.

Sixth form magazine analysis 3 from 10-klam

Third and final analysis of a sixth form magazine.

Generic Research - Analysis of sixth form magazine 2.

Sixth form mag analysis 2 from 10-klam

Another analysis of a sixth form magazine.

Generic Research - Analysis of sixth form/college magazine.

Analysis of sixth form magazine from 10-klam

This is my analysis of a college magazine.