Ancillary Text Research: Double Page Spread

Codes and Conventions of TV Listing Magazines

Headline/Title: I believe the title is the most important aspect of an article, it serves to inform the reader about the article and briefly summarises everything in a few words, often presented in a catchy way.

Columns: The three column layout is a typical convention of a double page article as it allow the text to be read easily and keeps the page layout neat, which often allows more freedom when designing the whole page.

Main Image: The main image normally presents who (often multiple people) the article is about to establishes who is featured in the article and also attracts the reader’s attention (which will work well when targeting a specific audience).

Minor/secondary images: Adds more interest to the article, more visually pleasing, and can often show scene captions from the show.

Drop Capital: Is often used at the start of the first paragraph to signal the article beginning, they add personality and visual strength to the page.

Standfirst: Is the introductory paragraph which summarises the article, it is often printed in larger, bolder or in capitals.

Byline: The byline often gives the name, date, and sometimes the position, of the writer of the article. Traditionally, they are placed between the headline and the text of the article. Bylines can also be used a credits for photographers, placed under their image.

Pull/Side Quote: Placed throughout the article to break it up, more rarely placed in the main image, and is used to emphasize a line that has importance behind it. The quotes used are often shocking or controversial to grip the reader. They are also used to attract the audience attention by making the design more attractive (when considering colour, font etc.).

Show Name, Date and Time: It is important for the TV listings article to have the name, date and the time the program will be aired to inform the audience of the showing, otherwise it would defeat the purpose of the magazine.

Page Number: Is more commonly used at the bottom of a page, making it easier for the audience to navigate around the magazine, and adds continuity to the whole magazine.

Radio Times

Radio Times - Production Context

Pie charts taken from: http://www.mediauk.com/magazines/36222/radio-times/readership-figures

Radio Times are supported by their own website, launched in 1997 as mainly a listings service. However, they re-launched in 2011 and present a variety of recommendations to do with television, radio and film along with their listings. They even have their own website editor, Tim Glanfield. Social media appears to be important to the magazine also, with people being able to find them on both Twitter and Facebook as a form of interaction. More interactive aspects include: their own application on the Apple App Store, competitions, a feedback page, travel offers and the option to comment and discuss at the bottom of every online article published on their website.

Radio Times is a British weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, with its first issue being published in 1923 detailing BBC’s radio programme listings. Up until around 1991, Radio Times was only a BBC-based magazine, but now the publication carries listings for all major cable and satellite television channels in the UK.Even after the deregulation of the magazine, it was argued that the magazine had a BBC bias, for example: of the 51 issues published in 2005, 31 covers were BBC-related, especially focusing on the sci-fi show, Doctor Who.

In recent years, the price of the magazine has been increasing, with it being at £1.05 in 2008, and the current price being £1.60.

In 2012, Radio Times was read by over 2 million people, with 75.5% of them being in the ABC1 social class demographic, this clearly effects the content of the magazine.

Radio Times - DistributionRadio Times was originally an in-house magazine published by BBC Magazines (the publishing division of BBC Worldwide) from 1923 until 2011, when BBC magazines merged with Origin Publishing and Magicalia to create the Immediate Media Company. Immediate Media Company are an award-winning platform and special interest company that publish magazine such as Gardener’s World, You & Your Wedding and Prima Baby & Pregnancy. Radio Times can be found in newsagents, supermarkets, through subscription, their app and online. This magazine is funded through advertising, the cover price, subscriptions and profits from the parent company and business interests.

Main Heading/Headline: The headline is short, which is a way to easily intrigue the audience. Using the word ‘our’ creates unity of the magazine and reader.

Main Image: In this article the image takes up the

majority of one page, and even bleeds onto the next. The image uses a direct address,

where it is argued using this technique encourages the reader to buy the magazine. In

magazines, I’ve often seen the main image used on the left side to show what the article will be about. But this convention appears to

be broken in the Radio Times.

Secondary Image: Adds more depth to the article.

Show Name, Channel and Time:

Nicely placed at the top; giving the vital information at

the beginning of the article. This is used to inform the

audience of the showing.

