Primary Target Audience Profile

The demographic of my audience:

Demographic profiling of an audience is the combination of information used in media to classify an audience in categories such as; age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, social grade alongside other data. Once these figures are determined individuals are grouped then broken down into different bands. This will then determine the stereotypical wants and needs of an audience. 

Demographic profiling of an audience is the combination of information used in media to classify an audience in categories such as; age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, social grade alongside other data. Once these figures are determined individuals are grouped then broken down into different bands. This will then determine the stereotypical wants and needs of an audience. 


Primary Audience

Age: 17-24
Nationality: British
Living Location: South West regoin
Ethnicity: White British
Sexuality: Straight/Bi/Gay
Social Grade: C1/2
Income: Medium
Gender:male and female
My primary audience will fill the social grades of C1/2 (possibly to top end of grade D), I have based this target audience on the majority that don't specifically get catered for. Social Grades are often categorised as ABC1 and C2DE, brands and businesses will market their product to fit with the uses and gratifications (Blumer and Katz, 1974) associated with either of the two sub categories. Considering this, I intend on pin pointing the group in the middle; often forgotten about. This will be young individuals, possibly in higher education, potential to be  A/B individuals in the future, young parents or aspiring professionals. Looking at the statistics of the social grade data, it becomes apparent that my target audience C1/2 would be the largest possible target audience in terms of the percentage of the population. My intention for my magazine is to hit a mass market, fitting with my initial concept to create a magazine worthy of the mass market. The definitions stated by social grades implies that my audience will be a mix of superior and skilled workers, higher education students (university), earning money however not considerable amounts, they will also have high ambitions in life.

Secondary Audience:
Age: 40- 46
Nationality: British
Living Location: West region
Ethnicity: White British
Sexuality: Straight
Social Grade: B
Income: Medium- high/ high
Gender: Female
My Secondary target Audience will lie within the social grade B. Mostly respected professionals, in a high paid job, someone that seeks enjoyment from the regional area my magazine is about. This audience will be a group that desire something a little less intense; often a common factor when marketing for this audience. I believe that this audience will appreciate my magazine as it will be a more modern and contemporary text, submerging the conventions they are used to. A cheaper product will be more susceptible to those who fit this social grade but do not like to embellish on expensive products. These individuals will already be settled and most probably have a stable life. I want my magazine to bring them excitement and a difference to their normal routine.

Audience Appeal:
My magazine will hold huge audience appeal, fulfilling the required aspects expected and desired of this genre. The uses and gratifications theory, stated by Blumer and Katz in 1975, proposes the concept that audiences are not passive but they take an active role in interpreting and interacting media into their own lives; through different platforms. They said that an audience uses media to fulfil different needs that they have. This theory implies that varying mediums have to compete in order to climb the market they fall under.

• Entertainment and diversion: the idea that audience consume media texts to escape form their everyday lives. A text that is deemed entertaining will allow the audience to divert from their own lives as well as their attention to the real world. This is often carried out in the form of magazines, films or books. This is the main purpose of my magazine concept. Granting a product that ensures my audience is entertained, visually and contextually. 
• Information and education: this implies that audiences only seek information when they want it, in the form they want it. The idea that you cannot force a market to consume something they do not feel they need. This is often found in aspects such as newspapers, news programmes and documentaries. These are all forms of medium that intend to educate and inform, sometimes not to the knowledge of the consumer. Despite my design being a magazine, I still aspire to educate the audience but on a low key prospectus. I want my audience to feel like they have taken something from the content of my text, yet not feel overwhelmed by information. I feel I could do this within my double page spread article.  
• Social interaction: the boom of social media has created a platform that allows interaction between audiences, encouraging them to share opinions and reactions. Online websites now source the immediate thoughts behind an audience. I will include several web links and social media references as I understand this is of key importance when targeting the audience I am. Social media is relevant to this age group, therefore I will work around this, heightening the interest of my medium. The diversity of my skills will be show through this element, therefore making my audience feel more appreciated when consuming my product. 
• Personal identity: some audiences like to watch or read media texts because they can compare their life experiences with the ones they are presented within the forum. Audience pleasure generally form the empathy and identification of characters or content. This concept specifically applies to my target audience as they are still young and somewhat impressionable by the media.

