Conventional Aspects of Magazines

Conventions of magazines

Magazines have various different conventions that we, as readers of these magazines, have come to recognise. For example, each cover of a magazine is expected to have the following aspects: a masthead, general cover lines, a main cover line, a selling line, a main image, bar code, date line, price and often a banner across the top. Magazines usually represent our society back to us, largely through the main image, to portray specific stereotypes that different groups of people believe. These representations usually relate to everyday lifestyle.

Masthead - This is the name or title of a magazine. It is usually situated at the top of a magazine, and is written in a unique and recognisable font.

Cover Lines - These are short, snappy statements or phrases which inform the reader on the content of the magazine. They are often distributed randomly around the main image.

Main Cover Line - The main cover line of a magazine is written in a larger font than the other cover lines upon the Splash, and usually takes up about a quarter of the cover. It is often used to represent the purpose of the magazine, and educate readers on the major article within the content.

Selling Line - This is a short and memorable statement which may be a description of the magazine title, or may be used simply to attract the audience into buying the magazine. It is often situated just beneath the Masthead.

Main Image - The main image of a magazine cover is the most important, and the largest, aspect upon the splash. It is often a medium-close up shot of somebody famous and recognisable. The main image usually presents a positive message to the audience.

Bar Code - This is merely a standard tool used by retailers. Often, if the magazine institution also has a website, the website is displayed next to the bar code.

Dateline - This is the month and year of publication. Some magazines are published weekly, whereas others are published less frequently and therefore monthly. However, if a magazine is published monthly, the month stated upon the cover is often one ahead of the actual date.

Price - This is the cost of a magazine. The magazine price often determines the type of audience who purchase the media text. This is often situated next to the dateline, or with the bar code.

Banner - Though not all magazine covers display a banner, many have one running along the very top of the splash, just above the masthead. This is used to further sell the magazine, and often features free products or promotions.

Conventions of music magazines

Music magazines use many of the above conventions. They each have a masthead, which is usually recognisable and written in a unique font face. If the magazine is popular, it is possible that the main image of the music magazine slightly overlaps this masthead. The main image is often of a well-known music artist or band, often artist's who’s music fits in with the genre of the magazine. Music magazines have cover lines, also relating to relevant bands and artists, a main cover line, which often relates to the main image and is therefore situated just beneath it, a bar code, date line, and a price. The price usually determines the target audience of a magazine, as a higher price will equal a higher class audience. Often, they also have a banner situated across the top of the cover. The artists within the main image of music magazines are often made to look powerful and self assured, as well as representing what is stereotypically correct for an artist within their genre of music. Some music magazines also display other images around the main image, in relation to the cover lines, however these are much smaller and therefore of less importance.