Magazine Codes and Conventions
All magazines follow the appropriate codes and conventions to aid them when planning and designing the magazines also this helps them establish a recognisable form for a target audience. All magazines have the same codes and conventions these include:
All magazines have articles; although they may be of a different format, style and topic, all magazines have columns or articles of writing. In some cases they are exclusives, or even articles which are double paged or more, these are sometimes known as spreads. You find that in the more popular or possibly higher end magazines are the ones of which you would find articles which are of more than one page long.
A contents page is another convention; all magazines will have a contents page to list what the magazine will include. This could be seen as a particular way of establishing a target audience, with the tone and genre of the topics and establishing and promoting a house style.
A convention used when considering the front page and the content of magazines is the use of images. In the cases of magazines they would mostly be original images that have been photographed by a photographer employed by the certain magazine or photography agency. In certain cases they may use either past images or ones that aren’t original in order to support the story.
Headings, every magazine has headings, cover lines and sub-headings to introduce the beginning of either an article or a certain clip of information which could possibly be featured in the magazine. Headings do a brilliant job of dividing the information up and allowing you to know just what you are about to read. They can be combined with colour block outs to attract the readership.
Every magazine has a house style, this is a continuous pattern of the same e.g. colours, layout style of article and genre of images used (star persona?). For example, a female teen magazine may continuously use shades of pinks, reds and yellows throughout the magazine as well as featuring stars like e.g. Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers or Demi Lovato. Following a pattern establishes a house style.
The date and issue number is included on every magazine; this helps the readers to know whether the issue is up to date. Plus for certain magazine where there are quizzes the answer is featured in the next issue. Featuring the issue number may help those who take part in such quizzes to know if the appropriate information will be founds in this magazine.
Every magazine has some form of a lead story which is featured on the front cover alongside the central image. In most cases it is some form of a lure or kicker, as is the type of article which is supposed to stand out from the rest and attract the attention of perspective purchasers of the magazine.
Every magazine cover has a mast head. This clearly states the name of the magazine for people to know and recognise. In some cases the name of the magazine could imply to the content e.g. Reveal- could imply that secrets or interesting information will be revealed to the readers.
Now- That the content will have information which is recent and occurrences which have been happening to people.
Every magazine has a by-line for each article, which tells us who the journalist of the particular column
Every magazine has a secondary lead, this also would usually have a sub-heading featuring a brief description and an image shown on the front cover. All magazines create a sense of mise-en-scene and a vibe or ‘feel’ that they represent to their target audience.
It is commonly found that school magazines don’t conform to the codes and conventions of commercial magazines. This is one of the reasons that you find they are not as popular. Although some schools may try hard to adhere to the codes and conventions and do so successfully, it is a hard task to achieve.
An example of where school magazines might get it wrong or fail to apply the conventions could be found in secondary leads; as they are not commonly found on the front covers of school magazines. There is no featured follow up to the main article. Perhaps suggesting to the audience that there are no other interesting additions to the magazine. Also the readership is varied- students, parents, teachers and the school community meaning that a shallow, move surface approach is taken rather than in depth features and articles that target a mane audience.
Similarly you find that spreads/ double page articles aren’t portrayed either making the magazine appear dull and uninteresting. Also they sometimes don’t even contain interviews or opinions, not sounding completely like a magazine should.
These are some of the differences between school magazines and commercial magazines. Also how they appear to the audience and how certain elements of magazines can target different audiences for different reasons.
All magazines follow the appropriate codes and conventions to aid them when planning and designing the magazines also this helps them establish a recognisable form for a target audience. All magazines have the same codes and conventions these include:
All magazines have articles; although they may be of a different format, style and topic, all magazines have columns or articles of writing. In some cases they are exclusives, or even articles which are double paged or more, these are sometimes known as spreads. You find that in the more popular or possibly higher end magazines are the ones of which you would find articles which are of more than one page long.
A contents page is another convention; all magazines will have a contents page to list what the magazine will include. This could be seen as a particular way of establishing a target audience, with the tone and genre of the topics and establishing and promoting a house style.
A convention used when considering the front page and the content of magazines is the use of images. In the cases of magazines they would mostly be original images that have been photographed by a photographer employed by the certain magazine or photography agency. In certain cases they may use either past images or ones that aren’t original in order to support the story.
Headings, every magazine has headings, cover lines and sub-headings to introduce the beginning of either an article or a certain clip of information which could possibly be featured in the magazine. Headings do a brilliant job of dividing the information up and allowing you to know just what you are about to read. They can be combined with colour block outs to attract the readership.
Every magazine has a house style, this is a continuous pattern of the same e.g. colours, layout style of article and genre of images used (star persona?). For example, a female teen magazine may continuously use shades of pinks, reds and yellows throughout the magazine as well as featuring stars like e.g. Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers or Demi Lovato. Following a pattern establishes a house style.
The date and issue number is included on every magazine; this helps the readers to know whether the issue is up to date. Plus for certain magazine where there are quizzes the answer is featured in the next issue. Featuring the issue number may help those who take part in such quizzes to know if the appropriate information will be founds in this magazine.
Every magazine has some form of a lead story which is featured on the front cover alongside the central image. In most cases it is some form of a lure or kicker, as is the type of article which is supposed to stand out from the rest and attract the attention of perspective purchasers of the magazine.
Every magazine cover has a mast head. This clearly states the name of the magazine for people to know and recognise. In some cases the name of the magazine could imply to the content e.g. Reveal- could imply that secrets or interesting information will be revealed to the readers.
Now- That the content will have information which is recent and occurrences which have been happening to people.
Every magazine has a by-line for each article, which tells us who the journalist of the particular column
Every magazine has a secondary lead, this also would usually have a sub-heading featuring a brief description and an image shown on the front cover. All magazines create a sense of mise-en-scene and a vibe or ‘feel’ that they represent to their target audience.
It is commonly found that school magazines don’t conform to the codes and conventions of commercial magazines. This is one of the reasons that you find they are not as popular. Although some schools may try hard to adhere to the codes and conventions and do so successfully, it is a hard task to achieve.
An example of where school magazines might get it wrong or fail to apply the conventions could be found in secondary leads; as they are not commonly found on the front covers of school magazines. There is no featured follow up to the main article. Perhaps suggesting to the audience that there are no other interesting additions to the magazine. Also the readership is varied- students, parents, teachers and the school community meaning that a shallow, move surface approach is taken rather than in depth features and articles that target a mane audience.
Similarly you find that spreads/ double page articles aren’t portrayed either making the magazine appear dull and uninteresting. Also they sometimes don’t even contain interviews or opinions, not sounding completely like a magazine should.
These are some of the differences between school magazines and commercial magazines. Also how they appear to the audience and how certain elements of magazines can target different audiences for different reasons.
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