Final Magazine

Evaluation 5

Evaluation 2

Social groups

As my magazine is centrical to the idea of music itself the social group would be fully fledged musicians, song writers and music critics. The format of the magazine is shaped for them as most articles, interviews and such are about the music the artist has created not about the artists or bands themselves. The styling of musicians may be broad since my magazine does not identify to a single genre, although rappers and soul artists are not ones to represent the magazine. That in itself is another core characteristic that the social group represents, the ability to find the beauty in all kinds of music. To reflect this my magazine will feature an array of musicians with different genres, each explaining their attachment to it and why it is so important to them.

Evaluation 7

Lessons from my project journey
From developing this magazines I have learnt a range of things both from the perspective of making the magazine myself and the industries who make the magazines professionally. Going into the preliminary task I already had an image in my mind of what this magazine would look like, I had seen plenty of magazines before and they all had pretty much the same format. I thought I’d just make a “budget version” of those magazines yet through my progression I found the importance of originality, seeing the artists I wrote about and thinking about the audience that would read it I began to feel hypocritical. I spoke about creating new music but was not creating a new magazine. I learnt that what makes a good magazine is not how good it looks or even the content it has but just the very skill of communicating with the reader and making them want to come back for more. Though larger companies may have more funding each and every magazine started with the aim of conveying a thought or idea that only that magazine could represent, the designing comes later.

Evaluation 6

Evaluation 3

Media Institutions

I believe that my magazine would be published as an independent magazine as it takes a style similar to magazines like The Wire, a magazine dedicated to finding new talents in the world of music ignoring mainstream artists and their social attitudes. Although not as extreme I agree with their cause of determination against larger conglomerates such as Bauer media group and Time Inc. Though they have a wide audience their products aren’t as heartfelt as they have over 100 other products to handle on all media bases. Also being independent does not mean that your audience is small, continuing with the example of The Wire magazine an independent magazine may have a global audience once it has credited its own standard (and not sold out). The wire has institutions in Iceland, South Africa and Taiwan all three of which do not distribute from the larger companies mentioned. Independence also simply matches the overall tone of "Plectrum" as it is not made to please the mainstream masses but a music magazine for people who like music.

Evaluation 4

Audience

For my magazine I believe that the audience attracted may be matured young people and some adults as well. This is according to both the content and design chosen for my magazine, unlike most other magazines “Plectrum” focuses on the music created above all other things, Most younger people of this generation tend to drag away from the melodical side of the music industry being attracted to bands and artists who may have gained popularity from physical attractiveness rather than actual talent. But as said before “mature” young people may see past what they see and focus on what is heard, yet the magazine’s language is colloquial and relaxed attracting a younger audience rather than an older one (though few may still read it). Although the age and attitudes of these groups may be niche the culture I believe would be diverse and broad. The music publicized by the magazine has a developed genre where indie is central yet does broaden to folk, rock and alternative music, all of which do not have constraints to both religion, race or gender. As the music made is by artists of different nature the readers reflect that fact.

Evaluation 1

double page spread final update

plectrum double page update 2

plectrum double page update

double page spread template

Plectrum cover update

Contents page update

Magazine ideology -Plectrum

The Ideology of "Plectrum"

Magazines in the mainstream of media are constantly showing us the outlandish lives of artists, actors and do nothing celebrities. They show their ideal of beauty and the correct way to live, they show the readers their ideology. Although they have not created the ideology themselves they project and enlarge the ideology that celebs have created. Obviously near to none of the readers will reach the prowess that the celebrities advertised have reached yet as the readers continue to dream and observe magazines are bought.

This isn't the message or ideology I want to spread as this isn't how I want my readers to feel after reading my magazine, I want them to be stimulated positively. There are two ways for magazines to be sold, making the reader feel self-conscience about their looks and lives or making it relatable and make the reader feel good about themselves as they are reflected. Instead of the readers envying the success of musicians I'd like them to focus on the music itself, taking a more relatable perspective readers will see how talent, practice and a little bit of luck is the key to success, not parents who give their children a small loan of a million dollars.

There may be tendencies from an editorial point of view to spread a personal ideology, my christian ideology plays a huge role in my life yet what is published should be open with both intellectual and cultural accessibility for all readers of the chosen genre.

My magazine will not aim to undermine the dominant ideology placed by the government or even by mainstream media yet it will definitely not fall subject to it. As Stevie wonder once said  "Music is a world within itself with a language we all understand"-(Sir Duke). My magazine will not be censored for its content, although not aiming to displease dominant groups what is to be said will be said. The subjects for the articles are aimed to please the readers of magazine, as previously shown my target audience therefore not everyone will enjoy it and that's okay. Unlike NME following the mainstream and posting whatever everyone else is posting may bring a large audience yet lack of originality makes for a boring magazine. More like kerrang I would prefer a set audience committed to the magazine following what's being said appreciating what's being pushed forward.

In conclusion my magazine will not abide with the dominant ideology instead it will use more niche ideas to cultivate its own.

Contents page- Plectrum Update

Plectrum- Contents page

Plectrum- Cover

Magazine audience brain storm