I aimed my Questionnaires at 14-21 year olds, because I am in this age group. I understood their thoughts and related to what their views and opinions were on local papers. From the audience feedback I received, I learnt that teenagers didn't think enough news was provided for their age groups in their Local Paper. Because I used facebook to distribute my questionnaires, I had friends from other areas of the country that gave their opinions on their local papers. Therefore I wasn't just asking youths from my own area, that would give an opinion on the one local newspaper that we all know. My front page story, and the story featured in my 2nd page, was of a Teenager, who had made a success. Looking at the questionnaires, a lot of the teens asked thought success was featured a lot in their paper, therefore I considered it a Code and used that, with a story of a Teenager. I did this because It takes both themes found from the Questionnaires and makes it suitable for the teens asked. Although the specific audience was Teens, the Target Audience was to attract all local people in a local community, therefore I featured a sport sub-headline, talking about the Local Football League.
How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning, and evaluation stages?
The main use of new media technology used in my Portfolio was the blog. I used blogger.com to show all of my research, embedding YouTube videos for my Radio advertisement research, Uploading examples of Local newspapers and newspaper posters to find the codes and conventions for my own product, and scanning and uploading my sketches of Layouts for my print products. This also comes in to the planning section, as for each of my print, I had to create mock ups of how I wanted my newspaper/poster to look. The main use of new technology was using Facebook for my Questionnaires. I mailed the questions to a group of people, from different areas and of different ages in the 14-21 group, asking them to complete it and send it back to me. Facebook was a real advantage to me as without it, I would have had to print off my Questionnaires and handed them out, which could have caused a lot of disadvantages, as some may not have been given back to me, some people may not have bothered to fill it in, etc. Facebook however, is used everyday by teenagers and is convenient for them to quickly fill out and send back. For the construction, I used Publisher for my product creation, as I think this was the most appropriate program for a Newspaper, as I could make Layouts, include columns and texts, etc. I also used Publisher for my Newspaper poster, for the same reasons. I edited my radio advertisement using Adobe Premier. Instead of just using audio and adding it into my blog, I added in a title explaining what the audio was and who it was done by. I then used YouTube to Upload the 'video' and embedded it into my blog, along with the practice/Mock ups, etc. Lastly, I used Twitter and Tumblr to advertise my final products, linking it up to my blog so my followers could comment on what their thoughts of the products were, and if they found them effective.
In what ways does your media product use, develop and challenge forms and conventions of read media products?
Throughout my research and production of my products, I looked at the codes and conventions of Newspaper Front Pages, Articles and Posters. The main element I looked at was the layout of each of the three, how the article was set out, where the Photographs were places, if advertisement's were featured on the page. I looked at two front page covers, then looked at two article pages, all featuring different stories. This led me to draw out three of my own mock ups of the newspaper front page, second page and poster using the bases of the layouts I have looked at and choosing the one I think was most suitable for my design.
I think I developed my work from the examples I looked at by really emphasizing on the Local Theme of my newspaper. Some of the examples I looked at featured national news, along side the local, whereas I wanted the part of the newspaper I was designing to be strictly local.
The fact that my questionnaires told me that teenagers didn't think enough news was featured in Local Papers for their age group was how I challenged the newspapers I looked at. I wanted to use the research I found and report something that was relevant to the people asked. This is why the story of the Teenager being successful was relevant. The story emphasized how she was the first to achieve what she achieved (getting into a 'Top London Drama School') in the local area. I made sure this was clear throughout my report and front page, by featuring the story as the Main headline. I also think because my local newspaper was 'new', a positive story on the cover would attract the right audience.
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
To combine all of my products together, I needed to create a 'Brand'. I did this by including a similar style to each of the products. For example, I used the Masthead on the Front page on the Poster to advertise my newspaper, So it was familiar to my audience. I think it was important to create a similar 'vibe' throughout all of my products, that being a positive, fresh and successful theme, using positive stories, advertising them on my posters and on my radio advertisement's, with positive, upbeat music. I also tried to keep a similar style throughout my print work, using the same fonts for my Headlines, Sub-headlines and articles. I Also used the same newspaper caption throughout all of work, so Audiences will remember it as the newspapers line. Overall, I think I achieved my aim of creating a 'Brand' for the local newspaper.
