2013 gcse media studies exam sow

2013 GCSE Media Studies ExamThe Music Press – Print and

Online

The Exam Prep Brief

YOU SHOULD SEE THIS AS YOUR BRIEF FOR THE EXAM PREP AS THE REAL ONE IS LIKELY TO BE VERY SIMILAR!

Magic Sound Ltd.Dear QPCS students, We are one of the biggest-selling music magazine publishers in the country and we are looking for an enthusiastic young person to join our team and help launch a new range of music publication aimed at teenagers. As you know, this is a very competitive market and we are looking for someone dynamic to make our new venture a success. The magazine market is saturated with mainstream music magazines and we think our audience needs something different. As a teenager, you are at the cutting edge of popular culture and we think you’d be ideal to help us bring something new, original and niche to the market. In order to apply for this post, you need to prove that you understand what makes a magazine successful (and unsuccessful!). You need to come up with an idea for a new magazine for a niche market. The more original your ideas, the better, as far as we at Magic Sounds are concerned! It’s important that you draw on your knowledge of cross-media platforms, particularly from the online age.By the end of business today, we’d like a labelled mock-up of a typical contents page for your magazine as well as the homepage for your magazine’s website. You’ll be expected to give an explanation of how and why you came to your choices, together with proof of your understanding of how magazines and their audiences work.Remember, we want something that hasn’t been done before! Good luck!Jeremy Arbogast, Director, Magic Sound Ltd.

• An ‘in role’ response – write as if you are responding to a job advertisement

• Reference to the brief

• Evidence of research and independent learning

• Understanding of technological or sociological influences on the genre – how has the internet changed the landscape for the music press?

• A range of RELEVANT examples – other music magazines or websites that you have studied. The more varied, the better.

• Originality of thought – ideas that are not clichéd, badly thought out, or blatantly ripped off from existing music magazines

• The preparation period should be reflected in the candidates' responses – you should show that you have worked on your ideas so they are developed and have sufficient depth

• Clear and consistent use of correct media terminology.

Revising and Applying Key Concepts

L/O

To strengthen our understanding of the key concepts of MS

To apply the key concepts to a media product

TASKCopy out the key concepts and then copy out the correct definition next

to the concept.

KEY CONCEPTS

C for Codes and Conventions

L for media Language

A for Audience

I for Institutions

R for Representation

DEFINITIONS

• The way a media text communicates meaning – for film, this might be editing, camera angles, non-diegetic sound etc.

• The companies and governing bodies responsible for creating and regulating media products

• The people who consume media products, defined by demographic details (SCAREd) and psychographic details.

• The way we recognise a media text as belonging to a particular genre or category, or the rules of a genre of media text.

• How a media text portrays a person, group of people or a place.

Answer these questions about music magazines in your books. Be as detailed as you can. You may work in pairs for this task

1. What codes and conventions do you think they will follow?

2. What kind of language will they use to communicate with the audience?

3. Who is the audience for music magazines?

4. What institutions are responsible for music magazines?

5. In what ways might music magazines represent artists/fans?

Key Concept - Institutions

• L.O. In this lesson you will learn how magazines are regulated.

Regulation: A process of monitoring and enforcement of rules, established by a legislative body.

Regulating your magazine

Regulation

What might someone complain about?

Who would your audience complain to?

What kind of rules should there be?

What else needs to be considered?

The Press Complaints Commission

The PCC is an independent self-regulatory body which deals with complaints about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines (and their websites).

We keep industry standards high by training journalists and editors, and work pro-actively behind the scenes to prevent harassment and media intrusion. We can provide pre-publication advice to journalists and the public and have published advice on dealing with media attention after a death.

http://www.pcc.org.uk/externalrelations/training.html

http://www.pcc.org.uk/news/index.html?article=Mzg2Mw==

http://www.pcc.org.uk/news/index.html?article=NTY1Ng==

http://www.pcc.org.uk/assets/482/Media_attention_following_a_death.pdf

The CodeAccuracyOpportunity to reply*Privacy*HarassmentIntrusion into grief or shock*Children in sex cases*Hospitals*Reporting of Crime*Clandestine devices and subterfugeVictims of sexual assaultDiscriminationFinancial journalismConfidential sourcesWitness payments in criminal trials*Payment to criminals

WHICH MIGHT APPLY TO YOUR MUSIC MAG?