Diversional purposes: 
These are the aspects that my product will include that have an effect on my audience. The idea that a medium can impact a consumers lives in many way. Bases on the audience, these needs and requirements will vary, however I have come up with a list that i feel my magazine should fulfil;
filling spare time, emotional release, escaping everyday dilemmas, fulfilling visual needs, finding role models, gaining a personal identity, personal values, achieving a sense of security through knowledge of a popular subject, self-educating within an enjoyable topic, seeking advice and tips, understanding the basis of conversation, advancing social skills or knowledge.

The psychographic of my audience:

Psychographic sedimentation divides the market into groups based on social class, lifestyle and personality characteristics. In the assumption that the types of products, brands and separate purchases will reflect that persons characteristics and ways of living. 

Young and Rubicm:

This theory, also known as the 4C's (cross cultural consumer characterisation) divides people into seven different groups, based on their 'core motivation'. These theorists believed that this model of categorisation was more useful than that of social grades. To pin point what the requirements of an audience is an easier process with aid of this theoretical approach. 

Primary audience:

• Aspirer 
• Explorer
• Potential Mainsteamer 

Secondary audience:

• Succeeder 
• Aspirer 

VALs Theory:

This theory is the study of values and lifestyles that is associated with a certain audiences. The vertical dimension segments people based on the degree to which they are innovative and have resources such as income, education, self-confidence, intelligence, leadership skills, and energy. The VAL theory can enable the distinct division an individual should be associated with, this is done by simply using psychological traits and demographic data that determines a characters behaviour.

This theory refers to these concepts:

Consumers driven by knowledge and principles are motivated primarily by ideals. These consumers include groups called Thinkers and Believers.

Consumers driven by demonstrating success to their peers are motivated primarily by achievement. These consumers include groups referred to as Achievers and Strivers.

Consumers driven by a desire for social or physical activity, variety, and risk taking are motivated primarily by self-expression. These consumers include the groups known as Experiencers and Makers.

Primary Audience:

• Esteem Seekers 
• Strivers 
• Contented conformers

Secondary Audience:

• Traditionalists
• Self actualisers 

Maslow's Hierarchy of needs:

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a motivation theory, which involves a five tier model go human needs, based on research done through psychology. This theorist wanted to gain an understanding of audiences, meaning how products have an effect. He proposed the idea that people possess a set of motivation systems unrelates to rewarding and unconscious desires. In 1943 Maslow stated that people are driven to achieve certain needs they require as part of an audience.  

Primary Audience:

My product will aim to motivate the needs belongingness and love as well as esteem of my target audience. I feel that my audience will already have executed the need of their physiological needs and safety needs, based on their prior life experiences. 

Secondary Audience:

 This groups will have already established where they belong, who their friends are and where their relationships lie. Taking this on board, i know I won't be catering for this psychological need in terms of this audience. So, I am going to priorities esteem needs rather than those needs that are already being met. 

Target Audience Survey Results

With the technical assistance of Survey Monkey, I constructed a relevant target audience questionnaire. After finishing my survey, I shared it on social media accounts, supplying me with a huge base of audience possibility. Previously, I had prepared a list of  magazine conventions, that I'd planned to feature in my page designs; these were the areas I mainly queried about in my survey.  I felt I could not fully commit to some of my ideas without feedback from a group of potential consumers. Since reflecting on these results, the input of the participants is going to largely influence my construction. I purposely designed a set contrasting questions, giving me a range of observation when consulting my audience. When I am composing my magazine I will heavily involve the judgement of my audience.


