NME Magazine Format Analysis

NME Magazine Format Analysis

Front Cover



Layout- The general layout of the front cover is spread out. There are lots of areas for the background image to become the centre of attention for the magazine as it covers the background. The use of just one image of Franz Ferdinand, sends a sign to the target market showing that this monthly issue is dedicated to Franz Ferdinand so the content is aimed at there fans. Unfortunately this is overlaid in the top and centre of the page with massive, bold text. The bleeding red text, such as the masthead, cries out for attention as it would draw in the reader’s eyes to see the branding of the magazine. The colour red is a very warm and positive colour, it represents excitement and motivation but it also acts as a universal colour for danger. The use of this colour must have been used to warn the readers of what they’re about to read is to “amazing to read”, so it would try to draw the reader in.

Along the top of the magazine, red and black subheadings with brief phrases, hover over the masthead. Giving the readers an idea of what other features lay inside the magazine. The use of big, bold white and yellow text in the centre of the magazine also gives away another brief idea of the content. However this featured news revolves around Franz Ferdinand so it would appeal more to their fans, causing NME to encourage the fans to buy their magazine.

Font- The style of font varies across the front cover. Quotes are shown in very thin italic font in speech marks whilst names of bands, artists and titles of featured contents are in bold Arial text to stand out in front of the background information and capture the reader’s attention. The use of different coloured text helps to group different pieces of information together as well as showing its importance in the magazine. For instance, the brighter and bolder the colour is, such as the red masthead, the more it would stand out as importance as it represents the branding of the magazine. The use of black text can present a mystery as the colour is a secretive and hidden colour to use. The use of the yellow text can show optimistic and cheerfulness and white is a pure colour so the text is trying to show the readers that the featured information is true and not a made up story.

Colour Scheme- The four main colours on the front cover of the magazine are red, black, white and yellow. The use of presenting the text in bright colours, such as white and yellow, are used to dazzle their target audience by making the information stand out from the magazine and other magazines on the shelf. As I’ve already mentioned before. The use of the colour red is also used to grab the reader’s attention by showing the iconic masthead of the magazine companies’ owners NME. This lets their target audience know that it is there magazine so it is a trust worthy source of music news for NME’s usual buyers. Finally, the colour black is a standard colour to present information. However, as I have mention early, the text could represent a hidden story that not many music fans no about, another reason for people to read the magazine.

Images- With there being only one image for the front cover; it almost leaves the rest of the magazine unknown to the reader as they suspect the magazine to be dedicated to Franz Ferdinand so it would appeal more to there fan base and it would help NME’s sales of magazines.



Contents

Layout- The first thing to point out about the contents page, is that there is no chronological order for each of the featured articles shown on the contents pages and another thing is that not all of the magazine is covered in the contents page. Unfortunately, I find that unhelpful. For example, if your trying to find an interesting music review in the magazine, but you cant remember where it is. You will then have to flick through the magazine to find it instead of finding it on the contents page because it isn’t recommended on the contents page. However, the positioning of the images and the page numbers helps to make way for a quote from each article and a brief catchy subheading, which gives a little bit of information about the given article and the numbers in bold orange text help to show which page to go two.

On the plus side, instead of the page being called ‘contents’ the company has decided to be unique and call it ‘inside this week’ making it sound catchy and making the magazine brand sound original and different from other music magazines.

The use of placing the advertisement for the magazines subscription in the bottom right hand corner almost makes it less of an eye saw as its not in the way of the rest of the contents page but its orange background makes it visible to readers, to alert them of the offer and how to get a hold of more NME magazines.

Font- There are lots of different styles of fonts on the contents page, varying from different types of bold and narrow Arial's and fancy Times New Roman. The large majority of bold and narrow text bits of detailed information for the readers to scan over whilst the fancy Times New Rome or Georgia font is used to present the contents page’s title and subheadings, like where it says, ‘plus’. The positioning of bold orange font for the page numbers are placed on top of each image to stand out for the readers so they can clearly tell what featured articles are on each page.

Colour Scheme- On the contents page, the main colours that we see are white, black and  almost a neon orange. The choice of the two primary contrasting colours, white and black, can give off the formality of the magazine making it feel like the readers are reading a newspaper, filled with musical news and information. The use of the colour orange for certain parts of the magazine can indicate the areas of either major importance, like the page numbers, or something the reader should check out, such as the advertisements background.

Images- Each of the images represents a featured music article within the music magazine. The use of the selection of different NME magazines for the subscription advertisement can show the history of NME’s magazines, showing their success and trying to encourage the readers to pick up another copy of the magazine.

Double Page Spread

Layout- With a very clear layout and the text being very spread out, it shows that the main image is wide open for viewing as it takes up most of the page. The title for the double page spread is a quote from Franz Ferdinand which is show in big, black, bold text, setting the title and the beginning of the story. The way the title is laid out tries to go around the band in the image, as it doesn’t want to get in the way of the most important part of the main image. The left third is presented in the bottom right of the double page spread which gives a brief outline of Franz Ferdinand’s story in the article which gives the readers a brief insight of the article on the following page.

The start of the article is presented on the right side of the double page spread which starts off the beginning of the article, trying to draw the readers into the article, so it may continue on to the other side of the page. This is indicated by a small red allow at the end of the last paragraph, alerting the reader that the rest of the article is on the over side of the page. A very handy indicator which can only really be notice able if the reader has read the double page spread.

Font- The title for the double page spread is presented in massive capitalised, black, Arial bold text. Quoting from the band, giving a hint into what the article is going to be about. The use of a white back drop behind each sentence makes the masthead visible to the readers and makes it stand out from the background image. In the left third, the text is presented the same way as the title, with a white back drop for each sentence. Each name in the paragraph is highlighted in red, possibly just used point out the key people who will be featured within the article. The font for this paragraph is different from the titles and the start of the article. It looks like the sort of text you world find from a CIA file, making it look secretive and something that shouldn’t have been shared in this article.

For the start of the first paragraph, the beginning letter of the article stands out the most, as the text goes around the letter. The big letter D, in white text presented within a black square, tries to dramatically set off the article by showing the beginning of the paragraph. In my magazine, I may not involve this style of presentation as it distracts the readers from the rest of the paragraph and the gap between the letter and the rest of the word can confuse the readers.

Colour scheme- The traditional white, black and red colour scheme makes the theme of the article more of a newspaper. Meaning that its trying to be formal and gives the readers lot of detailed information about the given topic. As the different text boxes are the only other key features on the pages, they are the only parts of the magazine that involve the colour scheme as the background is just one image.

Images- The single image of Franz Ferdinand covers across the background of the double page spread. This sets the theme for the rest of the article as it lets the readers know that the featured article is based on Franz Ferdinand and it shows the readers who they are and what they look like.