PCC CODE

http://www.pcc.org.uk/cop/practice.html

Complainant Name:Richard Rawson (also known as 'Fazer')Clauses Noted: 1, 3Publication: HeatComplaint:

Mr Richard Rawson (also known as "Fazer") complained to the Press Complaints Commission via Lewis Silkin solicitors that an article headlined "Exclusive: ‘Fazer cheated on Tulisa with me'" / "Fazer told me he didn't have a girlfriend - then we kissed", published in Heat magazine in an issue dated 11-17 February 2012, raised a breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors' Code of Practice.The complaint was upheld.The article was an interview with a woman who said she had met the complainant in a nightclub in November 2011; that the two had danced and kissed; and that the complainant had denied having a girlfriend. At the time, the complainant had been in a relationship about which he had spoken publicly.The complainant accepted that he had spoken to and danced with the woman, but strongly denied kissing her or telling her he did not have a girlfriend. The complainant was concerned that the magazine had failed to approach his representative for comment prior to publication, informing him of the story only once the magazine had gone to print. It had therefore failed to include the denial issued by his representative. The complainant noted that photographs published with the article did not show him kissing the woman and provided a witness statement from his stylist, who had been present, which confirmed that he had not seen any kiss and did not believe that it had taken place. The complainant considered that even had the claim of kissing been accurate, which he denied, the reference on the cover to "cheating" would be misleading, as it implied sexual intercourse.

Complainant Name:Cheryl ColeClauses Noted: 1Publication: LookComplaint:

Ms Cheryl Cole complained to the Press Complaints Commission (through her representatives, Supersonic PR) that an article was incorrect in its assertion that she had decided to move in with fellow musician Will.i.am.Resolution:

The magazine disputed that the piece was inaccurate at the time of publication but as a gesture of goodwill, and to resolve the complaint, it published the following statement under the heading ‘Cheryl Cole'.In December, we reported that Cheryl Cole was planning to move into Will.i.am's mansion as part of her move to Los Angeles. We now understand that Cheryl has not moved in with Will.i.am and has no intention of doing so. We are happy to make this clear.

Complainant Name:Ms Anne PeckClauses Noted: 12Publication: Time OutComplaint:

Ms Anne Peck, of the Association of Greater London Older Women, complained that an article in the August 6-13 1997 issue of Time Out, headlined "Andrew Mosby....gets on the bus" contained language which was prejudicial and pejorative in breach of Clause 15 (Discrimination) of the Code of Practice.

The article - by Andrew Mosby, one of the magazine's regular columnists - was a description of the writer's attendance at a meeting held for those aggrieved with the standard of bus service in London. In it he described the man who invented the request bus stop as "a gibbering nutter" and said that there was a "huge number of nutters on London buses". He went on: "Give a schizophrenic a six-zone travelcard and an injection and just leave them at a bus stop. We've now got commuters as train guards; maybe mad people are the new inspectors.".

The complainant objected to the above descriptions, believing them to be prejudicial to the mentally ill and also complained about the writer's references to "a dozen varieties of sweating ethnic minority"and "the elderly, most of whom have Alzheimer's.".

The editor responded that columnists such as Andrew Mosby "have a tradition of going 'over the top'". He did not believe that the reference to the elderly and Alzheimer's would be taken literally and said that the reference to schizophrenics was an attack on bus inspectors. The following week he had published three letters condemning the article.

Complainant Name:Holly Willoughby and Dan BaldwinClauses Noted: 3, 6Publication: Woman's OwnComplaint:

Holly Willoughby and Dan Baldwin complained through solicitors that the magazine had published an unpixelated image of their young children despite their clear wish to protect the children from any media attention, in breach of Clause 3 (Privacy) and Clause 6 (Children) of the Editors' Code of Practice.Resolution:

The complaint was resolved between the parties following the complaint to the PCC with a private letter of apology and an assurance by the magazine that it would not republish the photograph or any other unpixelated photographs of the complainants' children.

