Sunday, 17 November 2013

Uses and Gratifications Theory

This theory suggests that people actively choose their media products based on their needs.

Blumler and Katz discuss
Audiences consume the media for different needs and in different ways.  The media industry is not the only one to blame, people need the media to fulfil their needs and wants.  Media consumers choose texts that fulfil their needs and wants.

  • To be INFORMED and EDUCATED about the world in which they live
  • To IDENTIFY personally with characters and situations in order to learn about themselves
  • To be ENTERTAINED by a range and variety of well constructed texts
  • To use the media as a taking point for SOCIAL INTERACTION or DISCUSSION
  • To ESCAPE from their 'daily grind' into other worlds and situations.

Indie Magazine Ideas

Here is a spider diagram of the ideas I came up with when thinking of indie rock. 

Second Front Cover Analysis

For my second front cover analysis, I analysed the cover of 'Rock Sound,' which as you may guess, focuses on rock artists.  I like this magazine as it has a simple layout with minimal writing, but the pull quotes on the front make me want to open it up and read inside.

First Front Cover Analysis

I analysed a front cover from the magazine 'Q' which is primarily an indie/rock magazine.  From doing this I get many different ideas for my own magazine as they relate in many different ways. 

Tuesday, 12 November 2013

Font Ideas

When thinking of what font to use, I considered my target audience.  They are loud 15-25 year olds who enjoy having fun and going to gigs. I would like to think people look at my font and think it is unique and current.  When looking for fonts, I visited the website www.1001fonts.com, it has a large variety of fonts and here are five of them that I am strongly considering.

Acid Label

This is the first font that caught my eye.  It has a messy look about it which I like very much and it certainly has a vintage look about it.  On the other hand, I just can't see 'indie music magazine' when I look at this, it looks like it could be used on a horror film.  It is definitely not a font you would associate with music.

Vtks Choice

I am strongly considering this font due to its informal, effortless look.  I think it would look extremely attractive on the front of an Indie music magazine too.  The font, however, does have a dark, intimidating look to it and this is not what I want as my magazine will be full of humour and upbeat.

Rock it!

I am a big fan of this font.  I can picture it on the front of a music magazine too which is instantly a bonus.  Although I believe that this is past indie and heading towards a rock and roll look which does not match my chosen genre.

Ray Johnson §

I feel there is a lot of potential in this font if the right colours are used with it.  For example, if there was a simple white background and this was the masthead, I feel as if it would be extremely boring.  But if the background was yellow and this was the masthead, I'd immediately be pulled into the magazine.


BlindMelon

This font is so good because it is 3D.  When seeing a font that is 3D, I get the idea it is making an effort to 'reach out' to the me and make me read on through the magazine. I think that this font does it very well.  The one problem is that you do not see many 3D fonts on magazines as it doesn't look very professional.

Monday, 11 November 2013

Terminology

Masthead - the name and logo of the magazine.

The Lead - the introductory paragraph of an article.  Usually written in bold or capitals.

Body Copy - refers to the text of your written articles, which should be produced as a printed presentation to accepted industry standards, e.g. correct use of language, font, size, word limits etc.  Usually written in columns with a font size typically between 8 and 10 with the same style kept throughout.
  
Serif font - fonts which have little bars (serifs) on the end of the letter.  Used to make bodies of text easier to read.

Sans Serif font - fonts which do not have little bars (serifs) on the end of each letter.  Used for Headings, captions etc.

Drop Capitals - really big letter to introduce the article.

Cross Head - small sub-heading used to split up a large block of text.

White Space - white parts of a page other than text or pictures.  An efficient way of separating areas of the page.

Mode of Address - how the magazine talks to the audience.

Sell Lines - text on the cover that helps to sell the magazine to the audience.

Banners - text which stands out because its on a coloured background.

House Style - a magazines distinctive design that distinguishes it from its competitors.

Borders - the gaps at the edges of the page.

Gutters - the gaps between the columns of text.

Leading - the space between lines of text.

Kerning - the space between letters.

Strap lines - a smaller headlines, printed above the main headline.

By-lines - name of the person who wrote the article.

Anchorage - the way in which text helps to pin down the meaning of a picture and visa versa.

Cohen's Moral Panic

"A condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges as a threat to societal values and interests: its nature is presented in a stylised and stereotypical fashion by the mass media: the moral barricades are manned by editors, bishops, politicians and other right thinking people, socially accredited experts pronounce their diagnoses and solutions; ways of coping are evolved or (more often) resorted to."  

Alternatively: moral panic involves the institution of "folk devils" that need controlling, which leads to increased social control.  This occurs during periods when powerful groups or the ruling classes face troubled times.  The panic then becomes a substitute for the real social issues.  

Historical Perspectives

  • Football in the 1970's and 80's - Hooliganism
  • Bicycles - 1890's - Cause of chaos and terror
  • Rock + Roll - 1950's - "The Negro's Revenge"
  • Video Nasties - 1980's
  • Video Games - 1990's up until now
  • Internet (I.M, SMS), 2000's up until now
Features of Moral Panic
  • Concern: Behaviour of a particular group represented.
  • Volatility: Short-lived.  Panics erupt dramatically but are difficult to sustain.  It has negative consequences.
  • Hostility: "Folk Devils" constructed to create a clear division between "them" and "us".
  • Consensus: Widespread acceptance of the threat posed by this group.
  • Disproportionally: Wild exaggeration of evidence.  Not only the number of people involved but also the scale of the problem.