NEA Researh Task 3 : How Does 'The Wire' Magazine's Front Cover Appeal To Audiences Audiences?

What I have observed through my investigation into The Wire's front covers and their conventions is that they are consistent with the media language that they use from the typography to the content they use as on the pages. The consistency creates a feeling of familiarity for the reader which makes them more comfortable with the magazine. This increases the chance of reader loyalty for the magazine because, if they like what they consume from the product, they will most likely buy more which can provide a steady stream of much needed revenue for The Wire during a print media crisis.

 

Reasearch Task Two: Independent Music Magazines

 Independent magazines are magazines that do not receive funding from large businesses or corporations so they, therefore, have creative freedom to explore and promote niche topics without interference. Due to this, independent magazines tend to have an alternative view of the world and their niche theme to what a mainstream magazine would most likely have. This can be seen in The Wire and RnR which are two of music magazines published in the UK and the both focus on music genres outside of the mainstream genres. The Wire explores global alternative, underground and experimental music that "wages war on the mundane and mediocre" whereas RnR covers an eclectic range from mainstream to rock, folk and blues. 

Both magazines are similar in their ideologies of promoting music that would ordinary be overlooked because of the prominence of the mainstream music industry but they target different audiences and readers: whereas The Wire targets music enthusiasts under 25, 70% of readers of RnR are aged 35-65. This emphasises the range of music that independent music magazines can feature individually because, in the mainstream magazine industry, there would be barriers depending on which artists are trending. 

Compared to mainstream magazines, independent music magazines have a much lower circulation rate: Bauer (who has the highest circulation figures) circulated 126.08 million in 2020. However, The Wire's monthly circultaion ranges from 7,000 to 20,000 and RnR circulates more than 25,000 per issue which is signifcantly lower than Bauer's figures. These figures would affect the rates at which The Wire and RnR could charge for advertising in their magazines: in The Wire it ranges from £100 to £1600 and RnR £150 to £800. 

Overall, music magazines have been one of the types of magazines that have been hit hardest during the Covid-19 lockdown which has led to numerous other music magazines having to shut down or go to extreme measures like asking readers for donations. The Wire and RnR are independent magazines that survived this hard time for magazines so their conventions and uses of content and media language clearly resonates with their audiences to keep their sales high enough to get through the lockdown and print crisis. 

Research Task One: How has the UK consumer magazine industry evolved?

Over the last 10 years, the magazine industry has seen a significant decline in print circulation and sales which has impacted the magazine company's overall revenues. There have been multiple factors that have contributed to this: the move to online media has meant that the magazines are more easily accessed through websites and social media platforms, Covid-19 accelerated the decline in revenue significantly which fell by 33% from 2019 to 2020 and the increased competition with new digital and visual platforms like Instagram and Facebook. 

In 2000, UK consumers spent £1.4 billion on magazines whereas, in 2020, only £669 million was spent which illustrates the steep decline that the industry has faced. Overall, there has been a decline in the number of magazine titles offered with the closing of nearly 500 businesses since 2000. Music magazines have been one of the styles that has been impacted the most because the circulation has fallen by 90% to 1.8 million from 2017 to 2021. "Successful large players" of the industry now don't consider themselves successful anymore because of the decline. 

The typical target audience of music magazines (usually 16-25 year olds) are now more interested social media platforms and the direct contact you get with music artist through that than investing in magazines of the same topic. Q, the once biggest music magazine, who sold 200,000 copies every edition at the peak of its time now barely sell 50,000 which shows the diversion in attention of the audience away from magazines. 

Set Brief

 INSTRUCTIONS

I have been given a set brief for my NEA.

My NEA must not reproduce an existing media product.

I must work individually on my NEA but others may act in or appear in the production and/or may operate lighting, sound, recording or other equipment under my direction.

My NEA must only use original footage, images and/or text within my production. I must not use any found images in my NEA production

SET BRIEF : Magazines and online

Requirements of the brief

I work for an independent media production company. I have been given the task of producing the front cover and contents page of the first two editions of a new music magazine that is being launched by an independent publisher and two pages for the working website for the magazine.

The web pages must promote the new magazine to its target audience and enable fans to interact with the content.

Summary of brief requirements:

• Statement of Intent (approx. 500 words)

• Music magazine covers and contents pages: Two pages for each of the first two editions.

• Magazine distribution method: Content must be suitable for retail distribution.

• Number of web pages: One homepage and one linked page.

• Cross media production target audience: A primarily 16–25 year old middle market audience that likes to be entertained.

There must be a clear sense of branding across the two elements of the cross-media production.