Distribution of Magazines

Magazine Distribution - Newsstand & Supermarkets

For this task, I had to go to a local shop where they sell magazines, which was WHSmith as they always have a wide range of magazines, including music magazines. It was the only shop that sold music magazines near me as supermarkets only sell gossip and TV magazines. Here is a photo of how it looked:

Click on the photo to see the photo in its original size.

There was a wide range of magazine brands, but the most noticeable ones were Q, MOJO, The History of Rock and Uncut. The rest were Vintage Rock, Record Collector, Sound on Sound, Guitar Techniques, Dancing Time, Guitarist, Total Guitar, Computer Music, Rhythm, MusicTech, Electronic Sound and Classic Rock. However, I was surprised not to see Kerrang!, Rock Sound and Mixmag, which could be because people have already bought all of the print copies of them as they are very popular and I know that this WHSmith only sells about 10-15 copies of these 3 brands and tomorrow (a Wednesday) is the day the new issue is published. 

Q was displayed on the middle shelf of the three shelves for music magazines, which is about level with people's eyes and that is where they look first. Even though Q had its own display case, there was no copies in there, which could mean they have been bought or the shop just chose not to put it there. MOJO copies were placed behind Q's issue, which suggested to me that Q is more popular and important for the shop to sell them. But MOJO was still placed next to Q on the middle shelf, which connoted to me that it's almost as important of a magazine as Q. The History of Rock was placed on the top shelf but caught my attention very quickly as it had its own shelf and no other magazine brands were placed on the same shelf. Uncut was put next to MOJO, meaning that it was also an important magazine. The rest of the magazines were put in the middle and bottom shelf, suggesting they aren't as important or popular.

The whole of Q magazine's front cover could be seen, meaning that everything that is on the front of it is very important and the customers are able to see the cover lines, the masthead, the cover star and the price. Uncut and The History of Rock magazines were the same, unlike MOJO which had its front cover's left side hidden but the cover star and half of the masthead could be seen as well as most cover lines as they were aligned to the right. The most important bits which could make the customers buy the magazine were visible.

Magazine Distribution - Other Methods

Example: Kerrang!

Subscriptions

Kerrang! has different subscription offers which are available all around the world, in most countries. There are three types of subscriptions they sell. Kerrang! has a print subscription, which offers a print version of the magazine for 15 issues, costing £24.99 (as a Christmas offer). The second type of subscription they offer is a digital version of the magazine which can be viewed on Android and Apple devices. With the same price as the 15 print issues (£24.99), readers can buy 30 issues of the digital magazine (special offer for Christmas). The third and biggest type of subscription they offer is the one with both the print and the digital version of the magazine. As part of the Christmas offer, people can buy this combined subscription for £27.50. However, the delivery/downloading is instant in the UK and is free. Kerrang! offers subscriptions as their regular readers can get the magazines quickly and they are guaranteed to get it whether if they had to go and buy it in the shops, the shop might not have it which would result in them not being able to buy it. Also, readers can save money with this method of shopping. The reason why Kerrang! also offers three different types of subscription is so people can buy the magazine on different platforms and can chose the most convenient or suitable version for themselves. By offering subscriptions, there is more of a guarantee for Kerrang! that there will be people who buy their magazine, making more profit for its publisher and the magazine itself which can result in a better quality magazine. 

Ezine version

Kerrang! doesn't offer an ezine version as ezines are usually free and this magazine charges for electronic versions of the magazine as I've mentioned above. The magazine doesn't offer an ezine version of their issues is because if they did, they would have less revenue and wouldn't be able to provide as good content as they do now and would have low production values. 

Content - magazine issue vs. website

The content in the magazine and on its website is really similar and mostly the same, however, there are differences. Some things that are in the issue of the magazine, like exclusives, can't be read on the website, but there are also things on the website, like videos, that can't be seen in the issues as it wouldn't be possible. As I've said, the contents are really similar, but Kerrang! doesn't put everything on both the website and the magazine issue as then there would be no reason for its target audience to buy the magazine as they can just read what is on their website, or the other way around, which is there would be no reason for the target audience to view the website. Both of these things would make Kerrang! lose out on a big amount of profit and would have a worse quality of news, interviews, and other important features. 