Homework

1) Familiarise yourself with the PCC code2) Write a paragraph, explaining what you think

you will need to consider for your own magazine to ensure you don’t break the code.

Institutions Music Press Ownership

L.O. In this lesson we will compare ownership of large music press publications with smaller, more independent ones.

Institutions – magazine ownership

IPC Media

UK's leading consumer magazine publisher

engage with 26m UK adults

almost two thirds of UK women and 42% of UK men

Cross-media: Digital publishers

Launch date: 1997Cover price: £4.80Audience: ABC1 men aged 25-45Median age: 37Circulation: 62,361 monthly ABC July-Dec 12Unique users: 87,000

Launch date: 1952Cover price: £2.40Audience: 66% Male 34% female aged 15-34

Median age: 24Circulation: 23, 049 weekly ABC July-Dec 12Unique users: 7.7m

Revenue through cover price and advertising

Stool Pigeon

Independent

Launch date: 2005Cover price: FreeAudience: 20+ men and womenCirculation: 53,000 bimonthly

Online version

Revenue through advertising

Engaging over 50,000 UK adults bimonthly.

Task: In pairs, read the articles on NME and Stool Pigeon and complete the table

Name of publication Reasons for success Reasons for failure

NME

Stool Pigeon

Homework – Due ThursdayResearch two more music publications

(one from a large publishers other than IPC and one independent) and complete the table as you did with NME and Stool Pigeon.

Example: Kerrang! and Black Velvet

Institutions Music Press OwnershipRecap:

IPC Media & Bauer Media Group There is not one media institution that makes allmusic magazines. As with all media texts likefilms and TV programmes, they are made by anumber of different companies. Mostcompanies that make mainstream music magazines are part of a conglomerate company.

Independent publicationsOnly a few magazines are produced by independent companies, and these tend to be free/cheap publications or local fanzines,such as Stool Pigeon, founded by music journalists.

All are affected by the online age and must consider cross-media platforms to stay afloat.

• The term circulation means how many copies of each issue are sold.

• The term readership means how many people actually read the copy (think of how many times you have bought a mag and your friend have read it ‘for free’).

• The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) is a non-profit circulation-auditing organization. It audits circulation, readership, and audience information for the magazines and newspapers.

Circulation Figures

http://www.abc.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=nav/abc&breadcrumbonly=y&df=y&p=&type=main&menuid=

• ABC provides verified information critical to the media buying and selling process (advertising) by conducting independent, third-party audits of print circulation, readership and Web site activity.

• This information is therefore vital for magazine companies to sell their product to advertisers, which is how magazines make money. Cover prices only cover production costs. ABC also maintains an electronic database of audited circulation and readership media.

• www.abc.org.uk

http://www.abc.org.uk/

• Research Bauer www.bauer.co.uk • Research IPC Media www.ipcmedia.com • Go to the ‘OUR BRANDS’ on both. Then answer the following:

1. List which music magazines they own. 2. What are their main sub-genres? How much do they cost?3. Do they cater for mainstream or niche audiences?

(demographic) Why do you think this?4. Pick 3 and try to expand on their demographic and

psychographic readership and find circulation figures (ABCs). Detail how the magazine tries to target this demographic with reference to content (images/articles).

http://www.bauer.co.uk/

http://www.ipcmedia.com/

The Exam Prep Brief

YOU SHOULD SEE THIS AS YOUR BRIEF FOR THE EXAM PREP AS THE REAL ONE IS LIKELY TO BE VERY SIMILAR!

Magic Sound Ltd.Dear QPCS students, We are one of the biggest-selling music magazine publishers in the country and we are looking for an enthusiastic young person to join our team and help launch a new range of music publication aimed at teenagers. As you know, this is a very competitive market and we are looking for someone dynamic to make our new venture a success. The magazine market is saturated with mainstream music magazines and we think our audience needs something different. As a teenager, you are at the cutting edge of popular culture and we think you’d be ideal to help us bring something new, original and niche to the market. In order to apply for this post, you need to prove that you understand what makes a magazine successful (and unsuccessful!). You need to come up with an idea for a new magazine for a niche market. The more original your ideas, the better, as far as we at Magic Sounds are concerned! It’s important that you draw on your knowledge of cross-media platforms, particularly from the online age.By the end of business today, we’d like a labelled mock-up of a typical contents page for your magazine as well as the homepage for your magazine’s website. You’ll be expected to give an explanation of how and why you came to your choices, together with proof of your understanding of how magazines and their audiences work.Remember, we want something that hasn’t been done before! Good luck!Jeremy Arbogast, Director, Magic Sound Ltd.

