Conventions of a magazine

By Annabelle Parish

Masthead- the mast head is the title of the magazine company. This lets the reader know which magazine company have created this issue.

Issue date- this can also include the issue number which provides the reader with the information about which edition this magazine is and when it was published.

Sub headlines – these are the stories within the media at this time that aren’t as popular as the main headlines but still have some acknowledgement within the magazine.

Main headlines- these are the main and largest articles that are included within the issue of a magazine.

These are just some of the main features that are commonly occurring conventions of a magazine front cover.

Front cover conventionsThe masthead is always on the front cover of magazine as it is the name of the magazine so it will draw the people who like that magazine to it. The issue number and date are also always on the front cover. This is so that the magazine company can let the readers know what date the issue was released and what edition number it is. A website address is most likely to be on a magazines front cover as it is letting the reader know where else they can access the magazine and get even more information and stories from. There is an item named a Box out that highlights stories and images by using bright coloured texts, and borders to make them stand out.

The price is a factor that can possibly be on the back of the magazine but it is most likely to be on the front of the magazine so that it can be easily accessed by the reader. Another similar factor is the barcode as it needs to be easily accessed by the reader but it can also be on the back depending on whether or not there are advertisements on the back. Other key features of a front cover include sub headlines which are stories that are there to draw in the reader by attracting their attention. These stories wont be a s popular in the media as the main headlines. The main headlines are the current and main stories within the media that will attract the most attention to the magazine when clearest and largest on the front cover.. . Comments on the front cover are the stories that are including the bold masthead and colour scheme. The comments help to identify the target audience of the magazine.

Other magazine conventions• These are the magazine conventions that can be non-specifically used throughout the entirety of the magazine. • The first example is the sidebar, the sidebar is a box that is next to one of the main features of the magazine. Following this is a

spread is a story that covers more that one page of a magazine. This spread if it is involved or mentioned on the front cover will be nearer the front of the magazine with the key opening sentence of the article placed right under the headline to help sell the story to the reader and make them want to read on further into the article. Tags are small quotes and phrases that are specially selected and enlarged to draw in the attention of the reader as they scan over the different articles within the magazine meaning that the reader will want to read the article to understand why the quote is so important to the article. Another factor is a Tip-on as they are affixed to the magazines as a promotional factor like a magnet or game piece to get the readers attention.

• The factor known as the secondary lead is a sneak preview of an inside article whether it is a quote or picture early on within the magazine so that people notice it and as they are flicking through the magazine will spot it due to spotting the sneak preview they have already seen which is familiar as they flick through. Pugs are used to catch the readers attention by placing them in the key area that they will be seen which is the top left and right hand corner of the magazine . Items that can be included within these spaces are the magazines price and company logo etc. Within the first couple of pages in a magazine there will be a menu included which tells the reader what the context of and what is included within the magazine. To make information stand out within the magazine Box outs can be used as they are put behind the information and are brightly coloured which means that the readers attention will be drawn to it. A commonly repeated factor included within a magazine is a by-line which is at the end of an article where the reporters name goes, which can be close tot eh captions of pictures. Picture captions are small bits of text underneath photographs explaining them, sometimes with the name of the photographer at the bottom to pay credit to them.

• Exclusive articles are key features of magazines that draw in readers because they are providing information that is only within their magazine. Magazines manage to get hold of these by paying their interviewees and buying their story from them so that no-one else can use it within their magazine and claim it as their own exclusive story.

Again the masthead is letting the reader know which company produced the magazine. This is effective because the masthead is very bold and noticeable because it stands out against the pink background.

By having an image of Katy Perry only on the front cover it straight away lets the reader know that she is the main feature of this edition of the magazine. Also by having her on her own it can persuade the reader to think that she is successful and powerful by working on her own and by building on her strengths as she has build them up enough to get the cover of the magazine. The use of the flowers on her make her appearance come across as more feminine which helps to reduce the look and feeling of any masculinity , by showing some innocence and childlike features with the flowers.

A feature that can occur within all magazine types but especially music ones is getting the model to look straight at the camera. This makes the reader feel a link to the magazine as it feels like direct address with their eyes positioned as if they are looking right at the reader through the picture.

They have placed the model slightly off the centre of the image to allow the stories and information that are inside within the magazine are shown clearly on the cover to help draw readers attention.

• Music magazine conventions:• http://www.slideshare.net/TaylaJohnston/generic-conventions-of-a-

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