Conventions of a music magazine front cover and contents page and the target audience

There are many different conventions of a magazine cover, these include a masthead which should be bright and bold and be in the largest size so the reader’s attention is draw to this first. A large photo should be in the centre of the cover, it’s usually well known people so readers will recognise them and be interested to read the magazine. Starbursts/pugs are different shapes which are used to draw particular attention to text; strokes are lines which can also surround writing to put more emphasis on specific information. Banners are normally put at the top or bottom of a magazine cover, usually a rectangle shape, which are used to advertise features or articles included in the magazine. These characteristics contribute to the visual syntax as the reader first looks at the masthead, then the headlines and the large image and then the rest of the text like subtitles and strap lines. The layout of the front cover should not be too crowded as all of the text should be clear, text can be laid over the image however the font must be bold. The front cover usually uses up to 3 house colours which are then kept the same throughout the whole magazine; this makes it look more professional e.g. black, white and red.

There are similar conventions for the contents page of a magazine, headlines are very important to tell the reader article features on each page, the contents page is designed to make searching for a specific page quicker and easier, this is achieved by using page numbers. A large image can be put on the contents page to give the reader an insight onto what the main feature is about, for example there could be a photo of Lady Gaga as there may be an interview on a two page spread on page 7. Then smaller images can be used to make the page look more attractive and to show what else is included in the magazine. The text on a contents page can be arranged into columns to make it more organised, strokes can be used to separate these columns or to highlight a specific page.

The target audience is mainly students from year 7 to year 13 at Plantsbrook School; the age range is 11 – 18 years old, most will be teenagers, this means the front cover must be appropriate and attractive so it will appeal to this age group. The magazine may also be read by student’s parents or staff members like teachers therefore it must involve features that would interest them as well. The magazine will be suitable for both males and females due to the colours used and the content.