Institutions Music Press Ownership

FANZINESDefinition: A magazine, usually produced by amateurs,

for fans of a particular performer, group, or form of entertainment

L.O. This lesson we will explore what makes the fanzine successful and compare them with mainstream publications.

FANZINES

1) Read the article: How the fanzine refused to die and summarise it in a minimum of 5 bullet points.

2) What are the main differences and similarities between mainstream music publications and fanzines?

Task: Compare and contrastMAINSTREAM MAGS FANZINES

Content (mode of address? Language? Topics? )

Advertising content

Circulation data/ demograp-hics

Online and in print? Any other media platforms?

Use the print mags your teacher has, as well as online mags to help you.

Plenary: Complete the sentenceThe fanzine remains successful because...• Much of their audience appreciates the ‘old

school’ approach of having something tangible to own and collect.

• Many of them have originated from blogs so the institution and the audience overlap, as with so many other social media platforms.

• They have low production values and costs• The audience appreciates the freshness of a

music publication which doesn’t have an agenda (promoting a music artist), unlike NME, etc.

Institutions Advertising in the Music Press

L.O. In this lesson you will match adverts and products with their magazine audiences.

Making the link between audience and institution

Louis Stewart accessories

COMPLETE THE PROFILEMagazines which are likely to advertise this product:

Demographic profile:Gender:Age:ABC:Religion:Education:Occupation:Marital Status:Income:Nationality:

Psychographic profile: Personality:Likes:Dislikes:Hobbies:




BRATZ DOLLS




Aguere Caramel Rum




www.scootssuitsandboots.com




Rocksmith Guitar games

How well do you know your audiences?

Task: Cross-media advertisingChoose TWO music magazines and explore their cross-media presence

Print advertising content

Online advertising content

(Name of publication)

Name of publication)

HW – Write two paragraphs, answering the following: What are the advantages of cross-media presence to both music fans and advertisers?

Institutions Advertising in the Music Press

L.O. In this lesson you will work in role as an advertising agency to match products with music publications.

HW recap - What are the advantages of cross-media presence to both music fans and advertisers?

Music fans Advertisers

•Up-to-date info online•Online usually free and has links to affiliated sites•Ability to network socially (forums/etc.) online•Online is interactive – listen to music!

•More unique users online•Links from affiliated sites can bring you to the site.•Cookies link searches to social networking sites for maximum exposure.

Group task- 3 per groupResources: Music magazine media kits, print

ads.

Task: You work for Magic Ads Ltd. Your role is to find suitable magazine publications to advertise your clients’ products.

Ad #1 Complete the audience profile for the adDemographic profile:Gender:Age:ABC:Religion:Education:Occupation:Marital Status:Income:Nationality:


Now, as Magic Ads Ltd. Using the media kits, make a decision on which music publication would best suit your ad. You should justify your decision by writing a brief email (in your books) to the ads department of the publication itself.

REMEMBER, YOU ARE WORKING IN ROLE AS INSTITUTION!

Using the NME media pack as a template, now produce your own two-page media pack for your own magazine. You will be able to discuss this when focusing on INSTITUTION in the exam.

Language

L.O. In this lesson we will revisit media language and apply it to music press.

MEDIA LANGUAGE: The way a media text communicates meaning.

The basics

Here’s what you need to remember for the exam:

• Colour• Presentational features• Images• Mode of address

Language - ColourCan you write down the connotation of the following?

1)The colour pink2)The colour blue3)The colour green4)The colour yellow5)The colour red6)The colour black7)The colour white

Language - Font

Can you describe the connotations of the following fonts?