Front Page Analysis
Looking at my Front page of my newspapers, You can see that I have tried to stick with the codes and conventions of a Newspaper Cover.
Layout is classic of a newspaper. I have included a sub-headline above the main story/headline, that is of a different section of the newspaper, to show the variety of news featured in the paper.
The masthead is important as it is the 'brand' logo for the newspaper. People will see it and immediately know it is that newspaper. I used this on my poster also, with the emblem in the middle, representing the newspaper. I kept it simple, therefore the headline, which is different, stands out.
Beneath the masthead I featured the date/price and caption of the newspaper, which was 'Your Local Source for Local News'. I really tried to emphasize the local theme, strictly only including local type news on my front cover.
My Byline features a picture of the reporter that has written the main story. I did this because I think it includes an element of National Newspapers in it.
The Main headline features a sub-headline beneath it, going into more detail on the story, with lines, sectioning it all off.
In the bottom left hand corner, I featured an advertisement of a local business. I think this again, Emphasizes on the local element. It shows support of local business and is something positive, which is something I wanted portraying in my Newspaper, as I have said previously.
The main story is split into columns, a essential code to newspaper layouts.
Second Newspaper Analysis
I took elements of the newspaper I analysed and research to help me create my second page of the newspaper.
Again, the date and caption of the newspaper is featured at the top, which I have included a line beneath, to split the page up.
'Main Local News' is written above the headline, to show the section of the newspaper. If, for example, I were to do a Sport section, that would be done also, with 'Sports' above the headline.
Again, I have featured the headline, with a sub-headline beneath. Underneath the Sub-headline, I included “Continued from front page”. I think this is important to include, and it shows the relation to the front page story.
I have featured two colour pictures, on the left and right. These are to illustrate the story. They relate to the story as the building is the school that the local girl Roxanne attends, and the other is Roxanne and her drama partner rehearsing. Beneath both pictures I have written a sentence describing the picture above.
I have included the newspaper website at the end of the article, as this expands my newspaper to other medias, if it was real.
Beneath the story, I have again featured a advertisement for a local business. This, I have made in line with the picture, so it all fits into the layout correctly.
The byline again, features a picture of the author beneath it.
Poster Analysis
My poster was kept quite simple, like the posters I looked and analysed and researched. I didn't want my own to look too busy, and I wanted audience to be able to quickly read it in passing.
My poster is split into four sections; Masthead (which is the same as on the newspaper cover, for 'branding'), Newspaper Caption, The time of the newspaper, and what is featured in it, with the price.
The second section down is plain black serif writing, with a white background, so it is the first thing the audience sees.
The third and fourth section each has a black background, to establish the difference between the second to the fourth.
In the fourth section, I have featured the main highlights from each section of my paper. Including main headline (which is the story on the cover of my newspaper), Sports, (which is included on my front page), A local story, and a competition. I have chosen these particular headlines because they are not 'breaking news'. They could be included in any day of the week.
I have featured a yellow burst stating the price of the newspaper. I have done this so it stands out to the audience. At first, I had red, black and white writing, along with the yellow burst. I didn't think the colours looked good together, therefore I took out the red to make the yellow burst stand out more, and so they fit a better colour scheme.
Radio Advertisement Analysis
My Radio advertisement for the local newspaper consisted of a voice over music talking about the paper, what is included, the price, etc.
The voice over is happy, upbeat, and attractive to the audience I am aiming for. It goes well with my choice of background music.
The background is also energetic, upbeat and fast-paced.
The advertisement is approximately 30 seconds. This was appropriate for my work as I wanted it to be simple, so audiences were able to remember it.
I used the newspaper caption “Your Local Source for Local News” at the end of my advertisement, as I notices that this was a code for most advertisements on the radio. I also used it throughout the rest of my products.
I included the headlines that are featured in my newspaper. I also included the price of the newspaper, to attract the audience more, as the content of the newspaper will attract them into buying it.
Again, I emphasized the Local theme of the newspaper, Including in the scripting only local stories, nothing national.
I asked my voice-over to emphasize some of the words in the scripting so they would stand out to a listening audience.
