Task 2: Research and Planning : Case study 2 – Q Magazine

Front cover:

Q magazine does not have the same genre as Clash magazine. However, it gives me good ideas such as the use of cover lines and how they are written which might help me figure out what to put on my magazine front cover which is why I have picked to do some research on it. The front cover of Q magazine is busy with a lot of text over it. The main image is the image of the Arctic Monkeys band and the shot type is medium close up (MCU). Q magazine also uses house style in most of their issues where cover photos are usually took in a medium close up shot. Lighting is used, but again due to the shot type costumes and props are not present. The image is also framed. The denotation of the image is that each and different members of the band are looking in different directions except one to show that he is the lead singer. However the connotation is that they may be looking in different directions in order for the image to focus on the lead singer and to reinforce their ‘rock’ style which is the genre they sing in. Mise en scene is also used in this shot. The masthead is behind one of the band members, which is conventional; as the reader can still identify that the magazine is Q magazine.  To fit into the house style, there is a colour scheme of black, white and red.

The masthead again is the largest text on the front cover to reinforce the magazine name. It is also in a simple font style and format. There is a lot of cover lines which are set out on both sides of the magazine, also another conventional feature of a magazine. The main cover line is ‘Arctic Monkeys’ as it is the cover story and ‘The Q Interview’. There is also a line of description of their interview to engage the reader to read the magazine. On the right hand side the cover lines include other artist names and quotes from them. Below that is the magazine barcode, price and issue date. There is also the use of a skyline above the masthead to show the exclusive pages the magazine includes. The font style is also simple, and clear which fits the house style of Q magazine, and fits into the classy look of the magazine, reinforcing the modern Indie/Rock genre.

Contents page :

The contents page for Q magazine is again busy with a lot of text, which shows that the house style that was in the front cover continues throughout the magazine. There is a use of 2-3 images, all with different shot types, and they have been placed differently on the page to have a different look. However, the image of the lead singer from the front cover has been marked with ‘cover story’, again being the main focus almost everywhere on the magazine as it is the USP for this issue of the magazine. Then there are page numbers with headers and descriptions marked with them, set out in columns, which gives it a clear and structured look.  The font style of the headers next to the page numbers match with the font style from the front cover. At the top is the title of the contents page ‘Q Contents’ with a very simple font style. On the right are reviews by famous artists and celebrities of Q magazine. The music genre is represented very clearly on the contents page as the font styles and the images with artists have the ‘rock’ look, which reinforces the genre. Therefore the text and the images match, where we are again reminded of the house style. The contents have been put into categories with a category for the pages where artists are interview and a category for reviews on Q magazine from other artists. There is quite a lot of information and items on the contents page and it can be considered as ‘busy’ which matches the front cover as again a lot of cover lines are featured on there too.

Double page spread (DPS):

This is the double page spread of the cover story from Q magazine. The band Arctic Monkeys is being interviewed. The page on the left is where all the text is placed. A drop cap is used to start the text off, and the text starts off with a large font. It may be that size to introduce the interview.  Then the font size is smaller where the interview moves on, and is put into columns, giving it a structured look. A drop cap is also used at the start of one of the columns. The mode of address may be young adults as a lot of formal words such as “revitalise” and “depicted” are used. The tone of the text is also formal, which gives more information on who the target audience is. The house style is also applied to the double page spread as the colour scheme of red, black and white continues and the font keeps it simple and ‘rocky’ nature. The page on the right is where all the images are placed. There are 4 images on the page all with a medium close up (MCU) shot, continuing the house style. The members of the band all have a different pose which is the denotation of the image as a whole, but it connotes their ‘rocky’ look to reinforce the rock genre. One of the props used are the sunglasses worn by the lead singer of the band, which again reinforces the genre. These are all conventional features of the magazine. In the centre of the right page is a pull quote from one of the members in the band, in black and red colours. The double page spread gives addresses the target audience in a successful way through the house style as a whole.

Q magazine media pack

·        More of Q magazine readers are males

·        Readers aged 15-25 read Q magazine the most.

·        This shows that the target audience of Q magazine is mainly males that are teenagers or young adults.

Bauer Media Group

Q magazine was initially published by EMAP Media Group. It was then sold to Bauer Media Group, a multinational media company. Bauer Media Group also publishes other music magazines such as Kerrang magazine and has many other magazine projects such as ‘Bella’, and ‘Take a break that’s life!’. The company also has Bauer Radio, and owns half of Box Television which is a TV company that includes channels such as 4Music and Kerrang.