Question 1:

Using the forum of social media to promote my audience survey allowed me to involve a bigger range of audience personal. As social media is predominately used by the younger generations, I thought this would be an appropriate platform for my survey. It is evident that I had responses form an older body; 32 out of 80 participants were over the age of my target market (17- 24). Despite the age of my target audience, I will not discard the other responses as I consider this to be relevant to my secondary audience. 35 participants to of the 80 that contributed to my research sat within the age range of my target audience. This is a solid figure of information to analyse; helping with my construction process.

Question 2: 

A higher percentage of individuals that completed my survey were female. When I am using the results from my questionnaire, I must keep this in mind. As my product is aimed at both male and female consumers, when basing a decision on my audience research it will be important to consider this result.

Question 3:

This result clearly shows that there is a gap in the regional market. Not all consumers have found the 'right' magazine for them. 35 of the participants answered sometimes; proving that they are willing to consumer this type of content from a magazine. I feel that by designing a more modern and fresh house style that it will encourage a new party of individuals to read from this genre.

Question 4:

I created three different possibilities to name my magazine, featuring as my masthead. The favoured masthead title was Life in Cornwall; having 15 more votes than the alternatives. Two participants skipped this question, which could've effected the result however, not majorly as the numbers have a significant gap between them.

Question 5:

I decided to include this question in my survey to get an idea of how much roughly to charge for my magazine. By asking this question it gave an indication of how much an audience are willing to spend on print media per month. I referred to the economic output of this question a monthly basis as this will be how often my product is issued. My results show that the largest grouping of earnings put aside monthly for print media is £1-3. Based on the age of my target audience and the statistics provided by this question in particular I plan on charging approximately £3 for my magazine. This pricing is considered lower than the average for this genre, I have decided this because of the economic status my target audience correspond with.

Question 6:
I thought it was necessary to ask this this question in my survey, as not all consumers like a large visual aspect in their print media. However, considering the age group of my intended audience I predicted the result to be between 4/5; which almost complies with my results. The most popular replies were 3 and four images. Thinking back to earlier analysis, I feel that this outcome is largely based on the majority of female participants the completed the survey. I think that if there was a higher percentage of male contribution that the overall conclusion would be to have more images. Various studies show that males brains are more stimulated by visual aspects of a page than contextual aspects, such as articles and interviews. Therefore, when constructing my contents page I will consider this; making my product more gender equal.

Question 7:

Food was a particularly popular topic when it came to stating favoured context. I feel that it will be important to included the leading topics as it will encourage engagement. By including elements that the consumer finds interesting, meaning they are more likely to return to my magazine to seek entertainment. 

Question 8: My last question was very opinion based. I retrieved two magazine front covers that I felt were of a high standard and that fit with the regional theme; one being a standard regional magazine and one being a surf magazine. The reasoning behind this question was more about the layout, tone and design qualities of these existing product. By doing this I felt it gave me some background knowledge as to whether my audience prefers a more traditional product or a current and up to date product.

Analysis Of Similar Products- Front Covers

In the next three posts I will be analysing existing products within the genre I intent to target. Throughout, I will be looking at the different aspects of three front covers, double page spreads and contents pages of regional magazines. The purpose of this task is to get an in depth understanding of the codes and conventions used in this genre, in order to apply it to my design. By doing this it will allow me to incorporate some popular aspects of already existing mediums; making my work more successful. By doing this I feel that my knowledge of this genre will grow and enable me to understand the needs of my target audience better than I would with only my prior understanding. I think this will really boost my product into the higher market if I can execute my ideas, yet still fitting with the codes and convention expected of this market.

