Evaluation Q1

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Newspaper front page

In terms of my newspaper front page, I decided to use the conventions of tabloid newspapers which included the size of the tabloids (A3), because in my audience research, the teenagers mostly preferred the media language and features that were identified in tabloids. By using the conventions of these newspapers, my target audience will be familiar with and accept the media language as they are comfortable with the style of their preferred newspaper. When creating the media language of my newspaper, I decided to apply the Reception theory by Stuart Hall referring to encoding and decoding a media text by the producer and the reader. By creating a newspaper layout with recognised codes and conventions (tabloid style), they satisfy the audiences expectations of newspapers which therefore create a preferred reading, resulting into a greater number of my target audience being interesting in getting my newspaper. Instead of making the newspaper layout different, which could potentially affect the number of my target audience who will be interested in reading the newspaper.
In terms of challenging conventions, I decided to use the AR Christy font so that the audience know that it is indicated at them, it also creates a youthful vibe in the newspaper which challenge the stereotypes of newspapers being boring as the typeface suggests otherwise.

Below are the links to the specific parts of my blog that relate to the points I raised in the paragraph above:

Audience research link: (question 13) http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/questionnaire-analysis.html

Stuart Hall theory link: http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/audience-theory-stuart-hall.html

Newspaper front page link: http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/final-newspaper-front-page.html

Conventions of tabloid and broadsheet newspapers link: http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/newspaper-research.html

Typeface link: http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/typeface-of-newspaper.html






Inside page of newspaper

 



The inside of my newspaper also uses the convention of tabloids in terms of the 5-grid format.
When creating the inside of my newspaper, I thought of whether to include a story inside the second page, or follow the conventions of a tabloid and use that page for advertisements and features of the newspaper; which in the end I decided to follow. I decided to challenge the conventions of local newspapers and conform to the conventions of tabloids as according to my audience research, they preferred tabloid newspapers. This means that they are more familiar with the layout and style of tabloids, which do not have a detailed story on the second page. The research I had done into tabloid newspapers included advertisements on the second page which influenced my decision to also create advertisements as opposed to a detailed news story. I decided to conform to this because of Stuart Hall's theory; my audience is familiar with the media language in tabloid newspapers, so by creating my second page with a similar media language, my newspaper will be a preferred reading from my audience.
Looking at different second pages of tabloids, I decided to create use similar adverts in my second page to make the reading as preferred as possible to the audience, rather than creating a story on the second page and the audience might not even read it because they are too used to the conventions of tabloids and assume that the second page will not contain anything of interest to them. I also felt that creating a story on the second page could change the aim of the newspaper which is a tabloid for the local community. I feel that the story on the second page might be features of a broadsheet or too much of a local newspaper which my target audience seemed to like least.

Below are the links to the specific parts of my blog that relate to the points I raised in the paragraph above:
Second page newspaper research: http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/2nd-page-newspaper-research.html

Stuart Hall theory: http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/audience-theory-stuart-hall.html

Audience research (preferred newspapers Q13): http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/questionnaire-analysis.html






Poster for newspaper

In terms of developing conventions, I decided to develop the borough of Lewisham logo which is sometimes used as a poster. My newspaper poster developed the Lewisham logo as it put a twist on the original poster such as the newspaper print in the background and the change of typeface as opposed to the usual Lewisham borough typeface, making it relevant and identifiable to my target audience.
In terms of conventions of posters, I decided to brainstorm all the things I know that a poster should include (conventions) and follow them so that the audience can identify with it. (brainstorm link)
I also conformed to conventions of posters in terms of the shape being a simple rectangle which would have been the size of an A3 sheet. In terms of conforming to the conventions of a poster, I decided to do this so that the message can still get across effectively. I am advertising a newspaper so the tone of the poster needs to inherit some serious or sophisticated parts to reflect that the product being advertised is still a newspaper although it is fun and aimed at teenagers. This idea of conforming conventions of posters came from the analysis of existing posters that I had researched.
I feel that by developing the conventions of the Lewisham borough logo, it almost creates a new logo that is relevant to young people. I also decided to develop the conventions of the logo such as the crown due to copyright purposes.

Below are the links to the specific parts of my blog that relate to the points I raised in the paragraph above:
Poster brainstorm: http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/poster-brainstorm.html

Newspaper poster analysis: http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/newspaper-posters.html






Radio advert for newspaper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wX1sNPW4aY

I decided to challenge the conventions of a typical radio advert in terms of duration as it is a drama piece. I feel that despite the longer duration, my audience will not loose interest in the message that is being conveyed because the advert appears to be funny so the audience will therefore wait till the end to find out what is being advertised. I feel that despite challenging the conventions of a radio advert, It still manages to target my audience as the radio advert clearly involves teenager laughing, and joking which will appeal to my target audience. Challenging the conventions of adverts through the duration and by making it longer could create a sense of importance as the important adverts including campaigns against violence in relationships adopt this feature which could relate to the duration of my newspaper.
In order to help me with creating my radio advert and deciding whether to challenge or conform to the conventions of them, I decided to research a few adverts to help me make a final decision, baring in mind the tastes of my target audience.

Conventions of a radio advert: http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/radio-advertisement.html

Radio advert analysis: http://lorettaq.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/radio-advert-analysis.html

Radio advert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wX1sNPW4aY