Initial Ideas

Before creating the magazine proposal, producing the flat plans and final artifact, i had to 'brainstorm' the basic features that are important to making the magazine.


Firstly i had to decide on the target audience for the college based magazine. 

• 16-20 year olds 
• aimed at both sexes 
• based for the Southdown's students 

Secondly i wanted to think about the different features i would include that the students would find beneficial.

• include basic college information 
• include a news page
• a date diary
• music, and the arts performances dates 
• trips and other social dates
• news on the college union
• information on enrichment activities 
• news from different departments- this will vary on the edition (e.g., music one week,catering the next) 
• advice

After this i decided on the cover lines that would appear on the front cover of the magazine.

• dates for the diary 
• performances 
• college union
• department news -again the department issue will change.

The aspects that will also appear on the front cover.

• The masthead/title- this will be in bold and a modern font so it appeals to the target audience.The colour of the text will change but will always be the same as the other colours that appear on the front cover.I haven't yet decided on the title of the magazine,so i will look into the possible ideas. 
• Images- the pictures with include pictures of students in a  relaxed environment and posture. it will also include the Southdown's logo. 
• colours- thew colours will change with every edition, however the choice of colour must be the relative to both males and females. 
• other things to include- Puffs,cover lines,different fonts

All of these factors i will consider when writing my Proposal which is the next stage of the magazine development.         

Skills Audit

Social Ramifications, are magazines responsable?

Question:- To what extent should magazines be held responsible for the social ramifications of the representations they offer?

People think that the media are responsible for the negative change in society. However this could be argued that the affect the media have on us can be positive or negative.

Magazines are a mass media that are consumed by a range of audiences. From fashion magazines to music editions they are very influential to the viewer. Over the past few years, celebrity and real life have been the domination in many magazines, that are generally aimed at a young female demographic.I believe this is one of the magazine genres that are changing society and exposing young minds to the negative aspects.

For example:

 Many teenage girl magazines such as Bliss include content unsuitable for people of the young age group. One edition of Bliss in particular had a front cover with the following cover lines: “I had a boob job at 16” “Deported for underage drinking” and “JLS’s naughtiest interview.” These story lines are the first thing that the buyer sees. So, using the stories, even as a selling point is assumption that the young girls are interested in these stories. The breast enhancement story is an example of how magazines are influencing people that the appearance is the most important thing, making people self conscious and low self esteem. This gives the reader the impression that it is the norm and will lower their values.

Underage drinking and other anti-social behaviour is also located in many magazines, showing the fun side of drinking without showing the negative outcomes. On the other hand this story could have been used as a teaching curve as they use a experience to promote the dangers.

In addition the JLS interview contained vocabulary such as 'naughtiest', giving the message that the type of behaviour is prohibited. It could be that it seemed like an enticing word; however young people pick up on the smallest of details.

Other than the written codes there are many visual images that are also influencing and altering the views of the reader. In most magazines the famous celebrities are featured in posed pictures looking glamorous and beautiful. Nonetheless some see it as a promotional item that gives the idea that we should be a certain clothe size, we should be airbrushed and we all have to own the latest fashion trend. Again this advertises that we should all look artificial and be concern of our appearance all the time. This has made many people become ‘people their not’ and too obsessed.

In contrast magazines can’t be held completely responsible for the social ramifications as some magazines do include adverts promoting drink awareness and other features that have no negative effect.

I believe it could be defined as “exaggeration” as magazines feature aspects of society whilst the people of society read them, making it a vicious circle which is demoting values and norms of society.

Cosmo girl is the teenage spin off of the cosmopolitain magazine. The americian magazine is known for having a demograph of young girls aged 13-18. The title, like all cover titles for magzines, is located at the top left corner as its the eye level that the auidence will see first. the title is bold and the "girl" is written in a girly front which symbolises the purpose of the magazine. to entertain girls. The yellow and white stands out on the pick background, and the colour theme relates to the colour of the coverline colours. The colours used (yellow,orange and pink) are all girly colours so it appeals to the target auidence. Blake Lively is featured on the front cover of this edition. she sells this magazine as she is a well known amercian actress who features in a TV programme with the smae target auyidence. The editior has asumed the girls who read the magazine are intrested in the Tv programme Gossip Girl. The cover story tagline is a statement. this is used as a selling point as it is a direct adress making you want to read on, therefore buying the magazine. The other coverstories include; fashion must haves,boyfriend advice and hair and beauty tips. All in which are the key factors that girls are interested in. or so they asume. The title page creates a busy atmosphere as the titles are packed on giving the buyer plenty of reasons why to buy it.

In comparision, LOOK magaine is a british best seller magazine. however the conventions of the magazine are very much similar. Like Cosmo Girl, Look is a one word title which is rememberable and catchy. The font remains the same as it is noticable to the buyer. The colour of the title relates to the other cover story colours (pink) to stand out. Cheryl Cole 'Britains sweetheart' sells the magaine. The posed picture (like cosmo girl) gives the impression of glamour and fashion. The tagline is one that they asume the teenage girls know all about and as Cheryl is their idol, a reason to buy the magazine. The two other srtips (coverstories) are based on fahion. The use of numbers like the other magaine makes the amount sound bigger than it is, making the magazine sound good for the price.

Teen vogue agian is a younger magazine coming from the original Vogue. you know this by the same font used for the vogue lettering. The font of teen infornt gives it a modern appeal and emphisises the word teen, adressing the target audience directly.Like the others, pink is used as a symbol of girlness and is used for the title and some of the coverlines and taglines. Vanessa Hudgens is even wearing the colour. Vanessa is another americain teenage celebrity who is seen as an icon to many teenage girls. the posed picture and the fact that she is wearing pink gives the idea that she supports the magaine. Like th other magaine covers. the coverstories are located around the page on the outer edge, surrounding the main picture of the celebrity. the coverstories are snappy and in this case bulletpointed so it is quick to read . The content of the stories include fashion, beauty and a competition.They are written in pink or yellow, but the various fonts and sizes appears more exciting other than simple and boring.

Bliss is a modern adjective meaning good, so this is a great title to appear to the young teenage girl age group. the colour being a light pink is seen very girly and even inocent. However this is contradicted with the coverstories. unlike the other positive stories, the front cover features quotes and sotry headlines for 'boob jobs' 'jls naughiest interview' and 'underage drinking.' this gives the impression that teenage girls are rebelious and more intrested in gossip than in more incoent subjects. This appears very negative. Cher (the featurette) is a small celebrity known through the competition of X-Factor. this is asumnption that the girls know her. The posed picture appeals to the girls as it is girly and carfree, howver the pose highlights the tatoos she has on her arms and hands, again i think this shows the magazine in a negative light. With this and the story headlines it shows it is a niche magazine, compared ot the other wider distributed magzine.

Seventeen magaine stnads out as having a diffwerent layout. They, unlike the other magazines alter their layout. the fronts are different for the title and storylines, and so are the colours. even though it isnt continuous, it does appeal and stand out. the mixture of colours gives it a fun appearence whilst the storylines appear intresting to the target auidence. As the others they use makeup, hair and fashion to appeal to the auidence. Lauren conrad (an american socialite) is posed. her hair and over all look is given a carefree look. 






Over all, the magainzes all abide by the conventions you expect a magazine to have for a teenage girl demograph. some factors are different making it more personalisied and some stick to the girly magazine template. The covers all include a young female that is an idol, with cathcing coverstories that make you want to buy it. the content is generally the same, with exeption of Bliss.