Coursework checklist for 'research and planning'

Links to previous years' blogs: 2014, 2015 (group 1) and 2015 (group 2) entry

Must do…	Could also do…
RESEARCH
Research target readership of 3 existing music magazines
Explore the conventions of music magazines, and reflect on the changing function of the music press in the digital age.
Research existing music magazines’ ‘house style’
Analyse existing front covers	Get audience reactions to specific pages and images from magazines of your choice, to reflect on effect of media language.
Analyse existing contents pages
Analyse existing feature articles
Conduct detailed research into what audiences want from a music magazine	Think how you use different types of media to conduct and present this- social media, audio, video, still images, etc.
PLANNING
Initial ideas for your own music magazine	Look at existing music magazines- are there any genres that aren’t currently catered for? Is there a gap in the market for something different?
Specific detailed identification of your readership profile (target audience), including demographics and pyschographics.	Consider your reader’s consumer habits; what kind of products would want to advertise in your magazine?
Plan your magazine’s name and masthead design- analyse your ideas for their effectiveness, and explain your final decision.	Survey your audience with your possible names and mastheads?
Plan your magazine’s ‘house style’	Reflect on inspiration you got from your magazine research
Your main feature artist development	Mood board for your artist.
Plan other artists appearing in your magazine
Plan pages layout – hand drawn sketches
Drafts of article ‘copy’ (words)
Photography planning- main and supporting photography.
Post discarded photographs from your photo shoot
Save draft versions of your pages as you go along, so that you can show the page development and post drafts on your blog.	Get your audience’s feedback on your magazine’s progress, and act on their feedback if necessary.

Audience research prompts

The purpose of your audience research is to inform your own magazine development. You need to know your audience before you can hope to appeal to them!

Complete this research for Monday.

Initial ideas

Photography tips