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

 

Research Task Two : Independent Music Magazines

Independent music magazines are publications that focus on covering and promoting music outside of mainstream or commercial channels. they often feature articles, reviews, interviews and insights into emerging artists and genres. these magazines provide a platform for independent artists and often have a more alternative or underground perspective compared to mainstream music publications.

THE WIRE:

The Wire music magazine offers in-depth coverage and analysis of avant-garde, experimental and underground music from around the world, selling at £7.50. The magazine contains reviews of albums, concerts and festivals, as well as, interviews, essays and articles  covering a range of genres including electronic, jazz, contemporary classical and noise. Furthermore, The Wire is an independent music print and online magazine that has been published monthly since1982. In the years 1984-2000 The Wire was owned by Numara, an all independent London based media company that also owned Quartet Books. However, in December 2000 it was purchased in a worker's buy-out organised by the magazine's then six full time staff and has been run that way ever since. 

The Wire is a popular magazine among enthusiasts and scholars for its comprehensive coverage of many music genres and events. This magazine offers those interested in music a chance to learn more about artists and coming up events that they may potentially visit. Moreover, it offers a range of information about artists, giving The Wire's audience a chance to become involved in something they love. 

RnR:

RnR, short for 'Rock n Reel', is a UK based music magazine that focuses on a wide range of roots, rock, folk and world music, it has been publishing bi-monthly since 1988. The magazine relies upon a small but hardworking team, covering both contemporary and traditional music, with features including album reviews, interviews with musicians, news and articles on music history and culture. RnR often highlights less known artists and genres, making it a valuable resource for music enthusiasts interested in exploring diverse musical traditions. Similarly to The Wire, RnR caters for all music enthusiasts, giving them an opportunity to engage and learn about the music industry.

The music magazine RnR is available in the UK and Ireland, on sale for £6.50, which is a described as "a excellent value for money" as the magazine contains features covering a wide range of subjects where their audience may not be able to discover in any other magazines. 

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

Over the years, the UK consumer magazine industry has evolved significantly, with digital platforms becoming increasingly important compared to traditional print publications. Many magazines have expanded their online presence and have created digital subscriptions in order to adhere to consumer preferences and technological advancements. Furthermore, this has decreased the production, circulation and distribution of print magazines, leaving many print magazine brands with a decrease in the number of sales and therefore revenue.

WHY: 

The magazine industry was dominated by print publications, however, it has slowly shifted toward digital platforms, which statistically showed to reach wider audiences. This shift predominantly happened due to Covid 19, further hitting sales and free titles, furthermore, platforms such as Instagram, X and Facebook provides readers with information, free of charge, allowing audiences to read their chosen magazines easily without the cost of print publications. 

The accessibility and convenience of online platforms have led to a decline in print readership, as people can access digital content any time and anywhere. Additionally, online platforms offer more interactive features, such as multi-media content and sharing of personal opinions, this may further attract a younger audience that prefers digital consumption. as a result of people's preferred reading, many print publications have had to adapt by launching their own online editions. This has further resulted in a decrease in print circulation and advertising revenue for traditional magazines.

UK MAGAZINE ADVERTISING REVENUE: 

Although the revenue for UK magazine advertising revenue was decreasing anyway, the Covid 19 pandemic sharply accelerated the fall in print advertising revenue, dropping by 33% from the years 2019-2020. This significant fall of revenue for print advertising has yet to recover due to the preferred reading of magazines on online platforms. 

Though the advertising revenue has largely decreased for print magazines, many brands have focused on their online presence. Covid 19 allowed brands to gain more audiences and subscriptions on their online formats as people largely relied on the media to keep up to date on current affairs and stories at a time when restrictions in society were high.

CIRCULATION: 

In the year 2000, 1.6 billion magazines were circulated in the UK, this number has decreased around 50% to 565 million in 2023. This is once again due to the shift of consuming content online as people are now offered with accessing online versions through their devices, reducing the need for physical copies. In the year 2020, digital platforms overtook print publications, not only in revenue but also in readership. This may also be due to Covid 19 as people adapted to the lockdown changes and subscribed to their chosen brand of magazine online as print publications would have been hard to get hold of.

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 your production. I must not use any found images in your 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.