Social Media

Kerrang! also uses social media to generate readers. The magazine brand has a Facebook page, a Twitter and Snapchat account as well as a Tumblr website which all have at least 500,000 followers/likes. The magazine also has an app available on Android and Apple devices which is almost like the website but the layout of the news is slightly different. However, Kerrang! is very active on its social media accounts and posts frequently to update its readers about news, the new issue and other things, such as competitions. 

Proposal for my magazine

I have finished writing my proposal.

Starting My Proposal

During today's lesson, I have started writing my magazine proposal and I will be finishing it during this week and I am going to start making a presentation on either Prezi (online software) or PowerPoint which I will then present to the class after half term.

Feedback - Preliminary Task

What went well

• colour scheme goes well with front cover
• good choice of font - readable
• good that contents page is different from the front cover's style
• good image
• well thought cover lines and puffs



What could be improved

• if the cover star was in front of a plain background
• have text on contents page spread out a bit more - text heavy

3 points for development in main task

• plain background
• use more images
• make use of negative space

Preliminary Task - The Finished College Magazine

In today's lesson, I have finished this preliminary task in which I had to create a college magazine front cover and contents page. It was a good experience as it improved my skills in photo editing. Here is my evaluation of it.

Front cover of my college magazine

Contents page of my college magazine

Evaluation of my work

I had to create both the front cover and contents page with different editing software. I have made the front cover with Photoshop, and the Contents page with InDesign. This allowed me to expand my knowledge and skills in both these editing applications which will help me in the future when I will be creating my own music magazine. 

For the front cover, I had to take a photo. The photo is of a student, holding books and a pen and also wearing a bag. As this is what the viewer sees first, it had to be of a student so his presence connotes what this magazine is about, which is about life in college. The student is smiling, which connotes that he likes going to college and gives a positive vibe to whoever is looking at it. However, the background of the picture is not a plain colour, which can be distracting to the eye and not look very professional. However, I edited the background as I made it blurry so the student is in focus. The cover lines were much difficult to make. Firstly, I had to put on every line of text onto different layers that did not fit into one line because of the amount of space on the page. I made the masthead stand out. I wanted the colour scheme to suit the photo, so I made it black. Under it, the magazine & college's website is white because if it was orange (which was the third colour of the colour scheme), it would not be readable as it would merge into the background. The slogan of the magazine is orange as this is the colour the stands out the most on that area of the photo of the cover. The slogan also connotes that this college is a magazine for a specific college, not a general magazine for college students. I have created an orange puff with a the word 'Win!' in capital letters to attract attention towards the competition and its prizes which the reader can find out more about in the magazine. I tried to make the cover lines stand out and make the magazine's contents seem interesting. As it is the front cover of my magazine, I had to put on a barcode which I placed in the lower left corner, with the date this issue came out and how much it costs. I think I have met magazines' conventions with my front cover, however I could've put on more cover lines. The reason I didn't do it I didn't have much time to think about the coverlines and creating the ones that are on there took quite a bit of my time I could spend on it. I used a sans-serif font as it suggests casualty and informality which is what college is like and the students are like. 

For the contents page, I wanted create a double page spread, which I had to take more photos for. The background is the college's football fields, and the other photo is of a graffiti from around the college buildings and also relate to art which is part of the wide range of subjects in the college. I have written the contents in a rectangle box, however, it was not readable, so I decided to colour the boxes in with a colour that goes with the photo in the background. I chose olive green as it suited the page. I made the text white with black outlines. However, I made the boxes in which the text are not 100% opaque but a bit transparent, so even if faintly, the photo in the background can be seen. I put the photo of the graffiti above the contents on the second page as I thought it looked nice and made it seem professional. I have used the same sans-serif fonts on the contents page to reflect the font cover. 

In conclusion, I think I have done well and improved my skills in photo editing, but there are still improvements that I could've made to make it look better. When I am going to be making my music magazine, I will make sure it looks even more professional and better. 

Preliminary Task - College Magazine Cover Plan

In today's lesson, using Photoshop or InDesign, we had to make a front cover plan for our preliminary task which was to create bits of a college magazine. 

