AS Media Studies Foundation Portfolio: October 2015

A reader profile is a collection of data about the audience that read a magazine. The data collected is used to make the magazine more relatable to the audience.

Examples of reader profiles

The purpose of the reader profile is to find out what type of audience reads you magazines. This is important because it will help the magazine company decided what to put in the magazine and how to design it. For example if the target audience were teenage girls the main design would be busy, the colours would be bright, lots of competitions and articles about artists, you tubers etc.

The reader profile would help sell the product as the magazine designers would know what to put in the magazine or they may have an idea which will appeal to the target audience. Also if the front cover has the right design that would appeal most to the target market they would be more attracted to that certain front cover as it stands out to that reader most because they like that sort of genre.

Definition of genre

The word 'genre' comes from the French word meaning 'type' or 'class'. Media genres appear within a medium (film, television, music) such as the "horror" film or the television "situation comedy “or music such as "jazz"

Types of music genres

Pop
R&B
Hip hop
Rock
Heavy metal
Classical
Soul
Opera
Indie
Reggae
Bass
House
Country
K Pop
Funk
Electronic
Rap
Dance
Jazz
Disco

Soul

Soul is a popular music genre that was created in the United States in the 1950s and early 1960s. It mixes elements of African-American gospel music, rhythm and blues and jazz. Soul music became popular for dancing and listening in the United States. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of funky, secular testifying". Soul music over took the U.S. R&B chart in the 1960s, and many recordings crossed over into the pop charts in the U.S and also Britain.

Mood boards

general iconography:

From looking at the iconography of soul I can see that is has a very jazz like and old school vibe.

Existing magazines:

The soul magazines are very bold and they seem to have very clear fonts, most of which are sans serif. Some of the magazines only have the basic conventions such as the masthead, feature stories, main image, bar code and main article.

Artist music videos:

Valerie- Amy Winehouse

All of me- John Legend

Stay with me- sam smith

Audience profile:

Gender- both
Social class- working/middle

Age- 21+
Interest excluding music- performing

Classical

Classical music is art music produced in the traditions of Western music, including both religious and secular music. Given the wide range of styles in classical music, from Medieval plainchant sung by monks to Classical and Romantic symphonies for orchestra from the 1700s and 1800s to new compositions for solo piano from the 1900s, it is difficult to list characteristics that can be attributed to all works of that type.

Mood boards

general iconography:

By looking at classical iconography this genre is very traditional as there is no bright or vibrant colours, and instruments such as violins and pianos are used.

Existing magazines:

Classical music magazine are more serious compared to the 'pop' or 'R&B' genres, this maybe because of its traditional roots. In most of the covers the main image models hold an instrument from an orchestra or at least something symbolising one such as a conducting stick. Yet again basic conventions are used.

Artist music videos:

Turandot: 'Nessun dorma'- Luciano

L'amore sei tu (i will always love you)- Katherine Jenkins

Nella Fantasia- Katherine Jenkins

Audience profile:

Gender- men
Social class- Upper/ middle

Age- 50+
Interest excluding music- theatre

Pop

Pop is music that originated in its modern form in the Western world during the 1950s and 1960s, originating from rock and roll. The terms "popular music" and "pop music" are often used, although the former describes all music that is. As a genre, pop music is extremely varied, often borrowing elements from other styles such as urban, dance, rock, Latin, and country; nonetheless, there are core elements that define pop music. Such elements include generally short to medium-length songs written in a basic format.

Mood boards

general iconography:

Iconography of pop is very vibrant and very bright. It is also very busy because there is always something going on, this also makes it standout and make it eye-catching. Colours such as red, orange and yellow are often used the most, which are the warm colours of the colour wheel.

Existing magazines:

Magazine front covers which have the 'pop' genre are different from the rest as they have more conventions, making the cover busy and attractive. Additional conventions such as plugs advertising competitions are used as well as more images of famous pop artists.

Artist music videos:

wildest dreams- Taylor swift

Happy- Pharell Williams

Uptown funk- Bruno mars

Audience profile:

Gender-girls
Social class- middle
Income-
Age- 13-16
Interest excluding music- beauty

Reggae

Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broad sense to refer to most types of popular Jamaican dance music, the term reggae more properly means a particular music style that was strongly influenced by traditional mento and calypso music, as well as American jazz and rhythm and blues, especially the New Orleans R&B practiced by Fats Domino and Allen Toussaint, and evolved out of the earlier genres ska and rock steady.

Mood boards

general iconography:

From looking at the picture I can see that the colours green, yellow and red play a big part in this genre, this makes the genre seem relaxing as you associated them colours with the Caribbean. Also the dreadlocks seem to symbolise the lead singers or maybe the people who are influenced by this music.

Existing magazines:

Magazine front covers are mostly like pop but less compact. They have the normal conventions such as the mast head, feature stories, main article and main image but in addition they also include plugs and extra images. However the colour isn't as bright as most have a darker colour scheme as they go with the brown, black and maroon.