Cornwall Today

Cornwall Living

Cornwall Life

Within these front covers, I found that regional magazines convey their own style very prominently. Each area within this genre includes features, which others don't tend to. For example; Cornwall Living and Cornwall Life both have younger target audiences and both evidently display a barcode and price on their front covers, where as Cornwall Life doesn't. This could be to do with the concept of not needing to know the price if you live in a more nourished lifestyle, it is not a necessity when you have the levels of economic welfare that the target audience of Cornwall Life have. An area that really stood out to me is that all the mastheads include the location, Cornwall. I think this has to be a key convention that I consider when planning my design. Following on from it is apparent that the image created by the masthead is conveyed in a creative way. I will do further research into the use of font types and sizes commonly used in this genre. Based on the analysis I have already carried out I can conclude that mastheads are constructed in a serif font, even if the target audience is classed as ‘sophisticated’.

I think it is a favorable approach to this part of the design, as it sets the scene for the rest of the magazines and will typically be the first part that attracts an audience.

The colours used throughout all these pages are crisp and bright, each carrying their own connotations. The separate colour schemes fit well with in the regional genre. I intent to design a appropriate magazine with a unique colour palette. Since analysing these differing brands as well as other front covers, I have noted that cover lines are limited and that simplicity is way to go. Interestingly, only one of the covers I analysed featured a website link, this was Cornwall Life. This is based on the age and demographic of their target audience.

The typography of these magazine brands show no firmly recognizable pattern of text type or particular design use. However, it is certain that there is a mix of serif and sans serif fonts in all these regional magazines. This easily conveys variety and flexibility of the brand, a useful convention that I will follow during the stages of my construction.

The layout of each front cover is seemingly different, there did not appear to be any fluency of similarity. One convention that I will definitely follow is the common positioning of the masthead. Another concept that I identified was the popularity of tag lines in this genre. The two magazines aimed at older audiences, benefited form catchy phrases that held strong connotations, for example ‘The Ultimate Lifestyle By The Sea’. During the observation of the imagery and photography used, it is clear that the pictures have been taken in a professional manor. The photographs are all well defined, of excellent quality and instantly create an affect on the audience.

Analysis Of Existing Products- Contents Pages

This is the final post in the series of existing product analysis. Like the last two posts I am going to analysis three existing contents pages from regional magazines. I feel this will create a foundation for my framework of research. By performing this task it will allow me to form a strong portfolio of common codes and conventions that can be found within the genre I am working in. Effectively developing my understanding, enabling me to better fit the print brief I have been set. I think this task will prompt my skills and aid me in my magazine construction stages.

Cornwall Today





Cornwall Living

Cornwall Life

Since researching into the double pages spread that feature in region magazines, it is evident that different brands take differing approaches. The design aspects are dependent on the requirements suggested by the audience. Both Cornwall Living and Cornwall Today have firm indication of what the page entitles, by variation the word content across their issues, it makes it clear to the audience what they should expect from the page. Some audiences find this a helpful resource when opting for their favoured or preferred content. I would like to follow this convention when constructing my double page spread. I intend to make the headline of this page stand out in a colour that fits with the other elements of my page. Similarly, I will choose the font type based on a style that is fitting to the rest of my double page spread. Conventions show that serif fonts tend to dominate the typography of a regional double page spread. It is important to consider the effects  the textual aspects have on the consuming audiences. When I come to the choosing the design of me headline, I will research into the uses of different designs and how they are typically constructed. As my audience is younger than stereotypical regional audiences I will look not only into this genre but others that have the same aged market, for example; modern, art deco magazines. This will give me an idea of how headlines are used to pin point a particular target audience whilst keeping them engaged. As for the rest of the text evident on a contents page, I will carry the same procedure; comparing and contrasting existing magazines from a range of brands and genres. I feel this will provide me with a strong background understanding of how typography is used and the effects it has not just on existing regional audiences but magazines created for my target audience. I will consider the connotations created by the colour of my contextual aspects once completing the selection of images. Both will then link together to give an overall representation that the audience will pick up on. The uses of images throughout all three chosen examples are very different. For example, Cornwall Life have selected a quirky rage of photographs, where as Cornwall Today has chosen to use just one landscape image. I like the collage technique that Cornwall Living has used on their contents page. This design shows a large range of photography skills, whilst making the contents page more visual than say Cornwall Life. I intend to follow the sort of representation this design creates, keeping my young audience engaged at all times. 