My front cover plan doesn't have much on it as it was only a plan and I didn't want it to be too detailed and for me to spend too much time on it, but I put the main cover line on it as well as a puff, another cover line, the masthead, the website and the slogan of the magazine. I have gotten this picture off of the internet as this is only a plan. I spent quite a bit of time on this plan though as I had to put every line of text onto the picture in different layers so I could move them separately. Also, the puff took some time for me to do as I experimented with how the text should look like. Also, I had to find the 3 colours for the front cover's colour scheme. It was hard as it had to suit the photo's colours and it had to be readable, meaning the background and the text colour couldn't be the same. However, this planning helped me as I practiced using Photoshop more and I've learnt how to use different things on it. 

Practice Exercise - photoshop

Today in lesson, we did a practice task with Photoshop. We had to create a front cover for our magazine to practice how to use things in Photoshop in order to know how to use this software when it comes to our final magazine cover. My front cover is incomplete and nothing is final on it as I had issues with the background and had to erase things off it as I have found this image on the internet (which I was allowed to do as this is only a practice). I managed to put on the masthead and the star cover line but I will have to put on more things and cover lines next time.

Preliminary Task - College Magazine Flat Plan

This is my college magazine's flat plan which shows what is going to be on each page. My aim is to have about 60 pages filled up. I am working on completing it.

Preliminary Task: LSC magazine (planning)

Case Study - College magazine

Today in lesson, I had to find a front cover for a college magazine and write an analysis of it as we were looking at college magazines to help us plan our own version as it is a practice before we make our own magazines, however, it is still important to complete this task. However this was only a practice task so I only wrote about the front cover briefly.

Here is an older front cover of the American magazine called 'College'.

On the front cover, there is a person who is most likely to be a student. He is smiling to show positivity and that he is enjoying college. Also, he is holding books to show that he is a student himself. The skyline contains the magazine's slogan and the month and years the issue is from. The cover lines are to interest a college student with things such as "Thank God it's Friday's" and "College Couture". The masthead is at the top of the cover, below the skyline, in a sans-serif font, but the student hides some of the masthead, connoting that students are the priority for colleges. The 3 colour scheme is green/yellow, white and black. The font as I've already mentioned is sans-serifs to make the magazine seem casual, "cool" and friendly so the people who go to college want to read it. 

Magazine Case Studies - My Own 2 Magazine Case Studies Analysis

Kerrang!

Front Cover

1. Image
On the front cover, the cover star is Frank Iero who is a well-known rock artist. The shot type is mid shot, and this shows his facial expressions and body language. His face shows anger which connotes that he is a "tough guy" and connotes that he is in control of his life. The photo was taken in a studio as the background is white and there is nothing in the background, with no props or anything to distract the audience with, connoting that he is important and they should pay attention to him. The lighting is high-key lighting as his face is well lit and the whites look really bright and even on the black tie he is wearing, we can see a shimmer of light. The costume he is wearing is a black tie and a white shirt which seems simple, but him tugging on his tie connotes that he might feel pressured by fame which the tie symbolises as he is trying to get it off because it might've been too tight around his neck.
2. Page layout
The masthead is behind the cover star which connotes that Kerrang! is a well-established brand and they don't have to show the whole brand name as everyone knows who they are. Also, it suggests that the cover star is the most important thing on the cover so the audience should focus on him. The fonts are mostly sans-serifs, only a few words are written in serifs. This is because sans-serif fonts suggest that the magazine is very casual and informal which appeals to its target audience as they are rebellious and don't like to be serious as well as formal. The 3 colour colour scheme includes red, yellow and white but there are a few other cover lines that are written in black so they create a contrast between the white shirt on the cover star and the white background of the photo. Also, red and black paired together connote the genre of rock. Most cover lines are aligned right, however, the star cover line is anchored to the cover star's picture. Also, the star cover line has a pull quote that is from the article about Frank Iero, this is to make the audience interested in the article about him and to give a teaser of it too. The skyline is very thick compared to other magazines' skylines but it is part of the magazine's cover every week. The skyline contains a teaser of a 'poster special' for the 10th anniversary of a well-known, separated band who are one of the most famous bands of the genre. The skyline is black as it is the symbol for rock as well as red. There is a puff in bright yellow on the left side of the cover and it is about a competition which the readers can win another famous band's merchandise pack. It is quite big and is coloured yellow to catch the reader's attention and make them want to compete for the merchandise. At the bottom, there is a gutter which has 3 bands' names on it to advertise them and to expand the readers' number because if they don't like any other artists but they like any of the ones listed on the bottom of the front cover, they might buy the magazine.
3. Language
The language on the front cover is very casual. The tone is very friendly and casual, like the magazine was one of the reader's friends and tells them about rock music and everything about it. The mode of address on the front cover is very neutral and indirect as they don't talk to the audience directly by calling them 'you'.
4. Genre
Sub-genres of rock are represented on the front cover as there are artists who are heavy metal, punk rock, soft rock, alternative rock and more. This is because the magazine has a bigger audience if they include sub-genre articles, not just one genre. The sub-genres are represented as interesting and something different to listen to if the reader hasn't listened to certain genres yet. The images, the layout, the language and the cover lines connote rock. The images through the artist line up, the layout through it's colours, the language through the tone that is used.