Page Number: Allow navigation around the magazine. This article adapts the colour for visibility.Colour: The image is aesthetically pleasing, encouraging

the reader to view the article. The colour scheme is simple, making it seem more professional and appeals to a more mature audience.

Anchorage: Image of the presenter with flowers, links well with the title, further relating to the whole article.

Drop Capital: Used signal the paragraph beginning, adding personality and visual strength to the page.

Standfirst: This is the introductory sentence which summarises the

article. The presenter’s name is in bold, it serves highlights who the

article is about.

Text: Sized 11 in Times New Roman font. Set in the common two column layout, it allows the text to be read easily and keeps the page neat.

Monty Don’s article, text wise, is rather small with only two columns in the layout. This allows the main image to cover one whole page, bleeds over onto the secondary page. I personally wouldn’t use this as a lot more can be said about the documentary. Radio Times appear to break the conventions of traditional magazines through having the image on the right side of the article. Normally, because the main image introduces who the article is about, is placed on the left side with text on the right. I particularly liked how the main headline and the standfirst are placed on the main image as the text fits nicely on the image. However I believe this would only work on certain images because, as seen on Monty Don’s article, the top of the image is blue (the sky) so it allows space for text without it ruining the photo and article (basic photography). The show’s title, channel and time are placed at the top of the article, and the keywords are in bold. I think this is useful because bolding certain words will impact the audience by them remembering the important bits they need, therefore the magazine fulfilling its purpose. Overall the colour scheme is simple, using traditional black text, which makes it seem more professional, which is what I aim to emulate when creating my double-page spread.

Radio Times Conclusion

Main Heading/Headline: ‘I’

signals that the article is written by

the man himself. It is a longer than

average headline, but it is filled with information about the subject. Two keywords in the

headline are highlighted,

reinforcing the importance of those

words.

Show Name, Channel and Time: Nicely placed at the top; giving the vital

information at the beginning of the article. This is used to inform the audience of the showing, with the title of the show in bold

(highlights the importance).

Side/Pull Quote: Rather humorous quote, engages the reader to

continue reading. This quote breaks

up the article nicely, making it

more visually pleasing.

Text: Sized 11 in Times New Roman font. Set in the common three column layout, it allows the text to be read easily and keeps the page neat.

Page Number: Allows navigation around the

magazine. Set traditionally at the

bottom for visibility.

Drop Capital: Used signal the paragraph beginning, this

adds personality and visual strength to the page.

Anchorage: As part of the memoir Hawking uses images from his past.

Colour: The colour scheme is

simple and consistent,

making it seem professional and

therefore will appeal to a more mature audience.

Side/Pull Quote: This quote is placed in the

image, a rarity amongst

magazines, creating a more

attractive design. This line is

shocking and emphasises the

importance behind it, where the magazine’s

aim will be to grip the reader.

Standfirst: Placed above the headline. Hawking’s name in

bold, presenting his importance.

TV Listings Comparison What’s on TV and TV Choice have considerably less page space for Hawking’s show than the article in the Radio Times. I believe this is due to the difference of audience between these magazines. 75.1% of the Radio Times’ audience are aged 35+, whereas 62% of the audience for TV Choice are under aged 18. It can be argued that this show only has a little section of information because of the show’s target audience, which doesn’t match the demographic of TV Choice and What’s on TV. In these magazine, they label the genre of the programme, naming this show ‘factual’. It is clear the aim of this is to say a little about a lot. Radio Times, however, says a lot about a little.

Magazines such as What’s on TV and TV Choice include features of the most watched UK TV shows, focusing on British soaps. They often include puzzles, crossword and prize competitions. In 2008, TV Choice was the biggest selling magazine of all categories in the UK, with the price being at 38p. Whereas Radio Times include exclusive images, interviews, articles written by celebrities and reviews. The colour used in these articles are much more vibrant compared to the Radio Times’. Using clashing colours arguably are more eye-grabbing, although I would say it isn’t aesthetically pleasing or attractive and certainly doesn’t look professional. What I like about the article on the left, however, is how they fit the text around the image.

The language used in these articles are colloquial. But Radio Times approach their articles in a formal manner.

