Week 14

1. In what ways are you designing your media product to use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

My media product is a Bhangra Music magazine Contents page. It uses, develops and challenges forms and conventions of real media products.   

On the left is a music magazine contents page. This contents page looks very appealing and is very organised. It only includes 2 images though, 1 main image and 1 smaller image.  It has an image taking up 3/4 of the page from the left top corner. This image takes up lots of space on the page therefore has importance. The page number is shown big and bold beside it. This inspired me, as I will use this kind of layout, with my main story image taking up more space than the rest of the articles. Features are placed on the middle right hand side of the page. I will place features, tasters and regulars, and 4 or more images within my magazine.    

 On the right is another music magazine contents page. This contents page is quite simple looking as it only has one picture on the left side and the featured articles on the right. The magazine features 50 cent, and his image takes up half of the page. This illustrates the importance of his articles within the magazine compared to the rest. 

I will use this idea within my contents page, and place my main story icon covering a certain area of the contents page to show its relevence and importance within the magazine.

2. How are you designing your media product to represent particular social groups?

My media product is a bhangra music magazine contents page. I am designing my media product to represent particular social groups. My audience and readers are mostly south asian people. I am designing my media product to represent particular social groups and I will do this by adding words and phrases that are bhangra related, and of which asian people understand. They will feel to read the magazine as there are cultural references and other factors that they may be able to relate to. Clothing and jewellery is another factor, as within bhangra clothing is very bright and jewellery is most often worn. 

Adding asian people to the magazine is also a way asian people may feel they can relate to the magazine. Featuring people of both genders, and having a variety of age groups featured within the magazine will also help me represent the different social groups. Bhangra itself is from the punjab, so punjabi people will be attracted to the magazine anyways, as music and dance is a huge part of their culture and traditions. 

I am designing my media product to feature asian people, of different age groups, featuring both male and female. Within my contents page I will insert more than four images so I can attract my audience visually. contents pages are more informative so therefore have loads of text, eventhough this is the case, I will make sure it is colourful, and follow the bhangra conventions to attract the audience.   

 

3. How are you attracting/addressing your audience?
As my media product is a bhangra music magazine contents page, my target audience will be british or european of a south asian descent. My audience will be both male and female around the ages of 15-45. I will attract/address my audience by making the images I use within the contents page effective and stand out. My images will address my audience as the image icons will be asian or representing bhangra and asian ethnicity by clothing or posture. Another way I will be addressing my audience is the colours used. It will be bright and colourful to catch the readers eye. This will draw in the audience to continue reading the magazine, as it is about the visual content as well as the text displayed.