Contents Page

1. Image
On the image of the contents page, we can see a concert photo of the ex-singer of the band My Chemical Romance, wearing make-up that heavily resembles a skull. This image is to suggest that as it is the band's 10th anniversary and this issue of the magazine is about this band and their anniversary even though the band members are not in this band anymore. The colour scheme is white, black and a bit of gold. The white and black the singer is wearing really shows the reader that the magazine is about rock music as these two colours, mostly black, connotes the music genre. Also, the image is a close up shot of the singer to really show his detailed face paint. Gerard Way, who is on the picture has a crazed smile to show that the band's style was very alternative and connotes that they must've liked trying things that society might consider 'weird' and 'rebellious' which also reflects the genre of the magazine.

2. Page layout
The photo is on the left side of the page and takes up most of the space, connoting that the artists are the main focus of the magazine. The actual contents of the page are on the right side of the page. There are different sections to the contents of the magazine and are not necessarily put in chronological order. There are 5 sections and they are called 'News', 'Features', 'Lives', 'Reviews' and 'Gigs', however, above all the contents, there is a welcome letter from the editor for the readers. The title of the page is at the top the photo of the singer hides a bit of it to, again, the artists are what the magazine really focuses on. The fonts are sans-serifs as on the cover to connote that rock is a very 'casual', 'informal' and 'rebellious' genre. 

3. Language
The language again is very informal but in the editor's letter, the mode of address is direct to the readers. The tone of the page is friendly and slang words are used too to show that the magazine is targeted at younger people who are most likely to use slang words and understand them as well. The structure of the language used on the contents page is that while describing the contents, it puts emphasis on the artist names and then in brackets, includes the page number the article about them is on. 

4. Genre
The genre of the magazine on the contents page is represented by everything that is on it. The image is of a singer who makes rock music and used to be in a really famous band. Also, sub-genres of rock are represented in the text and on another image at the bottom of the page by a band called 'As It Is'. The costumes heavily suggests that the genre is rock as most people on the page in the pictures are wearing black and have dyed their hair (which also is a connotation of rock as it makes people seem rebellious). 

Double Page Spread

1. Image

The image is of the band called 'Crown The Empire' which the article is about. All members of the band are on the photo which is is spread out on both pages. Next to each member, there is a textbox that tells the reader information about them. On the photo, every band member is posing differently. Two of them are wearing sunglasses which makes them seem 'cool' and casual, but connote that they are well-known and that they know this too. Their facial expressions are serious which connotes that they take music and their career seriously and want to make music. Also, the photo is a mid shot, even though the band members' lower halves are hidden behind the text of the article. The photo must've been taken in a studio hence the white background which connotes that they are very professional. The lighting is high key lighting as the colours look bleached. The clothes they are wearing also shows us that they are a rock band and even though most metal-core bands wear mostly black clothing, they are open to be a bit different from other bands in the genre they specialise in. 

2. Page Layout

The page is laid out in a horizontal way meaning that both the image of the band and the text are spread out onto both pages. The title of the article is in the middle vertically on both pages to guide the reader's eye towards it as it summarises the story. The fonts are again sans-serifs that connote the genre and the genre's style. On one page, there are 3 columns which makes 6 columns on 2 pages. The text alignment on the double page spread is left as that is the first place our eyes go to hence we read from left to right. There are textboxes on the page with some information written inside of them about the band members. In the article, there are 2 drop caps in total, at the start of each paragraph. Also, a pull quote can be seen on the first page to give the reader as teaser about what is in the article and make them curious and read the text. 

