Lesson 1

Lesson 1 - Understanding genre conventions of magazines

Task 1: Answer the following questions and then reveal the answers.

What is meant by the term 'genre'?

Genre is a way of categorising different types of media texts based on their content, style, and intended audience. Magazines can be broadly categorised into genres such as fashion, celebrity, sports, lifestyle, news and politics, music, and entertainment.

What is meant by 'generic conventions'?

Generic conventions are the typical features that are associated with a particular magazine genre. For example, fashion magazines often feature high-quality images of models, celebrities, and fashion designs, along with articles and editorials discussing current fashion trends and offering style advice.

Which theorist talked about genres being instances of ‘repetition and difference’?

Steve Neale discussed the economy of genre. He suggests that all media texts need to have 'repetition' to be recognisbale within their genre but an element of 'difference' is essential if genres are to stay economically viable and profitable.

Task 2: Terminology match-up.

Read the terminology on the left hand side and then try to match them up with their definitions on the right.

Answers

Task 3: Understanding The Big Issue

Watch the video about the Big Issue and take note of the answers to the following questions.

When was it founded?

1991

Who founded it?

Gordon Roddick and John Bird

What genre of magazine are they?

Political street magazine

What sort of organization are they?

Not for profit / political publication

What is the circulation to date?

200 million copies

New Learning: Magazine Genres

General interest/lifestyle magazines are publications that cover a wide range of topics and interests, often with a focus on entertainment, lifestyle, and consumer culture. They are intended for a broad, general audience and typically offer a mix of feature articles, news, reviews, and practical advice on a range of topics, such as health, fitness, beauty, fashion, travel, cooking, and home decor. General interest/lifestyle magazines often have a strong visual emphasis, with high-quality photographs and glossy layouts designed to engage readers and entice them to read more.

Specialist/niche magazines are publications that focus on a specific topic or interest, catering to a niche or specialized audience. These magazines may cover a wide range of topics, such as business, technology, music, or sports, but they typically offer in-depth coverage and analysis of these topics, often featuring articles written by experts in the field. These magazines may also focus on very specific topics or interests, such as knitting, bird-watching, or alternative health, and are often produced by enthusiasts for enthusiasts.

Task 4: What sort of magazines are they?

Have a look at the following covers of magazines. Note down whether these are a general/lifestyle magazine or a specialised/niche magazine. For each one, note down at least two reasons for your choice.

Answers

Empire - Mainstream - wide readership and covers a popular and highly profitable entertainment industry. Its content appeals to a broad range of readers, including casual moviegoers and industry professionals.

Classic Cars - Niche - caters to a specific audience of classic car enthusiasts, collectors, and hobbyists.

Biologist - Niche - caters to a specific audience of professionals and academics in the biological sciences. Its content is highly specialised.

Men's Health - Mainstream - men interested in fitness, health, and lifestyle topics. Its content is designed to appeal to men of all ages and fitness levels, from beginners to advanced athletes.

New Learning: The Big Issue target audience

The target audience for the magazine is described as being 72% ABC1 and 43% A/B. The ABC1 demographic is a socio-economic classification in the UK, which refers to people in managerial, administrative, or professional occupations, while the A/B demographic includes those in higher supervisory or technical roles. This suggests that the magazine is aimed at a relatively affluent and well-educated audience.

Meanwhile, the audience for The Big Issue is described as being "young at heart, educated and loyal". The fact that slightly more women than men read The Big Issue suggests that the magazine may have a slightly more female-oriented focus or may cover topics that are of particular interest to women. The age demographic of 60% of readers being between 18 and 49 suggests that The Big Issue is aimed at a younger audience, who are likely to be interested in social and political issues, as well as cultural topics such as music, film, and literature.

Task 5: What does this say about the kind of readership that TBI attracts? Why is this significant specifically for the funding and distribution model of the brand?

Write your thoughts down.

Answers

their readership is genrally more upper-class which suggests they will have a higher cultural capital so will want more quality news
their readership will be generally 'in the know' of current political issues, debates and perspectives
their readership will be more likely to have disposable income and therefore more willing to spend money on charitable causes like supporting the homeless
their readership will expect more quality publication that does not sway them to a particular viewpoint - they might value investigative journalism

Application task: Conducting an analysis of two contrasting magazines.

Pick two covers, one from a mainstream magazine and one from a niche magazine: Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Empire, Grazia etc Mojo, Jamie, Sense etc

For each magazine cover, find out and create a research page which includes:

Textual analysis: deconstruct the front cover, looking specifically at the different generic conventions Analyse the EFFECT. Look at lexis, images and generic conventions.
Use of mise-en-scene, framing, composition (rule of thirds), typography and colour.
What mode of address can you see?
Target audience - who are they? Demographics, Psychographics etc
How may audience gratify from some of the key themes (Uses and Gratifications)?
How does the magazine ‘repeat’ but also create ‘difference’ through its generic conventions?

Page updated

Report abuse