Analysis Of Similar Products - Double Page Spreads

Following on from my last post, similarly I am going to analyse three different contents pages from varying magazines. By performing this task it will allow me to build a strong portfolio of common codes and conventions found in the genre I am working in. This will effectively develop my understanding, enabling me to better fit the brief when it comes to my designing stages. I hope this task will prompt my skills and aid with my magazine construction.

Cornwall Today

Cornwall Living

Cornwall Life

The three double pages spread that I have chosen to analyse show very different qualities throughout their design features. I have enjoyed looking at these spreads; they have given me a different perspective of what is accepted in the regional magazine market. The thing that stands out the most to me in similarity is the volume of text on each page. Cornwall today, Cornwall Living and Cornwall Life all have large articles to complement their double page spreads. Thinking further into this concept, I feel this is done based on the older target audience of these magazines. When I am constructing my magazine I will consider this concept, however I will reduce the capacity of text; due to the age of my target audience. By doing this I am following conventions created by other genres that have the same age target audience.  I feel this will be more engaging, less daunting or overwhelming. It is evident that all of these double page spreads have headlines that stand out at first glance. I will definitely be consecutively exploring this convention, I think it is important as this sets the scene for the topic within the article. Again, there is no obvious trend set by the content written about in the article forum. This indicated to me that regional audiences are open minded to a range of different subjects; helping me understand my target market. All of the headlines have been processed in a serif font, which implies that this genre typically stick to conventions of traditional concepts. Throughout this extended analysis, I found that each double page spread included more than one image, ranging from 3-8. I hope to use more than three images on my design, my reasoning for this is down to the effects my product will have on the audience. For example, if I use more images it will look busier and more exciting to an age group that don’t frequently use print media. There are a range of layouts used in by Cornwall today, Cornwall Living and Cornwall Life. Cornwall has applied a more formal, traditional look to their arrangement, whereas Cornwall Living has used a unorganised, informal set up. When designing my double page spread I will follow the convention of columns, evident in most magazines from varying genres. I think this is an important aspect as it suggests high production qualities based on a functional basis. It is also critical to think about the representations produced by the use of colours, fonts and language tone.

Initial Ideas

After being set this brief I looked into the basics of regional magazines, only to find that there are many magazines produced in Cornwall, where I live. These magazines are a bright and colourful representation of the common sights seen in the region.

Regional magazines are typically targeted at middle aged, wealthy individuals. This is something I aim to change. I want to create a fresh and crisp representation of the region which has a fun and existing element t yet keeps to the traditional styles of this genre. I think lifestyle magazines are really popular with my target audience (18-25), titles that contain simplicity. 

Favoured Magazine Ideas

Although these pages aren't all from regional magazines, I would like to combine a set of ideas which reflect the modernisation of the world. However, whilst doing so, coming away from the placid tones and neutral colour seen in some of the magazines above. I would like to add colour and brightness to a simplistic and modern design quality. This will give the regional market something new to focus on, creating the need for competition. Hopefully encouraging publishing companies to follow the trend and fill a hole that has been absent for too long. 

