Codes and Conventions of front covers of magazines.

In this lesson we were put into groups and asked to look at magazine front covers and contents pages and discus the codes and conventions. We came up with the following codes and conventions :

Magazine front cover.

MASTERHEAD

• Name of magazine across the top of the page or to the left at the top.
• Uses a large unique font.
• Can be partialy covered if the magazine is well known.
• Positioning statement is above the title and normally conveys the magazine is better than its competitors.

BARCODE

• usually at the bottom right of the magazine and includes the date, issue number and price.

BUZZWORDS AND PUFF

• Words which entice you to buy the magazine e.g. NEW, EXCLUSIVE, FREE.

IMAGES

• one main image, texts anchors the image.
• main image is usually close up or mid-shot
• person/people in the shot usually looking at the reader- direct address.
• never any text over the face and smaller images corespond to smaller stories.

SIMPLE COLOUR SHEME

• colours that do not clash and are easy to look at, sometimes reinforce magazines ideology.

COVERLINES.

• Usually small amounts of texts near to smaller images.
• Main coverlines with main image, bigger point size.
• coverlines all in the same style or font, apart from main coverline.

Most music magazines have a colour scheme of 3/4 colours these colours are usually from limited ranges as it makes the magazine stand out.

Masterhead at the top of the page, its main job is to draw the audience attention as it suggests genre and target audience, example children's pop magazine like 'smash hits' uses bubbly font as it appeals to children.

Buzz wordsused in order to attract attention e.g. PLUS , FREE these words both get the reader to want to buy the magazine.

around 5 coverlines are used which also link/relate to genre of magazine.

Always main image used which is main band or artist. when a band its usually long shot or medium shot however solo artists are mid shots/ close up unless its a solo artist that is looking at the audience.

Subsidiary images used which may also get you to look at the magazine, especially when they are well know images, the image may be used as a back up.

Positioning statement used which is also there to attract the audiences attention and gives the magazine an edge.

There is normally a plain background used as it makes the other features of the magazine stand out.

The front cover of the magazine contains basic information, which is needed to sell the magazine.

Price is normally small unless the magazine is cheap, then the price is bigger and stands out more.

Magazine contents page.

IMAGES


contents page includes large amount of images.


Larger images correspond with main story/stories. Smaller images with smaller stories. Images usually have the page number on which links to the story they are related to so that the audience know where to find the article. TITLE
  States that it is a“Contents” page at the top in a large font.
Can have the issue number, date and magazine website near to it but doesn’t always.
LAYOUT lay out in different sections i.e. “features”, “regular content”, “reviews”. Content in columns with page numbers beside. Sometimes contents pages are set over a double page spread. Font size 11pt. Easy to read font which is consistent throughout. FONT
EDITORS LETTER
Letter from the editor or editorial team usually with information about the issue. CREDITS
Sometimes have credits for the front cover photograph and other photographs. INFORMATION
Information about the magazine – address, phone number, name of editor.
Information about subscribing – price, how to subscribe, how many issues etc.
Most have an issue date and number which is there for convenience and to inform the reader. - A main image of the band or solo artist which the article is about, this article is to do with this artists music. - A letter from the editor is also included as sometimes the editor speaks to the audience; this is done in order to welcome new readers, appropriate to the mode of address. - A colour scheme is used, similar to the front cover; this is so that it relates to the front cover making a connection with the target audience. - One main image, which is the main story, of the artist or band which is to do with the music genre. - Several subsidiary images are also used to relate to articles inside the magazine which interests the audience. This can then be separated into subheadings in order to make it clearer and audience which comes in useful especially if the mode of address is formal. - The website address is included so that the reader can go onto the website for more information on the magazine. This is usually at the bottom of the page as it is not the most useful piece of information for the reader. - The masthead from the front cover is repeated in order for the audience to familiarise themselves with the rest of the magazine and to advertise their publishing brand.
In the list of contents, the page number always comes before the text, followed by a few words e.g. the artists name or an ambiguous texts to intrigue the reader in either bold or capitals- the average font size is 12/13 point
A sub line is after this, this tells you a more specific detail about the article, in a smaller and roman font. NOT BIGGER THAT 11 FONT.