How to write introductions and conclusions

·         Begin with a clear argument about the new challenges facing the magazine industry incorporating how much audience consumption has changed due to digital tech/ new media tech/ the development of the internet (web 2.0)

·         MUST state what area of the media industry you have studied

·         “Technology is shifting power away from editor’s, the publishers, the establishment, the media elite, now it’s the people who are taking control” (Murdoch, 2006)

Example Paragraphs

·         “In recent times the media industry has witness’s meteoric rise in new technologies. The advancement of the internet, for example, as it entered its second phase ( web 2.0) enables consumers to access media in new and unparalleled ways . For the magazine industry, this has presented both challenges and opportunities” (taken from exemplar essay)

·         The magazine institution Future PLC describes prosumers as “enthusiasts who’s passion for their hobby makes them more like professional consumers” (Future PLC, 2010)

·         The media landscape has changed dramatically over the last decade due to advancements of digital technology, and this has directly impacted on media institutions, both the way in which they construct and produce their media texts as well as the form in which to present them.  Consumers are now more powerful than ever before and magazines such as NME (IPC Media) and Metal Hammer (Future PLC) have had to respond to the new emerging needs and demands of their audiences in order to survive; “Technology is shifting power away from editor’s, the publishers, the establishment, the media elite, now its the people who are taking control” (Murdoch, 2006).

Own first paragraph

I have been studying the way in which magazines have been produced, consumed and the many challenges that the printed word has to face, such as the increase use of web 2.0 which enables people across the world to interact with each other and the media in ways they never have before. This has impacted the magazine industry dramatically it has created many opportunities and challenges; magazines such as NME (IPC Media) and Metal Hammer (Future PLC)have had to evolve their company to suit consumer interest, which now has a more front seat role than ever before as the consumers are now prosumers.

Closing paragraphs

•       Draw all of essay together in one sentence, refer back to opening paragraph

•       What is the Future of the magazine industry?

•       Personal insight/opinion

Example Closing Paragraphs

•       Overall techno convergence is important as consumers needs alter and change but for the magazine industry to survive they must make any technological advancements not a replacement for the hard copy of the magazine as Future have so far successfully done.  As online advertising reached 18% for future it is important. (taken from exemplar essay)

•       We are now living in exponential times (M. Wesch, 2008) and the use and potential of Web 2.0 is unknown.  The way in which media texts are produced by everyday ‘average’ humans and the ways in which this travels around the globe must impact on the magazine industry and media industries alike.  Will magazines survive?  In my opinion they will; they have proven they can adapt successfully within this changing climate but the extra content offered to consumers via convergences in technology, could replace the magazine itself.  They may well survive and continue to evolve but their use, construction and media form in which they exist will inevitably change.

Own Closing Paragraph

Overall, I believe that media convergence is extremely important as from what we’ve seen prosumer use has increased dramatically, and so by incorporating different platforms into a magazine brand will enable wider audience to reach it. This is something that magazine industries can do, and can do successfully, such as NME (IPC Media) who have many technological aspects to offer to their readers, which will always create interest, hence meaning that the magazine industry will never fail – although, the increase in the development of technology could wipe out the printed magazine entirely, thus signifying that despite its uses, convergence in media does have a downfall.

Exam questions

QU - Discuss the issues raised by an institution’s need to target specific audiences within a media industry which you have studied

•       Introduction

•       Prosumers, UGC, Uses and Gratifications theory*

•       “The advancement of Web 2.0 and internet sites such as YouTube allows consumers to become directors, producers, marketers and distributors of their own media texts”

•       “NME magazine offers their audience a one-stop-shop where they can purchase music, clothes, find out about the latest gigs, communicate with other ‘like minded’ consumers all whilst listening to their radio station or watching their TV channel, this is a truly multi-platform approach”

•       Future PLC describes prosumers as “enthusiasts who’s passion for their hobby makes them more like professional consumers”

•       Their target audience is predominantly 18-24 year olds (Alexa’s WebTraffic, 2010), with a majority of 64% being males (National Readership survey). 

•       Metal Hammer must offer the audience fruitful opportunity to UGC (User Generated Content). 

•       Overall, Future, has performed well in a declining market, with Metal Hammer and Classic Rock reporting increases in circulation, with Metal Hammer reaching a circulation of 50,269 and classic rock 70, 188 (ABC, Dec 08).

•       consumers approach NME and Metal Hammer from a very personable position

•       ‘Music’ naturally creates communities and consumers are incredibly passionate and create strong personal relationships with their favourite bands/artists. 