How The Impact Of Technology Has Changed Magazines

We would often generalise the publishing industry as one containing books, newspapers and magazines as the main sellers. The impact the mediums text has can influence not just the shop shelves but change the way we think about socio-political aspect and the cultural environment we live in.  Having a big influence on what we think of society. Over the last 10 years this market has been faced with massive amounts of competition from other noticeably growing forms such as e-books, online web pages and online magazines. Before the internet turned into an advanced, easy way of gaining information people mainly relied of magazine genres to answer all their questions. From gardening to gym workouts, from food recipes to child care; the magazine industry was a varied business.
People were becoming eager for more information, wanting to know more specific facts and figures form certain stories that caught their interest. Something that magazines couldn't always contain, due to the mass of sub sections involved in the text that also required the publishers attention. In the publics eyes they just touches the edges of what they wanted to know.
Soon people became bored of waiting for the weekly print out of their favourite magazine title. This is where on demand printing, online versions and e-copies of the same text started to make an appearance. This aspect caused a lot of small companies to go out of business because they could not afford to set up webpage as well as continue to print copies of their magazine. However, this aspect is not all negative; bigger companies had to revert to something less traditional that kept them incite with the times...staying in the contemporary mix but not necessarily feeling the worst of it.

Searching Concept
Over the past decade the internet has show true advances within its culture. In the days of magazines and newspapers, the information that was within those mediums were the only text you could consume; no further questioning could be done. Despite this, today our search engines will generate an answer to basically anything. The before impossible questioning of topics is now an endless factor; the purpose of manufacturing a contents and glossary becomes unneeded. This process is also know as 'destination site', where by useless information if filtered until the factual eleent needed is found. People no longer needed to skim read or scan text they didn't want to read about, causing a socialised laziness; the internet was the answer.

Online Sites
The growth of social media has caused a massive defect on the usage of common forms of text. People find themselves fulfilling time with messaging or 'scrolling' rather than reading or socialising. Entertainment is no longer associated with relaxing with a magazine. Social media promotes browsing by sharing links and adverts on a regular basis, which people find intriguing and have the need to follow. This creates a simple pathway of finding their desired information. This technique allows us to interact with an online group, something unheard of through print media.

Technological Effects
Since the obvious rise of desktop search engines, the number of mobile and tablet devises has increase by huge amounts; creating more emphasis on the limitless need for browsing. This advance in technology has made us greedy for on demand internet searching. 3G and 4G have made it possible for us to access whatever, whenever. Possibly, the online adaptation of the magazine people would usually buy form the shelf, it is a quicker and more conventional way of getting the same product. Suggesting the need for printed text is unneeded. However, the boost in technology it has  also made it possible for people to create their own print media from home. Digital equipment means that the cost of printing and production is  such lower than in previous decades. It no longer requires the money, staff or facilities the industry once found essential. "anyone can be a media producer"

In Summary
Due to the availability of online versions of magazines it has cause a negative effect on hard copies of magazines as a medium, as well as the revenue of the businesses producing the brand. There are fears that the new generation will take over and everything will be desired in a digital form. The effects of an active audience, causing new and innovate thinking, which must be follow because that is what is desires (Blumer and Katz) Putting massive strains on the traditional magazine production industry.

Institutions And Legal Restrainsts

Institutions
As I plan on creating a magazine targeted at a younger audience than expected when it comes to a regional magazine, I feel that researching popular region magazine institution will be helpful and benefit my findings. These intuitions will know how to create a popular regional magazine as well as how to market it; however it will bring a new concept of magazine to their business as it is aimed at an unusual target audience. 






Engine House Media
This institution mainly supports mainly Cornish publications such as Foodie, Dogs Love Cornwall, Kids Love Cornwall and the most popular Cornwall Living Magazine. They specialise in magazines that other institutes possibly don't think of; attracting a more niche audience.






Archant Community Media
Archant is the largest publishing company of regional and local lifestyle magazines. It circulates magazines particularly throughout the UK and USA. It has an number of 80 magazine titles int their name and reaches an average three million readers each months across the UK.


Within my magazine I ideally want to combine a range of content, one of the topics possibly being Sport. As this is a very popular topic with my target audience. Cornwall (the region I am focusing on) is involved in a lot of sports, many that are associated with Cornwall itself, for example; surfing, rugby and gig rowing are renowned for this area. So I am going to research into some sporting magazine institutes and as well as later looking at the codes and conventions of sporting magazines; to enable me to create a more effective hybrid of text.
Since doing more research into this I have looked at many contemporary designs as well as magazines that have more involvement in the sea.