Brush Script MagnetoCOPPERPLATE GOTHIC ravie

Bauhaus 93 stencilBradley hand ITCGOUDY STOUT times new roman

ALGERIAN PLAYBILL

Font

Brush Script MagnetoCOPPERPLATE GOTHIC ravie

Bauhaus 93 stencilBradley hand ITCGOUDY STOUT times new roman

ALGERIAN PLAYBILL

This font is slick. It looks like it could be used for a sports car logo, like Ferrari. I’d use it in a Hip Hop or Rap mag as it has connotations of wealth, quality and opulence.

Compare and contrastAnalyse and compare both mag covers in terms

of connotations of colour and font.

Connotations of colour pink...

The font gives the impression of...

The style of font suggests...

These colours...

In comparing both magazines...When analysing colour and font on the cover of any music magazine, the reader can establish...

Presentational features - layoutRecap: What are the conventions of the layout

of a music magazine?

All music magazine front covers follow conventions in layout. These are...

• Masthead across the top• Main image dominates the page• Sell lines surround the image • MFA emphasised by larger, bolder fonts and/or colours• Colour used to draw our eyes down the page (top left to bottom right)• Puffs used to highlight important additional features (free gift, etc.)

LanguagePresentational features: layout

What are the conventions of the layout of a music magazine website?

Presentational features - layoutWhat are the conventions of the layout of a

music magazine website? Take notes.

Presentational features - layoutHaving studied the layout of several music

magazine website homepages, I have established that the conventions are...(bullet point)

• Magazine masthead at the top of the homepage• Print mag house style is recognisable on the homepage (colour/font)• Links to other pages prominent and usually across the top• Ads on the right hand side• Print mag cover shot, usually on the top right corner• Link to MFA prominent, usually indicated by a large image at the top.

Presentational features - layoutWhat are the conventions of the music mag

contents page? Take notes.

Presentational features - layout

Having studied the layout of several music magazine contents pages, I have established that the conventions are...(bullet point)

• Most features are indicated, categorised by subheadings• 1-4 most exclusive/important features are illustrated with images.• Editorial and subscription info given (Institutional info)

Language – mode of address

Which magazines and audience do these sell lines belong to? How do you know? J**** DROPS

NEW DISS SONG!

definition: The way in which media texts talk to an audience.

‘I’VE SEEN 4 AUTOPSIES’

BLUERGH! WHAT’S GROSSED THEM OUT?

A MYSTERY, WRAPPED IN AN ENIGMA

OUR MAD FAT MUSIC QUIZ. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE, BRANIACS

COOL STRUTTIN’

WITH A BANGIN’ NEW ALBUM...

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO...

In your pair, discuss what you need to look for in the mode of address in order to establish the target audience. Write down your ideas.

MODE OF ADDRESS

Is the language formal or informal? Can you identify particular words or phrases which show this?

Are there slang words or phrases used? Do they originate from a particular sociolect? Give examples

Is the level of vocabulary suitable to an adult or teenaged audience?

Does the magazine seem friendly towards or familiar with the reader? Are words like ‘you’ and ‘we’ used to form a connection?

Can you identify a style or tone in the mode of address? Can it be associated with a particular music genre?

HomeworkCreate your own glossary of words you will use

in your magazine. You should choose them because they help the reader (AND THE EXAMINER!) to identify which audience you are aiming at in terms of :

• Age• Music genre• Sociolect• Formality• Style and toneHere’s something to get you started...

Buzzin’ Gosscult

Wickedexclusive!

Bangin’fab

Hardcore dead

Language – mode of address

RECAP:Having studied the mode of address in several

music publications, I have learned ...• Formality/informality• Sociolect• Slang• Jargon• Various levels of vocabularyAll help to establish who the target audience is. Personal pronouns, like ‘we’ and

‘you’ also give the reader a sense of familiarity with the publication, making them feel like part of that music community.

EXT: how might you use what you have learned to create a title for your magazine?

Language - CONTENTL.O. In this lesson you will explore content and

make comparisons between print and online.

Language - CONTENT

Recap – the appeal of print and online

This has a free gift!

This is collectable

I like the posters that come with this

I can watch videos on here and share them with friends

This is free to access

This links me to so many other things that interest me

Language - CONTENTTask: Compare the content of two music print

publications and their online equivalent.Content in both print and online

Content in print publication only

Content in online publication only

Language - CONTENTHaving compared the content of two music print

publications with their online equivalent I have learned ...