3. Language

The tone of the feature is relaxed and friendly which connotes that this genre is not very formal. Slang is also used to connect with the audience as they are very likely to use slang. The mode of address is indirect as the author doesn't call the audience 'you' and doesn't address them in any way. The structure of the text is that it has a beginning where the writer tells the audience about some quotes and people who inspired the bands. Then the middle is when the main information is given to the audience about the band's inspirations. At the end, the writer tells the reader about the future of Crown The Empire. 

4. Genre

Through this feature, artists that make heavy metal or similar songs are represented. The band members' black clothing show this and their body language and facial expressions show a bit of seriousness of the sub-genre. The language also connotes the genre they specialise in and that it isn't as casual as most sub-genres of rock. 

Audience & Institution

1. Target Audience

The primary audience of the magazine are 17-24 year olds with ABC1 social grading. As in their media pack, it says that their target audience is mostly people who spend a lot of their time using technology, such as playing video games or being on social media. Also, the target audience likes to go on holidays, spending time with their friends, go to the cinema, watch TV and listening to music. They are described as passionate about most things. They are also very unique, have good morals and are very open minded. The primary target audience are said to be 'trend setters', are inspired by rock icons, are very loyal to most things they like and like to show their individuality and uniqueness through the clothes they wear. The secondary target audience has the same kind of personality and interests but they are 25 years old or older. 

2. Publisher

The publisher of the magazine is Bauer Media Group which is based in Germany. They have created about 85 different brands through magazines, TV, digital and radio platforms. These 85 brands include MOJO, Heat, Empire, Closer, Kiss FM, Absolute Radio, 4 Music, Kerrang! TV and more. Through these multi-media publishing, they show that their interest is to create a wide audience for each of their brands which makes more profit for the company. Bauer Media Group is a conglomerate. 

Rock Sound

Front Cover

1. Image

The image on the front cover has the now broken-up but well known band My Chemical Romance on it as this month is the band's 10th anniversary. The shot type is a medium long shot as the band member's legs can be seen but not their full body. This shot type allows the audience to see their costumes which are all black, connoting that they are a rock band. They seem to be on the streets in an alley where the walls have graffiti on them. This connotes rebellion which the target audience goes through as rock is a genre expressing these rebellious feelings. The members are all looking directly into the camera, making it seem as if they were staring into the eyes of the person who is looking at the magazine which creates a connection between them and the band. It also connotes that they care about their fans. 

2. Page Layout

The page is laid out in a way so whoever is looking at the front cover, their eyes are lead to the main image. The masthead is behind the cover stars to show their importance and connote that Rock Sound is a well known brand and if only a bit of the masthead is shown, the target audience will know what magazine it is. There is a variety of fonts used on this front cover. There are both serifs and sans-serifs. The sans-serifs are to show the casuality and friendliness of the magazine, however the serifs are to make the audience feel a bit nostalgic as on the front cover, there's a band that broke up 3 years ago. Also, it was part of My Chemical Romance's style as they always wore vintage clothes such as shirts and leather jackets (which were popular in the 1950s and even in the 1970s). The fonts chosen reflects this. There are also not many cover lines and most of them are aligned to the centre. 2 puffs can be seen on the front cover that advertise posters and content of the band in the magazine. The skyline has the same intentions as well as the bottom of the cover. The 3 colours that can be seen on the front cover are black, gold and white which all connote rock music. 

3. Language

The tone of the cover lines are fancy to reflect the fonts and the nostalgic atmosphere the cover image creates. The mode of address is quite neutral and indirect as the cover lines don't address the audience in any way, connoting that this issue of the magazine is a bit more serious as it is about a broken up band which is because it might make the fans sad. 

4. Genre

The genre of the magazine is represented by the cover stars and also the fonts used as black is the main colour of the cover. The location of the photo also connotes riot as the walls are covered in graffiti which is illegal therefore is rebellious. The costumes the members are wearing are all black and this also connotes the genre as this colour is known to symbolise this genre. 