Orca Publications

Orca Publications are the institution of many water sports magazines. For example, award winning, best seller Carve Suring magazine is very popular in the south west because there is such high interest in the sport. I think the style of magazine this institution creates.




Legal Restrains
There are certain briefs that magazines much fulfil as a requirement before they can be put into the market. These prospects aim to make sure products follow guidelines such as the Editors code; a precise set of rules magazines and newspapers must regulate by. It includes frameworks that keep the public interest at all times, keeping consumers and producers safe. This is managed by a company; The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). 

                   

The Independent Press Standards Organisation is the general independent regulator for the newspaper and magazine industry in the UK. This organisation regulated the actions of print mediums, protect rights and uphold a certain standard, outlining what can and can't be done. IPSO over took the previous organisation company known as Press Complaints Commission which was running since 1990.
IPSO deals with public complaints regarding products in the magazine and newspaper industry. IPSO has the authority to swap and change aspects of a text that may be deemed as offensive or hurtful in the general publics eyes.
This restrain has to be taken in to account by the producer, the business can be negatively effected if the rules are not followed. The content they contain has to be research and proved fully before they can publish any version of the magazine. This means more time has to be spent idea tidying the true than constructing a good article or story.

The History And Background Of Magazines

The magazine concept all began the early 17th century; when printing advances in the West became a more advanced technique. European publishers took on the challenge of creating this new form of medium. The initial branched from the already culturised forms of pamphlets, brochures and a calendar/ yearbook. These designs were a common sight to many people, it has already been involved in normal life  for many years. So publishers channelled their ideas into a new brand of entertainment and education (part of the Uses and Gratification theory stated by Blumer and Katz in 1974). It came to their attention that regular readers held specific interests, ad this is what the publishers wanted to target. Ideas started to become categorized; the magazine occupied a large middle ground, nobody really had a definition for it. It was thought to be somewhere between a book and a newspaper as the content could not be considered factual enough yet it was not classed a pleasurable read.

The earliest magazine was rectified by a German theologian and poet Johann Rist, between 1663 and 1668 called Erbauliche Monaths-Unterredungen, translated as Edifying Monthly Discussions. This publication inspired a group of others to also indulge in this new form of text initially across Europe. Denis de Sallo’s FrenchJournal des Sçavans (1665), the Royal Society’s English Philosophical Transactions (1665), and Francesco Nazzari’s Italian Giomale de’letterati (1668).

Similarly to newspaper publications, Britain closely followed Europe's fathom into the magazine production line. During the early 18th century, three major influential magazines were being published regularly: Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe’s the Review, Sir Richard Steele’s theTatler, and Joseph Addison and Steele’s the Spectator.

 The Review, Talter and Spectator were all published either weekly or daily, depending on the content and demand for the product. Despite their release schedule being of such similarity to that of a newspaper, the content of the issues were stated as a magazine.  Each brand help different specialities in which their content referred too. The Review dominated affairs based around domestic and foreign affairs and featured opinion-based political articles. The Spectator replaced the Tatler, which published from 1709 to 1711. Both these magazines had emphasized living and culture and frequently used humour to promote virtuous behaviour.

This all came to an alteration during the 1830's when a reduced cost of printing and mailing productions came to light. Publishers were able to take advantage of this factor; this was the birth of a much cheaper magazine with a much larger audience in mind. The typical, tradition style and design of magazines transformed, they became a more eye catching phenomenon. The content of magazine also advanced form a more factual reasoning  to a focused comical edge. Elite class was out of the question for publishers during this time period. Various genres starting to make an appearance, such as family, children and women's magazines in particular. One of the earliest American women’s magazines was Godey’s Lady’s Book, a Philadelphia-based monthly that printed between 1830 and 1898. This particular magazine reached out to female readers by employing nearly 150 women.