Radio Times often approach their articles in a simplistic manner, with the result looking more professional as a whole. This has an impact on their audience demographic as it attracts a more mature audience. Colour is carefully placed throughout the article, often used to highlight keywords, it is simple but effective through complimenting the piece. Using the traditional three column layout serves multiple purposes; easier to read, a stylish design and is conventional. Radio Times appear to have a range of layouts to create visual strength for their magazine, often using a main image that takes over one of the two page spread and the only use of minor images in others, to further engage the reader. To keep up with continuity, every article in the magazine has the same font and size. The use of pull quotes/side quotes serve to break up the article and an attractive design. What’s particularly interesting about using a pull/side quote is how powerful it can be; by selecting an eye catching quote it has the power to grab the audience to continue reading. I plan on using a pull quote for exactly this reason.

Radio Times Conclusion

The Guardian

The Guardian - Production ContextThe Guardian is a British national daily newspaper, printed in full colour, founded in

1821, with its first edition being published on 5 May 1821 being only a weekly newspaper. From originally being named The Manchester Guardian, it has grown from a local to a national paper. In 2004, The Guardian announced they were changing the newspaper format to the Berliner layout, and was the first newspaper in the UK to do so. The Berliner format is slightly larger than the traditional tabloid giving flexibility in page design.

The Guardian’s audience demographic:

The Guardian is available on multiple platforms; their website (online since 1995, re-launched to current design in 2007), mobile applications (iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows), print, PDF edition (named G24), iPad app, a mobile website and a Kindle edition. Guardian users can be connected through their Facebook account, and The Guardian can also be found on Twitter.The Guardian publish every news story on their website with free access to both current and archive stories. From January 2012, it remains the second most popular UK newspaper website with the average of 2,937,070 browsers daily.

Within the Saturday edition of The Guardian, free inside is their weekly listings magazine, named The Guide. The culture magazine covers a variety of topics, from film to exhibitions.

The Guardian - Distribution

The Guardian is owned by the Guardian Media Group, a company in the UK that owns multiple mass media operations. The company was formed when C.P.Scott bought the Manchester Guardian in 1907. Other newspapers the company publish is The Observer and The Guardian Weekly, The Guardian’s sibling papers. The Guardian can be found in newsagents, supermarkets, through subscription, their app and online. This magazine is funded through advertising, the cover price, subscriptions and profits from the parent company and business interests. The paper’s circulation is around 189 thousand copies (of August 2013).

The Guardian Guide takes on the traditional codes and conventions of Guardian articles. However, this booklet is much smaller in size (a custom size close to A4) so it’s much easier to handle. Page sizing will need to be considered when I create my article.

Anchorage: The article presents the artist’s work, where it’ll engage those interested to read the article.

Drop Capital: Used at the start of the first paragraph to signal the article beginning. The drop capitals used in this article are more bigger than the average, therefore making it stand out.

Pull quote: emphasizes the line that has importance behind it. It makes the article more attractive.

This double-page spread, within Guardian Weekend, particularly stood out to me because of how aesthetically pleasing it was. This scan is the introducing page to the main double-page spread. The design of each article is consistent throughout, creating an overall good-looking magazine. I’d love to emulate this as an introduction to my double-page spread. However, this will be something to consider because my article topic may not be as effective as this is.

Language: Play on words, connotes negativity.

Standfirst: Are often printed in larger, bolder or in capitals, but this standfirst has its own page to introduce and summarise the article on the following page.

Image: Edited to look ominous, signals that the article will be from a negative perspective.

Target Audience and Inspiration

Audience:

Aimed at the same audience of my documentary: the older generation, hence developing it in the style of the Guardian or Radio Times due to their mature audience (35+). Often found in those magazines are double-page spreads on TV Shows that are aimed at that audience, so it seems logical for me to follow the codes and conventions of them.

Inspirations:

Design - Multiple smaller images placed throughout the article

Font style - Simple font, such as Georgia. I’ll also use drop capitals at the start of new paragraphs.

Organisation - Three columns on each page with pull quotes interspersed throughout (maximum of three).

Rough First Draft - Template and Layout

Rough Second Draft - Standfirst Placing