Contents Page

1. Image

There are 3 different images of 3 double page spread articles. On the first one, we can see a band and they seem very happy, meaning that is it something positive and is a really upbeat feature of the band called 'I prevail'. It connotes that they like what they are doing and seem friendly to the audience which makes them want to read the article, especially if they need to feel happy. The seconds photo on the contents page seems like a more serious article as the band members are not looking at the camera and aren't smiling at all, connoting that something shocking happened to them and they are still under the effect of this shock which can be either good or bad. However, the title of the article ('Where the wild things are') might make the audience curious about what is in the feature as they want to know 'where wild things are'. The third picture is of the cover stars, the band members of My Chemical Romance. This feature seems even more serious than the one above it as it says 'Everything went black' and most things included in the image are black and the members seem very serious.

2. Page Layout

The fonts chosen on the contents page are only sans-serifs which is part of the house style of the magazine and shows that only this issue has a more serious tone, the rest are quite casual and friendly. The 3 photos are on the left side of the page and all texts are aligned to the left. There are different sections of the magazine and its contents, however they are all put in a chronological order. The relationship between the images and the texts is that the three pictures show articles and the page number of the articles is connected to the photos with a line. 

3. Language

The tone is very friendly and seems like as if one of the audience's friends has written it. There is an indirect mode of address but it is rather neutral as the audience isn't addressed in any way. This connotes that the magazine is for everyone and anyone who is interested in discovering new artists or the genre and getting to know about it. 

4. Genre

The photos and contents represent most important sub-genres of rock. This is done thorugh the photos of double page spreads that can be found in the magazine and in the contents. Also, under the 'Albums' sections of the contents, well-known rock artists are listed to reflect the magazine's genre. 

Double Page Spread

1. Image

The four band members of 'I Prevail' can be seen. 3 of them are smiling and 1 of them is frowning and looking angry but in a funny way. The image connotes that the band consists of 4 laid-back, friendly people. The 3 smiling members symbolise the part of rock that is not serious and is more about enjoying what you do or what you listen to. The 1 frowning member connotes that rock is also about being different than other people as well as being disobedient. The photo is a medium close up photo, and the band members seem to be on some kind of railing which connotes that they have climbed up somewhere it isn't safe and they shouldn't have, got caught but they still laugh about it which shows that they do whatever they think they will enjoy doing and like to have fun, connoting that the audience should do what feels right to do even if others don't agree with it. They are all in casual clothes, reflecting their relaxed attitude. 

2. Page Layout

The name of the band is on the first page of the double page spread, at the left top corner where everyone looks first usually as that is where we start reading when reading English. The fonts chosen on this page are sans-serifs as it is part of the house style of the magazine. It connotes 'coolness' and friendliness. On one page, there are 3 columns but there are 6 columns in total to give more space to the landscape-oriented image. There is one text box on the right of the band that tells the reader about who this band is recommended for which helps the audience discover new artists in the genre. There is a pull quote to summarise the article and to make the audience more curious about what is in the feature. At the start of the text, there is a drop cap also. 

3. Language

The tone of the interview is very funny as there are several puns and jokes which makes the band members seem like they are friendly and fun people. The mode of address is neutral as the audience isn't addressed in any way through the feature, connoting that it is for anyone who wants to read it, not just for their readers who already buy the magazine every month. The interview has its own structure. At the beginning, the writer writes about how it all started for the band. In the middle, he talks about I Prevail's success and it ends with how they want to be even more successful and well-known and want to please their fans even more. 

4. Genre

In this interview, the sub-genres of rock that are like metal-core are portrayed as nice people who love their fans and are thankful for what they have achieved so far which artists in rock are more likely to feel this way as they are very fan-centred, meaning that they also interact a lot with their fans. The costumes that the band members are wearing connote what genre they specialise in as they are mostly wearing black, but casual clothes. The language also shows that the genre really supports its fans being themselves and being unique. 

Audience & Institution

1. Target Audience

The primary target audience of Rock Sound is about 18-23 as in their media kit it says their target audience's median age is about 21 with ABC1 social grading, similarly to Kerrang!. The audience they are targeting are described to discover new music and things in general and that they are interested in music, fashion, gaming, films and technology. They also spend a lot of money every year on things related to music whether that's a magazine, a gig or concerts and also a relatively big amount of money on fashion. The secondary audience however is a bit different, that being that they are 23 years old or older. 

2. Publisher

The publisher of the magazine is an individual person, Ryan Bird. The magazine is not published by a conglomerate, only a small company whose head is Ryan Bird. This is his only published magazine, however the magazine is cross-platform as it has a website and social media accounts. The profit the magazine makes is increased by the advertisers.