The first published magazine printed with great success was The Saturday Evening Post, the initial idea about this magazine was in the Untied States around 1821. This magazine remained a regular weekly print until 1969, when it briefly ceased circulation. In 1971, the magazine was remodelled by a new owner; changing the content and the design massively. Despite peoples desecration of this change, the magazine became increasingly popular  with circulation figures hitting 90,000 copies per year. This magazine is famously recognised for being the first publication to put artwork on its cover, a decision that The Saturday Evening Post has said “connected readers intimately with the magazine as a whole.”

 In the early nineteenth century the first 'youth' (teenage) magazine Youths Companion, was published between 1827 and 1929. Despite the target audience the content included failry religious type texts and developed a reputation as a wholesome magazine that encouraged young readers to be virtuous and pious. Eventually, the magazine sought to reach a larger, adult audience by including tame entertainment pieces. However, in time it began featuring the work of prominent writers for both children and adults and became “a literary force to be reckoned with.”

Before the 1900's advertisement being included in the content of a magazine was not a done thing. However, the 90's brought change to the evolution of magazines. Publishers realised that they could increase their advertising rates, ultimately because businesses wanted to be part of the newest type of brand promotion. It became a common thing to see at least two or three advert pages in any magazine; as it increase their profitability. Particularly in some women’s magazine, where advertisements accounted for nearly half of all content.

The arrival of the 20th century brought with it contemporary  types of magazines, including genres like,  news, business, and picture magazines. In time, these types of publications came to dominate the industry and attract vast readerships as it appealed to a much more general audience. After this, the change in magazine publications began to slow down as the design and concept had come to a halt; being the best it could be.

During the late 20th century and early 21st centuries, online technology started to take over physical forms of medium. It has a huge effect on print media as a whole. People were turning to online focus to source their desired readership. Magazine,  just as newspaper publishers had to rethink their structure to enable their engagement of other increasing online market audiences.

Regional magazines

Records of the first regional magazine was released in London in 1731. The Gentlemens Magazine focused on relevant topics in the area, however was only targeted at men. Therefore the topics would have been more physically based. This magazine was released on a monthly basis  and accounted to stories that were new and interesting. Interviews and journals of local people were often incorporated in the content. The magazines stayed unchanged for the next 200 years, it had to compete with new, up and coming magazines involved in the genre. 

Regional magazines stated with a very basic variety until professionals were willing to spend more money on print media. This genre of magazine had an average price of £4.50  and £6, based on the small audience. Once the topics and regional genre started to become more popular this price dropped as companies could afford to mass produce at a lower price. Despite the audience range still being limited compared to genres such as gossip, regional products have has a a rise in demand. 

Introduction To Coursework Brief

The Original Set Task/ Print Brief

The first four pages from an original regional magazine together with two of the following three options:

• a radio advertisement 
• two hyperlinked pages from the magazines website; 
• a billboard advertisement for the magazine

Having the choice between a print brief and film brief, I chose to create a regional print magazine. My reason for this decision is based on being able to adapt and further my skills that I learnt throughout last year; being an AS Media Studies Student. Since completing my coursework last year I feel that I have a much wider knowledge of print magazines and the technologies I need to design it. Thinking further into this aspect, I feel that I would personally enjoy participating in the print brief rather than the film brief as it is more along the lines of what id like to do in the future. I aim to assist the advance in my photography skills; the images that will be required within this task are my commonly preferred area.
In addition to my main task, I have to create either a radio advertisement, two hyperlinked pages from the magazine website or a billboard advertisement for the magazine. Out of these three options, I have chosen to design the two hyperlinked pages from the magazines website and a billboard advertisement for the magazine. The reasons I have decided to create these two accessories as I have the basic skills needed to easily involve the conventions of these forms of medium; whereas I would have to spent limited time I have learning about radio advertisement.