Key questions for analysing your chosen music magazines

Using media terminology (what is denoted and connoted) conduct an analysis of the magazine's front cover under these headings:


THE FRONT COVER:
Target Audience: (mainstream, niche, gender, reasons for this based on content)
PLUGS (comment on their positions, what they say and why they are there)
Masthead and Sell Line (mode of address - what kinds of words have been chosen and what are the connotation, colours, fonts, size)
Main cover image (mode of address - ideal self/ideal partner? mise-en-scene, camerawork and composition - what representations do these micro elements create?)
Main cover line for splash article (mode of address - words, colour, font and connotations)
Cover lines (including banners - again look at the words chosen, size, font colour and connotations)
Other images (why have these been used? ideal self/ ideal partner? mise-en-scene, camerawork and composition - what representations do these micro elements create? Juxtaposition with cover lines?)


THE CONTENTS PAGE
Content (mode of address - comment on types of articles and how they target their readership, images, text, colours)
Juxtaposition of elements (space, layout, connotations of juxtapositioning)


A DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD
Content (mode of address - comment on images, text, colours, topic)
Juxtaposition of elements (space, layout, connotations of juxtapositioning)


THE PUBLISHER OF THE MAGAZINE:


Who publishes the magazine?
What other magazines (if any) does it publish?
What other media interests (if any) does it have?
How much does the magazine cost?
How often is it published?
What is its circulation/ readership?
Does the magazine have a website?