•       This online community adds to the experience as users can interact with like-minded people, voting in polls such as “who has the best slipknot mask?” (MetalHammer.co.uk), giving users the sense that they are contributing to a community (Uses and Gratifications theory, 1974).  They are also educated and entertained (Use and Gratifications, 1974) with video exclusives, Metallica Live, and Opeth on tour

•       Mass Vs. Niche – loyalty, audience behaviour and audience targeting

•       Who their target market is – examples of how they meet it

•       NME have lots to offer and a wide music base – loyal customers

•       However, NME could be TOO BIG – Metal Hammer focuses on a smaller tm

•       Convergence

•        

•       Synergy

•       Advertising revenue and targeting

•       Printing

•       Production and printing

•       Future

Uses and Gratifications theory – 5 reasons why we consumer media texts: Information/ education – Big Fat Gypsy Weddings; Entertainment –Eastenders ; Social Integration- I’m A Celeb; Personal Identity – Skins, Shameless

IPC Media Case Study

1     Who are they?

·         Consumer magazine and digital publishing company

2.       Are they British/ European/ American?

·         British

3.       What other magazines do they produce?

·         Women’s division (IPC Connect)

·   Look, Now, Chat and Woman

·         Man’s portfolio (IPC Inspire)

·   Country Life, Horse and Hound, Rugby World, NME, Nuts

4.       What other media texts do they produce?

·         NME  produce a magazine as well as a radio station and a clothing store – synergy

·         NME audience can use their website to listen to their radio station, whist searching for clothes and following their favourite band and applyinjg for festival tickets as well as commenting on and talking with other audiences

·         All of their magazines have their own website

·   Also have a Facebook, Twitter and RSS feeds

·         Reaches a bigger audience

·         IPC also produce books, printing and new technology

5.       Do they produce products other than media texts?

·         Online shop – Posters

·         Free gifts

·         Radio station and TV Channel

·         Radio station app

·         NME awards

·         Stage at Reading and Leeds Festival

·         Competitions – to meets bands

6.       How important is convergence for your institution?

·         Very – listeners of NME Radio and TV are more likely to read the magazine (technological convergence) and the forums on their websites (media convergence) help to create interest and target a wide range of people

·         BUT COULD REPLACE ,AGAZINE ITSELF

·   Circulation figures fell by 14.3% to 29,020 in the 1^st half of 2011 – website praised for the content on offer

·         Mulit- platform company

·         Audience have to opportunity to write in and give their opinion on music – recent gigs, post in drawings/crafts – gives them the opportunity to feel valued and voice their views – like to be hears – Gratification Theory (1974)

7.       How do they market their magazine?

·         Use recent music news – Amy Winehouse on the cover of December issue – people more likely to buy it as it has exclusive info on her album

·         Within the magazine – Advertise special ‘The Smiths’ collectors issue – USP

·         At festivals – NME Tent – if people like the music performed then they wouild want to read the magazine

8.       How do they target their audience?

·         NME main target audience – aged 15-44, ABC1’s, would also be TEA (NRS Readership Estimates)

·         Alexa.com – male, college experience, white

·         They cater for amny things that a wide audience have in common to agree on – 71% want to look well dresses – mainstream – readers can explore small and upcoming bands in detail on their website

9.       Use of NMT

·         Radio app on phone

·         NME Extra – scanned with phone bar code – access to tickets

·         Praised for the amount of content offered on its website

·   Offers a one-stop-shop

·         Can purchase music, tickets, clothes, latest gigs, communicate with other like minded consumers while listening to their radio station ot watching their TV channel – mulit-platform approach

·   Exclusive and limited edition David Bowe music guide on the iPad

10.   Change in production – cost, use of digital technology, printing technology?

·         Magazine paper is rough – not high quality, glossy pages – as they cost more – don’t see the point in paying for high quality paper as people access all their other products (website, apps)

11.   How do they distribute their magazine?

·         Export service – 90 countries – sell 13 m copies every year

·         Sold at WHSmiths, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons- m/c

·   Lidl, Esso and BP  - Reaches ABC1 nad other social classes

12.   How do they make money?

·         NME  - £2.30 – weekly – years profit pp = £110.40

·   Biggest profitable magazine – weekly – constantly updated and used

·         Subscriptions – IPC – The Mix – mixture of all of their magazines for 12 months

13.   Challenges of the magazine industry?

·         New Media Technology and convergence could replace the physical magazine itself – true in NME ‘s case – circulation figures have gone down 14.3% to 29,020 – their magazine is no longer fulfilling, but their website is

