Magazine Covers (Analysis)

The simplest code and conventions of magazines are compulsory. There needs to be a main image, an exclusive; the feature article image that is used is the most noticeable feature on the page as it covers most of the space, there are one of the most important part of a magazine and this is shown through the fact they normally overlap the title, this is expected but also the masthead must be clear and identifiable, also the feature article image must be appropriate just as all the other photos on and in the magazine, by suiting the genre and target their audience.
Music magazines use images of celebrities and well known characters because then it attracts a specific group, and also a readership profile which will increase depending on the popularity of the stars, this also will create a fan base for the magazine. In female magazines, most unlike boys, women aspire to be like the main images which are usually digitally enhanced (Photoshop) or airbrushed (glossy) this also creates another reason for them to buy the magazine.
The codes and conventions of magazines are used in different ways to attract their target audience. Magazines usually use the same codes and conventions; although, they use them depending on the genre. For example school, technology, politics and music magazines will look completely different to each other, because they portray different articles, this being because of the change of audience. Just like all other magazines, school magazines have what is known as a niche audience.
Niche audience: a niche audience is the specific group that a product is aimed at or trying to satisfy, by things such as specific market needs, as well as price range, production quality and the demographics/ age/ gender that is intended.
All magazine contents pages allow the readers to know what is inside.
Contents pages apart from being simple are informative as they feature all the articles.
They are usually highly graphical but are able to blend in simply (for example The phoenix contents) A variety of articles offer more pleasure to people because they do not want just to be reading the same articles/ similar articles although throughout all of the page, they will follow the same theme/ house color/ layout.
It is important that in a magazine, that there are interactive features that allow readers to get involved; these could be features such as quizzes, competitions and puzzles. This also could be an important part of the magazine because then the readers would always but the magazine on a daily basis for the fun and enjoyment.
On all magazines, there should be a lead story that will make the audience want to read, because it is the most appealing article to them.
These lead stories are usually exclusive or given additional bonuses and are given the most section of the page to attract the audience.
It is vital that the magazine has appropriate features and articles overall, because magazines that are not organized seem to look rather chaotic or incomplete: when missing things such as cover lines or having too many cover line. They also more importantly need to have content that is interesting and will attract their target audience. For example for the Goths : dark colors would attract them as well as heavy metal, for the rockers similar but for the urban cult hip hop and r&b content.
Audiences will expect to read information that relates to them, this could be o that they feel that they belong or so that they can increase there network.
The articles also need to attract the correct social economics/ demographics group such as the people who are in the social classes, A-E.
Seeing it is a school magazine the target audiences generally are C1 –E (anarchists, aspirers and rebellions.)
All magazines should be attractive and eye catching, but not too colorful, because they usually become a turn off. The front page of any magazine should be well organized include margins and have some form or sophistication. This is important because when a reader travels to buy a magazine they will pick up the most eye-catching magazine ( this can be through text or image/ color) this also is why most magazine should be attractive towards the left third. The headers of a magazine are also very important because 1) they give a glimpse of the readership profile. 2) They are able to blend it any article even when changed depending it is on the same genre.
A magazine also needs to contain and maintain similar typography: Font size, character and, representing the mood and audience (mise-en-scene.)
All magazines should follow a certain house style that is continuous throughout the entire entire article. The house style similar to layout/theme is basically the same use of color text and structured layout that are suited to the magazine genre.
It is important that the color is chosen wisely because with the colors that is used
Different people would be targeted, particular audiences due to the age, social class, gender, likes/ dislikes and so on...
For example If the institution is trying to interest an older audience the text would be classic, highly structured and sophisticated and be simple so that it is easily visible.
Another factor that magazines should include in the (FRONTCOVER) is the issue number, date and bar code that are always dreaded by magazine producers and left for the back pages or not included. The bar code is needed as because it tells the readers the price and so on… before it is bought.
A masthead must be large and creative so that it stands out from afar; It is usually centered where it is clearly noticeable to the audience even behind the feature article picture. It is important that the name of the magazine is often used as a lure so that it persuades readers to look inside.

On school magazines it is important that the pictures are original, looking as though the students have created it.
The phoenix magazine is a great example of this it shows an artwork which the students have produced and added it on, though sophisticated blends in rather simply.
The image also decreases the simplicity because it adds a theme unto the magazine.
I also noticed that there was a credits displayed towards the bottom part of the contents page this was great because it then acknowledges that the magazine was completely created as in a teamwork.
The contents of this magazine is great because with the tilted text readers would look closer so that they can identify parts of it.
























I have annotated and analyzed multiple examples of school magazines, in order to create ideas about how to plan and produce my school magazine.
The reason I chose a range genre was to get myself thinking about how magazines change the codes and convention or at time violate it, so that it becomes more suitable for there target.