Research

The research I have conducted is to help me gain an understanding of the regional magazine industry, the businnesses they advertise as well as the audiences they are aiming for. I have done this through analysing features of a magazine front cover, advertisements, contents pages and billboards thouroghly. By doing this, I will be able to construct my own magazine to a standard that it can also be amongst competing regional magazines.   

MARKET RESEARCH

What do you know about your region?

Essex is a county within the region of East Anglia situated in Greater London.  It is home of national TV stars from the only way is Essex. However, Essex is not only known for their controversial celebrities but the many areas home to Greater London’s elite. Many stars settle in Essex for the buzz of celebrity life in London. There are also attractions such as South end on sea, beautiful wildlife attractions like Rainham Marshes in Purfleet as well as Colchester’s beautiful RHS Garden Hyde Hall.

What magazines already exist in this area?

Essex Life – Produced by The Resident, who publishes regional magazines mainly for West London. They are a part of ‘The great British life’ which is a subsidiary to UK’s current, largest regional magazine publisher, Archant.

What are typical features of these regional magazines?

From the research I have carried out, through my analysis of different magazine covers, I have found that each all share a common feature of a fashion spread.

What audience do luxury magazines aim for?

The resident life – Consider themselves as a ‘premium magazine’ and run in west London, some of England’s wealthiest people live there, amongst them are politicians and celebrities. This suggests they are aiming for people within a good financial status, who can afford the magazine on a monthly basis.

How much are they charging for these magazines?

Inspired Essex is Free

Essex life is £3.45

RM magazine- Free but you can subscribe 6-12 month and pay for delivery which is £15 for 6 months

Questionnaire & Results

I have also conducted a questionnaire to ask the audience about specific elements they are aware of within regional magazines or even if its a concept they are not aware of. My results will determine what features I would like to include in to my magazine.

Questionnaire

1)      
Have you ever read a regional magazine?

a)      Yes

b)      No

2)      
What name would you prefer for a magazine based on Essex?

a)      Life in Essex

b)      Essex Daily

c)       Essex Lifestyle

3)      
What features of local news do you like to read?

a)      Offers and events

b)      Entertainment

c)       Arts and culture

4)      
What type of adverts are you most likely to look at?

a)      Health and Beauty

b)      Fashion

c)       Educational

5)      
Do you enjoy reading celebrity features?

a)      Yes

b)      No

c)       Depends on the celebrity

6)      
Would you consider entering a competition from a magazine?

a)      Yes

b)      No

 Results

These pie charts represents the feedback of my questionnaire that I have handed out to 10 people, 5 females and 5 males and the ages vary from 18-30. From the results I have seen, I will adapt certain elements that are strongly popular within the audience into my magazine. 

Question 1

Over half of the people I have surveyed have not read a regional magazine, and were not aware of its purpose or its contents. Therefore, my magazine will represent some very useful conventions of a regional magazine in order for readers to identify what type of magazine they are reading.

Question 2

Half of the people surveyed have voted for the name 'Life in Essex'. Therefore, I will create my magazine name based on this.

Question 3

 

The most read section of local newspapers is the entertainment section, therefore, there will be big focus upon on the entertainment section that I will incorporate in to my magazine in order to respond to audiences expectations.  

 
Question 4

From my msurvey these advertisements are most viewed in my magazine. This suggests that readers within my target audience range take interest in products related to the health and beauty industry as well as fashion. I will create an advertisement based on products within these industries.

Question 5

According to my survey results, many readers only like to read articles/features based on what celebrity they are reading it. Many also commented that the magazine should also reflect the celebrities they use. From this, readers have made it clear they want the contents of the magazine to represent the genre and want some common conventions of that genre.

.

 

Question 6    

                                                 Another typical element of regional magazines is that many use promotional material such as competitions to engage readers and therefore increase readership.