The advantages of these cross-media platforms to the music press are...

EXT: In my own music publication, I’d like to bring

something new to this by...

AUDIENCE

L.O. In this lesson you will revise audience theory and discuss how you will apply it in the exam.

AUDIENCEDefinition: The people who consume media products,

defined by demographic details and psychographic details.

WHAT I REMEMBER ABOUT AUDIENCE THEORY

Hypodermic Needle Model

Two-Step FlowReception theory

Uses & Gratification Model

The Hypodermic Needle Model

This theory was the first attempt in the 1920s to explain how audiences react to mass media.

It suggests that audiences passively receive information without any attempt to challenge what they are receiving.

This theory suggests that audiences are manipulated by the creators of media texts, and that our behaviour and thinking is easily changed by the media we come into contact with.

This theory was developed when the mass media was still in its infancy.

This theory is often used to argue why certain groups in society should not be exposed to certain media texts, for example the fear that watching violence initiates violence.

Two Step Flow

Moving into the 1940s the Hypodermic model was found to be too simplistic. Audiences weren’t the unthinking masses that this theory presumed.

Mass media was quickly becoming an intrinsic part of everyday life. Researchers such as Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson, and Hazel Gaudet suggested that information does not flow directly from the media text into the minds of the masses.

Researchers felt that media was filtered through ‘opinion leaders’.

Two Step Flow is sometimes referred to as the limited effects paradigm.

Katz and Lazarsfeld saw opinion leaders as people in certain segments of society who are interested in particular subjects and they become experts on those subjects.

These people absorb certain media messages and inform their peers.

Opinion leaders are not necessarily traditional leaders in society, although they can be.

The main point is that mass media communication does not reach the public in a giant wave.

There are two steps in the process, a ripple effect among groups within a population.

The opinion leader, then, is the key (or stone) to this model of communication.

In the 1980s and 1990s the way individuals receive and interpret a text was the major focus of research.

Reception Theory Encode

The individual circumstances of each reader (gender, class, age, ethnicity) affected their reading.

This work was based on Stuart Hall'sencoding/decodingmodel of the relationship between text and audience.

The text isencodedby the producer, anddecodedby the reader.DecodeThere may be major differences between two different readings of the same code.

The producers of the media can however, by using recognised codes and conventions, and the audience’s expectations of certain content,positionthe audience.

Known as apreferredreading.

In this way they can create a certain amount of agreement on meaning.

Often advertisers will add text, or other supporting images to a picture to ensure that the audience is directed to a preferred reading.

Adding words to the central image, or giving direction through accompanying images in this way is called ‘anchoring’.

Uses & Gratifications

In the 1960s media theorists realised that audiences made choices about what they did when consuming texts.

They were not a passive mass, audiences were made up of individuals who consumed texts for different reasons and in different ways.

Back in 1948 Lasswell suggested that media texts had the following functions for individuals and society:

• correlation – personal relationships

• entertainment - diversion

• personal identity

• surveillance

In 1974 Blumler and Katz built on this theory and developed what we know as the ‘uses and gratifications’ theory.

Individuals might choose and use texts for different reasons.

They identified the following…

Surveillance - finding useful information, news, weather reports, financial news, holidays, produce.

Personal Relationships - the media is used for emotional and social interaction.

Media gives a common ground on which we can build conversation and relationship; we identify with certain media personalities or alternatively soap operas or celebrities can be used to substitute family life.

Diversion - escape from problems and routine, or purely for entertainment.

Personal Identity - learning behaviour and values from texts; identifying yourself with a particular text.

1. I’m more likely to read music mags that my friends read, rather than listen to what the media recommends.

2. Music magazines are good because they give me something to talk about with my friends.

3. Images and text in music publications will mean different things to different people, depending on their values and beliefs.

4. The way I dress and behave is likely to be influenced by what I see and read in music magazines.

5. I read music magazines because I see a reflection of myself in them.

6. When I read a music magazine, I feel like I am part of something than other people don’t understand.

7. When I get home from school I’ll read a music magazine to help me take my mind off things.

TASK: Which theories could apply to the following statements?