14.   Who is the core buyer of the magazine?

·         Males

·         ABC1’s

·         18-24

15.   Arw they targeting a niche/ smaller mass population?

·         Mainstream – various genres and artists for everyone

16.   How do they target different audiences?

·         Competition entries

·         Reader surveys

·         Allows consumers to download music

·         Website shows a range of music and artists – advertise to different audiences and ethnicity’s – something Metal Hammer doesn’t do

·         Target their young audience well (18-24) Alexa.com through NMT – hugely popular with younger generation

·   NME Extra – scan bar code in magazine – Get exclusives – Example’s Sring tour

·   Radio app

·         Cater for a wide audience – people have in common

·   71% want to look well dressed – mainstream

·   Mixture of mainstream and niche bands

·         Gig lists

·         Crosswords

·         Back issues

17.   What opportunities do the audience have and how might this satisfy mainstreamers/ succeeders?

·         Competitions

·         Gig lists

·         Crosswords

·         Back issues

·         NME Extra – scan bar code in magazine – Get exclusives – Example’s Sring tour

·         Radio app

·         Website shows a range of music and artists

·         Competition entries

·         Reader surveys/ reviews of gigs and albums – readers are able to become prosumers – Want their voice to be heard

·         Allows consumers to download music

·   Variation of content – appeals to a wide range of people – mainstreamers

·   Back issues and crosswords would appeal to the older readers of the magazine

·         Can email, Tweet or Facebook them about issues – John Lewis advert and The Smiths cover – Gratification Theory  (1974)

18.   Mode of address and how does it appeal to the target audience?

·         The way in which a media  text speaks to its target audience in order to encourage the audience to identify with it” – the manner, tone and attitude of the magazine

·         Friendly – like you’re friends

·         Colloquial language – “Little bro” – refering to Noel Gallagher – makes the celebs seem emotionally closer to you, rather than as people you don’t really know

·         Banter – slightly jokey tone that you would use with your friends

“It’s been all Noel, Noel, Noel everywhere you look recently, but look! Little bro is back and he’s got a UK tour, but before that there’s a fistful of questions from you lot, the fans, to contend with. Just before a show in Amsterdam, surrounded and helped out by his band mates, he will tackle the gigantic array of topics that are thrown up, from Henry The Hoover to how he plans to protect Pretty Green stores from future riots, why Twitter is “for dicks”, the future of Beady Eye and, of course, the future of that other band he used to be in with his brother. It’s all as brilliant and entertaining as you might expect, and worth the cover price alone, quite frankly.” – bigging themselves up, but in a jokey way, and very informal and friendly

19.   How is the brand being positioned?

·         Top of the mainstream market

·   Covers all genres of music – makes it very popular (POD)

·         This creates loyal consumers – people like multiple genres – all in one place – easily accessed

20.   What are the brand values?

·         Consumers view NME as ‘damn honest’ (NME Reader Profile)

·         “We have the best access to your favourite bands. We have the greatest music writing and photography. We're the ultimate source for discovering the best new music first. We also give to charity.” (NME.com)

·   View themselves as THE magazine to go to for everything music related – they have EVERYTHING you could possibly want

Future PLC Case Study

1.       Who are they?

·         Media company – publish more than 150 magazines

·   This includes genres of video games, technology, automotive, cycling, films, photography

·         ‘Biggest music making publisher in both the US and the UK’ – Future PLC 2011

2.       Are they British/ Euopean/ American?

·         All

3.       What other magazines do they produce?

·         Biggest titles – Xbox 360: The Official Magazine, Total Film, T3, Guitar World and Maximum PC

·         Magazines for games, technology, music, sport, cycling

4.       What other media texts do they produce?

·         Websites for their magazines

·   Attract 7 mil visitors via T3.com, maclife.com

5.       Do they produce products other than media texts?

·         Metal Hammer merchandise

·         The Heavy List – music app

·         Bikeradar.com – downloadable routes and largest reviews database

·         T3 Gadgets Awards

·         Podcasts

·         Videos

6.       How important is convergence for your institution?

·         Very – used existing convergences to further appeal to prosumers

·         Important in retaining advertising revenue to remain advanced enough to attract advertisers

·         Website example of conversion

·   Nearly 60,00 individual visitors since starting (future licensing.com)

·   Alexa’s web traffic

1.       White male

2.       No children

3.       Educated

4.       18-24

5.       Spend 2.7 minutes

·         Targets the right market

·   Website allows them to interact

1.       Voting polls – ‘Which game are you most looking forward to in 2012?’

·         Uses Gratification Theory (1974) – sense of contributing to a community,

