Case Study part 4: Contents Page Analysis

Contents Page analysis:

The contents page shows all of the most significant items in the magazine which will appeal to the readers the most it also shows where these things are located. The title is also located on the contents page. This specific contents page categorizes the contents into different categories. regulars, Band list, etc. These are split into 3 different columns which makes the page look very professional.

The page has a list of all the bands that this magazine will talk about which allows the reader to get a bit of insight on the magazine. There is a picture of 'The Cribs' with the page number on to show you where to find them, and the picture shows that they are one of the most significant bands in the magazine, and it will attract fans of 'The Cribs'. There is also a text box in the bottom left of the page saying, 'Crossword/things we like'. the fact that all of the titles are in bold capitals shows that they are all as important as each other.

The general layout looks professional but there is a lot of clusters of information, which shows that this issue is packed full of information. The use of black and red highlight contrasting the white background makes the titles stand out and engages the reader.

The font is in black which contrasts well against the white background which makes it easy to read. The page numbers are written in red which makes them stick out of the page and are very appealing to the younger audience, because of the variation of colours. Red emphasises passion so this will make the articles look interesting to read.

There is a promotion  for a subscription of 'Shameless Plug', which states, 'January Sale' which is both underlined and written in bold. The underlining is in red which stands out against the white background. The fact that it is called 'January Sale' makes the audience think that this is exclusive and will convince them to buy it. Also, to make the ad legitimate, the is the NME logo above the main text which is highlighted in red to make it stand out, although it is on the bottom of the magazine.

Case Study part 3: Double page spread analysis

Double page spread analysis:

The double page spread in this magazine is about Damon Albarn allegedly making a musical for children, which takes up 2 pages in the magazine. The title states, 'Damon in Wonderland' which relates to this story because Alice in Wonderland is a child's movie/musical and the fact that it is now called 'Damon in Wonderland', whilst featuring a clown-like person next to him, suggests he's joking around and acting childish. This is also evident as his actions show him messing around and he has an amused look on his face. This gives a little bit of information about what the article is generally about, which removes confusion and eases the audience.

The main image of Damon Albarn is situated on its own page to show its significance within the double page spread. This will make the audience realise that Damon Albarn is the main person in this article, if not the only person in this article. The picture is shown after the text so that the audience can relate the image to the audience and not get confused. 'Damon in Wonderland' is highlighted in yellow to 'highlight' the significance of this line, and to show that this is relevant to the article. He adds some of his own personal emotion in the article as he says, 'I was genuinely very frightened of them as a kid.' This engages the audience further as they feel like they know Damon more, even though they are only reading an article about him.

The writing takes up a small bit of the first page of the double page spread, at the bottom right. This shows that it will just give an insight about the image, and that the image is the bigger picture. The fact that the image is shot during a live performance suggests that the genre of music that Damon produces reflects his personality. The colour theme contrasts the actions as they are dark colours like black and blue. However, there is a white light behind Damon that might suggest that his animated performance is lighting up the mood of the audience, slowly but surely. This creates a sense of excitement towards the audience.

case study part 2: Cover analysis

Cover analysis

The main image is of 'High Flying Birds'. This relates to the main cover line as it mentions 'Noel' who, presumably is Noel Gallagher. The main image(s) are in the middle of the page to show the importance of this, and it immediately draws the attention of the audience. Noel Gallagher looks very serious but the other 2 have smug expressions which may intrigue the audience and make them want to read the magazine.

The title 'NME' is highly attractive the target audience as the colour red contrasts against the white background and makes the capitalisation of letters more effective. It also makes the magazine look very energetic,despite the serious look of the main image.This juxtaposition creates a very sharp and exciting for readers.

The cover lines are organised on the left of the cover and the names used are well known, for example 'Radiohead' Lana Del Rey', with and more in a smaller font which represents its importance, compared to the other venues. Under the main headline, 'Massive Albums Special' there is some text saying, '50 more new records you need to hear next year'. The word 'more' is underlined which suggests that the magazine is promoting the music. Also, it suggests that the album is a one that you must hear; this relates to the audience as many will want to stay with the trend, thus increasing the sales of this album.

The magazine is very formal which works in synergy with the formal image, making the magazine look professional. This relates to the audience, which is 16+ who see themselves as independent individuals who can manage themselves.

Most magazines have a distinct bar code on the cover of the magazine with the date the issue was released and the price of the magazine. NME is different to other magazines, as it is free, This will attract audiences who enjoy music but don't have enough money to buy it.