WHICH THEORIES ARE YOU LIKELY TO DISCUSS IN THE EXAM?

AUDIENCE - Uses & Gratifications L.O. In this lesson you will apply the theory to

existing publications.One method of working out why audiences read the music press is the use of 'The Uses and Gratifications

Theory'. This is a theory that helps us understand:- What an Audience USES the music press for - What Audiences get GRATIFICATION from when reading the music press.

Questions to ask

Information (Surveillance) – • Do readers engage with the music press to be

informed? • Do they want to gain an insight into how

music is produced? • Do they want to find out when gigs and

festivals are happening?

Entertainment (Diversion) –

• Does the magazine or website provide escapism?

• Are the videos and articles engaging and entertaining for readers?

Personal identity – • Can readers relate to the music journalists? • Do they relate to the musicians they read

about? • Do they relate to other people who enjoy the

same genres of music?

Social interaction –

• Is there an opportunity to speak to other readers about music?

• What impact does this have?

TASK: Choose two contrasting music publications (print and online). Identify and compare their uses and gratifications.

Publication 1 Publication 2Information (Surveillance) – Do readers engage with the music press to be informed? Do they want to gain an insight into how music is produced? Do they want to find out when gigs and festivals are happening?

Entertainment (Diversion) – Does the magazine or website provide escapism? Are the videos and articles engaging and entertaining for readers?

Personal identity – Can readers relate to the music journalists? Do they relate to the musicians they read about? Do they relate to other people who enjoy the same genres of music?

Social interaction – Is there an opportunity to speak to other readers about music? What impact does this have?

EXT: Which of the uses & gratifications do you feel is most important to the audience? Why?

AUDIENCE – Uses & GratificationsAnswering in the exam

In order for a magazine to be a success, it has to appeal to its audience. When producing my music publication, I need to apply the Uses & Gratifications model...

REPRESENTATIONWhat the AQA says:

‘An understanding of representation is crucial in exploring how music genre is clearly identified in the music press. Each music genre is associated with an appearance or look, a set of behaviours and a belief system which is shared by a particular fan base. Through exploring representation it is possible to examine how music is packaged and sold, after all fans are not just buying the music, they are often subscribing to a whole set of behaviours associated with it. Both print and online music magazines represent music genres through bands/artistes and the fans. It is interesting to examine the attitude of the music press to the bands/artistes. Are they revered or idolised? Or does a magazine take a more critical, objective stance towards the music business?’

Key Concept - REPRESENTATIONDefinition: How a media text portrays a person, group of people,

a place or an event.L.O. In this lesson you will revise the key concept of representation

by analysing the cover of Q magazine.

What can you say about the way in which Q magazine portrays the artists?

What can you say about use of colour?

Images? Language?

How can you use your comments to discuss REPRESENTATION?

How can you apply the Reception Theory?

Is there a preferred reading?

Does your reading of the text depend on your values and belief systems?

Layout?

What does this say about the INSTITUTION behind this text?

REPRESENTATION

When planning my music publication, I must consider REPRESENTATION. An audience often sees themselves reflected in a media text so it is important that they are represented fairly. In my own publication, I’d have to consider...

REPRESENTATION

Case Study:1) Choose an area of REPRESENTATION you

would like to study (race, class, disability, age, etc.)

2) Find a text from the music press (print and/or online) and analyse it.

3) Use the following questions to help you...

REPRESENTATION

1) Why has the INSTITUTION chosen to REPRESENT in this way? What does it say about them?

2) What does it say about the target audience? 3) How do you think this REPRESENTATION will

affect society as a whole? (Apply audience theory here)

4) How would you change the text REPRESENT more fairly?

BRING A COPY OF THE TEXT WITH YOU

REPRESENTATIONPresent your case study to the class.

Remember to ensure the following questions are answered in your presentation:

1) Why has the INSTITUTION chosen to REPRESENT in this way? What does it say about them?

2) What does it say about the target audience? 3) How do you think this REPRESENTATION will

affect society as a whole? (Apply audience theory here)

4) How would you change the text REPRESENT more fairly?