 

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

Magazine Front Covers

I have analysed examples of regional magazine covers within Essex to enhance my research in gaining a better understanding of essential elements within a magazine. Some important issues I covered are: 

• How and why are features positioned and presented?
• What are the audiences for these magazines?
• How does the magazine sell?
• Media Terminology

ESSEX LIFE

Brief Summary: Essex Life is a lifestyle regional magazine for Essex. Currently owned by the UK’s second largest independent regional publishing company, Archant, it is one of the many regional lifestyle magazines being published in Britain. The magazine focuses on the county’s best features, attractions and interviews the county’s famous and established residents/celebrities. The audience is both male and female residents of Essex. Features like local news and sporting are considered to be in the interest of men whereas women would enjoy local celebrity news and features on local schools etc.

                                        

INSPIRED ESSEX 

Brief summary: Inspired Essex is a free regional magazine that focuses on issues like beauty, fashion and celebrity news as well as cultural references to the area. This suggests that they have a target audience of women; preferably young women aged 20 – 45. However, men may be attracted to certain features like local events and local news.

RM MAGAZINE 

Brief Summary: The magazine RM also known as ‘role model magazine’ is a free regional magazine. Its main features are fashion and style, which generally appeals to female readers. However, local events and news could appeal to a male audience as well as certain features like the car review.

Summary of Magazine Front Covers

From the analysis of the three regional magazines mentioned above, one typical element amongst the magazines is the use of a main coverline. Therefore, I will incorporate a main cover line in my magazine which will help in appealing to my target audience.

Magazine Contents Page and Advertisements

I have also analysed the contents pages of regional magazines to help get an understanding of its structure and layout. I will construct a contents page of my own and have taken inspiration from the different elements I have analysed. I have also analysed different types of advertisements selling and promoting various products/businesses which will also contribute as one of my magazine page.

RM Magazine; Contents page

 

This contents consists of one page and highlights the main featured articles of the magazine to appeal to audiences to the best articles they have to offer. The remaining stories are mentioned below the highlighted stories.

RM Magazine; Advertisement

This advertisement feature is a double page spread and consists of  advertisements. Two advertisements are split on the left page in two columns where as the right page of the magazine consists of an article feature promoting the magazines sponsor company.

                           

Essex Life: Contents Page 

This contents page is a double page spread and has pictures along the top of the page, highlighting the main/ exclusive stories that are available by Essex Life then mentioning the rest of the magazine contents aswell as using certain opportnities to promote companies.

 

Essex Life; Advertisement

This advertisement featured in Essex Life is for a luxury brand and not only increases the status of the magazine being 'high end' but also suggests what audience the magazine is aiming for, which is wealthy people within the region of Essex.

   

Inspired Essex: Contents Page 

The contents page of this magazine is quite brief and focuses on not giving too much away but highlights stories that will be of interest towards thier target audience. This page also includes a editors letter, which insights readers what the aims of this magazine are.

Summary of magazine contents pages & Advertisements

From analysing contents pages, a regular element within them is highlighting the main stories that the magazine is featuring along with images that are related to the main stories. Therefore, I will incorporate this element to my contents page. With the advertisements, many luxury brands advertise their products in a simplistic way to create the atmosphere of a well-established designer. Therefore, I will create a luxury brand and show simplistic conventions such as bold, sophisticated colours.

ANCILLERY TASKS

Billboard advertisement and Website Pages

Textual Analysis

I have also have two ancillery tasks accompanying my magazine production; a billboard advertisement and two hyperlinked website pages based on the magazine. I have critically analysed an example for each ancillery task I have to produce. 

Essex Life

Billboard

 

CONCLUSION

The research I have conducted has helped me to finalise on what elements of a real regional magazine I will incorporate into my own final production. I have decided that I will use typical elements which will help to establish a professional magazine cover such as using a similar font presented in the headmast, a main cover story, barcode, date, as well as non typical elements such as a sophisticated background image. 

 

The market research has also allowed me to establish my target audience, which is a female audience of 18- 45 years. This is a broad age appeal as my regional magazine will be for homeowners in Essex varying to even the daughters of these homeowners. For instance, features like an Entertainement section would appeal to a younger audience from 18-35 years as opposed to 'Decoration ideas' appealing to 30-45 years and therefore my magazine can be read by any woman in Essex!