·         educated and entertained with video exclusives and podcasts – Trivium – Directed to muza – people can add comments/ share the videos via Twitter and Facebook – stops prosumers from going to competitors – convergence provides best service for users

·         Convergence maintains interest in Metal Hammer brand

                                                                                                                                       i.      Web 2.0 – allows user generated content

·         CONVERGENCE COULD REPLACE THE PHYSICAL MAGAZINE ITSELF

·   Future PLC offers solutions for licensing their magazines across their portfolio to iPad and iPhone

7.       How do they market their magazine?

·         At their events – target the audience they wish to sell to – virally at the events – guerrilla marketing

·         Base everything the do on passionate enthusiasts called prosumers – ‘passion for their hobby makes them like professional consumers’

8.       Use of NMT

·         Metal Hammer’s The Heavy List app

·         Facebook and Twitter account

·         Forums – like minded people can discuss festivals/ readers reviews (UGC)

·         Synergy

·   Podcasts

·   Hammerfest – own festival

9.       How does the institution distribute their magazine?

·         Sold WHSmiths, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons – m/c

·         Lidl, Esso and BP – w/c

·   Target different social classes – more chance of people buying

10.   How do they make money?

·         Merchandise

·         Hammerfest tickets

·         Online advets – on the side of the page – similar to them

·         Costs £4.25 monthly – min of £51 per person per year

·   Xbox 360 Magazine - £5.99 monthly – min of £71.88 per person per year

11.   How important is the relationship between the advisers and the magazine institution?

·         Very – as if a brand is advertised well then people are more likely to buy from them

·         People trust magazine adverts more, so companies will want to be advertised

·         Gone up online from 22%-33% (Steve Spring, May 2011)

12.   Challenges of the magazine industry?

·         Increase use of online content could wipe out printed magazine completely

·         BUT – Metal Hammer’s circulation rose to ).1% in 2011 to just over 44,000 unlike NME who fell 14.3% to 29,020 (pressgazette.com)

·   Magazine doesn’t advertise online as much

·         ‘The shift creates both a threat (in terms of potentially reducing magazine revenues) and opportunities’ (Interim Report, May 2011)

·         Because their audience are prosumers, they are ‘more engaged, more loyal, more committed and more prepared to pay premium prices for premium products’

·   Niche market means they specifically cater to readers needs

1.       Forums allow them to do this

13.   Who’s their core buyer?

·         Male

·         20-34

·         Hardrock and heavy metal lovers

·         With education

·         No children

·   Alexa.co.uk

14.   Are they targeting a niche/ small or mass population?

·         Niche – subjected to Metal Hammer Lovers

15.   How do they target audiences?

·         Target one main audience – provide them with info from a specific background – metal/ heavy rock bands and artists

·         Website – competitions and news – meet and see favourite rock bands – pod casts and videos

·         Readers can get involved on the forums – share personal views – read by Metal Hammer Company

16.   What do they offer them in terms of products they offer/ produce?

·         CD-Rom’s, DVD’s –Full Studio album from Metal Titans Furyon

·         Brochures

·         Product samples

·         Small magazines – December issue – Nightwish

·         The Heavy List app – top tracks - £5 – serious lovers of the brand would get this

·         Podcasts

·         Exclusive videos

·         Subscriptions – free gift each month

·         Merchandise

·         Twitter, Facebook accounts – Twitter – ‘Who’s your defender?’

                                                                                                                                       i.      Polls –‘ Which game are you most looking forward to in 2012?’

·         Hammerfest

17.   What opportunities do the audience have and how might this satisfy mainstreamers/ succeeders, etc?

·         Competitions

·   Win gig tickets – Wednesday 13!

·   Meet and greet – A Pale Horse Named Death

·         Not really mainstreamers cup of tea – specific audience in mind

18.   Mode of address and how does it appeal to the target audience?

·         ‘Join the Crusade’ writing style – explitive ‘F*** you!’ – readers feel a sense of community within the magazine

·         Advets stress the anti-establishment ideologies with Attitude Clothing and HMV Metal – Ticket adverts

·         Coilloquial – decreases distance between writers and consumers – reader feels like they are friends

·   Encorages people to email anything into Ask Jurgen

1.       Makes them feel worthy

19.   How is the brand being positioned?

·         ‘ultimate Bible’ for every Hard Rock and Heavy Metal fan

·         A magazine that is passionate about the music and the lifestyle that comes with it

·         Unique – only focuses on a niche market, so caters specifically for their needs – POD/USP – creates brand loyalty

20.   What are the brand values?

·         Aim to be the ‘number one provider of content’ in their ‘specialist sectors’

·         To be able to give their readers everything and anything about heavy metal etc