REPRESENTATION

Answering the exam:When creating my magazine, I must consider

REPRESENTATION. While following codes and conventions, it is important that I do not use stereotypes because...

Ext: read the articles related to gender in the music press and summarise the main points.

You’re now ready for a practice exam! Remember:• Refer to a range of examples in your

discussion of existing print and online music publications

• Media professionals don’t plan in continuous prose: bullet points, charts, plans are encouraged

• The examiner is expecting ideas with originality and flair

• Split your time equally between the four tasks.

Pre-release materialMagic Sound Ltd.

Dear QPCS students, We are one of the biggest-selling music magazine publishers in the country and we are looking for an enthusiastic young person to join our team and help launch a new range of music publication aimed at teenagers. As you know, this is a very competitive market and we are looking for someone dynamic to make our new venture a success. The magazine market is saturated with mainstream music magazines and we think our audience needs something different. As a teenager, you are at the cutting edge of popular culture and we think you’d be ideal to help us bring something new, original and niche to the market. In order to apply for this post, you need to prove that you understand what makes a magazine successful (and unsuccessful!). You need to come up with an idea for a new magazine for a niche market. The more original your ideas, the better, as far as we at Magic Sounds are concerned! It’s important that you draw on your knowledge of cross-media platforms, particularly from the online age.By the end of business today, we’d like a labelled mock-up of a typical contents page for your magazine as well as the homepage for your magazine’s website. You’ll be expected to give an explanation of how and why you came to your choices, together with proof of your understanding of how magazines and their audiences work.Remember, we want something that hasn’t been done before! Good luck!Jeremy Arbogast, Director, Magic Sound Ltd.

Task 1

• Task 1• Tell us the qualities that music magazines

should demonstrate to make them successful in their appeal to the reader. Discuss the how the increasing use of online magazines has affected print sales, with reference to at least two magazines that you know of.

• (25 marks)

Task 2Identify your chosen niche and target audience. Now give

suggestions for: • A title (masthead)• A list of cover lines likely to appear in your magazine• An explanation of the type of main feature article your

audience would like to see.• Colour/layout/structure/fonts• Ideas on a website homepage you would associate with your

magazine and some detail on how it will tie in with the image and content of your magazine.

• What kind of adverts you’d want to put in your magazine and how they are appropriate to your target audience.

• How you will consider REPRESENTATION.

Task 3

• Focusing on the first edition of your chosen magazine, design:

The contents page of your magazine AND the homepage to your website, associated with your magazine.

• You should bear in mind the appropriate conventions. Use the A3 design sheets.

• (25 marks)

Task 4

• Explain the appeal of your magazine to your target audience and how it is a niche market in terms of:

• Title• Content• Images• Colour/layout/fonts• Advertisers

Dates for your diary

Pre-release material: 7th May (teaching stops)Exam: 6th June

Exemplar mark scheme:http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-48101-W-MS-JUN12.PDFThis PP is available on Fronter for your revision.

GOOD LUCK YEAR 11!

http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-48101-W-MS-JUN12.PDF

http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-48101-W-MS-JUN12.PDF

Online-only mags

www.spin.comwww.factmag.comwww.pitchfork.comwww.drownedinsound.comwww.ilikemusic.com

In pairs, study these websites and discuss the content, layout and target audiences. Make notes on your comparison. Are they different to those mags which offer print as well as online? In what ways?

http://www.spin.com/

http://www.factmag.com/

http://www.pitchfork.com/

http://www.drownedinsound.com/

http://www.ilikemusic.com/

Things to remember! • You created a media pack in the prep – use it! • Make sure you can discuss, in detail, the successes and failure of other

print publications (Stool Pigeon, NME)• Be clear that you understand demographic/psychographic data and use it

in detail in the exam.• Use key media terminology! Conventions, connotations, etc. Are not being

used enough.• When discussing colour/layout/font, it’s not enough to say it is bold and

eye-catching! You must talk about the connotations and the effects on the audience.

• MANAGE YOUR TIME! Keep track of how long you are spending on each task.

• USE COLOUR IN THE PRODUCTION! • Don’t write essays! You’re expected to plan in role – this means diagrams,

bullet points, mind maps, etc.