Research into Similar Media Texts

Codes and Conventions

All magazines conform and reform the typical codes and conventions. Throughout every magazine there is a similarity between the front covers, contents page and feature pages. Magazine conform to a template in which most magazines use, a grid system is a representation of a device in which magazines can conform to.  By creating a grid system that magazines can follow allows for a basic template that can be manipulated to suit the type of magazine.

Colour, typography and image representation all affects the brand identity of the magazine. By using the stereotypical traits of the readership, magazines can adapt the style so that the audience can recognise and familiarise with the magazine.

Most front covers, feature a Masthead, Strap line, USP, Splash head and an earpiece area, which features a short amount of information about an article featured within the magazine. These different conventions which most magazines use, helps to form the basic outline of a magazine enabling editors to fill the page with ease, manipulating colour, typography and images to make it fit for purpose.

            Throughout the deconstruction of the magazines, the styles of the front covers continue to adapt a standard template in which create a neat and sophisticated front cover, contents and feature pages, which the reader can engage with. ‘NME’, ‘Q’ & ‘Total Film’ are all very typical examples of the use of a template. All magazines align the masthead to the left, centralise the image and left aligned the cover lines, the similar use of the styling ensures that the brand identity of the magazine can be clearly displayed for the readership and the intended target audience.

            Through the use of colour and typography, magazines can adapt the front cover to suit the audience that the magazine is targeting. Introducing typography such as Sans Serif helps to add to the fluidity of the front cover, but by using just Serif a blunt image is created. Typography styles can be adapted into the magazine to suit the genre of the publication. The identity of the magazine is represented by the front cover, as this the main page that the mass audience sees.

            Very much like typography, colour influences the way people perceive bits of information. The use of different tone and shades of colour ensures that a more professional and mature image is created rather than an amateur and unsuitable representation.

The different codes and conventions in which magazines have make sure there is a formality between the current issue and previous issues, and other magazines. Without this formality the readership would not be able to identify the magazine, which would crumble the readership of the publication.