Textual analysis of a magazine

Textual analysis of a magazine: Stuff Magazine

I will be analysing a gadget magazine called Stuff this magazine comes out monthly and has reviews from gadgets that is new out from that previous month. This magazines will be for male teenagers and male adults as they are represent that males are more into gadgets and technology than women.




Firstly, the magazine has a large masthead saying "STUFF" this title could represent as very informal word. The title also represents that they review a wide range of things that are to offer for them. This masthead is a white colour which stands out very well with the grey background that is there.

Next, the main feature of this magazine is talking about a new phone that has been released by calling it "Return of the king" by talking about this phone they have put a long shot of the phone on the front of the magazine cover covering most of the page that is there this could also mean as it calls it the "king" the phone is placed straight facing you that you should be looking down at it. The text that says "Return of the king" for the main feature also is a yellow colour which again matches the grey colour on the background, the title also it in large bold writing as when it is in a shop it will stand out to people so they will go to read it to see what this new powerful phone is. Also this title could link to the theorist Roland Barthe as according to his theory he says that meanings vary according to interpretation this means that they are saying "king" as its a very good phone and the best around. However, we can interpret the word "king" as being a powerful leader and that puts rules to people and by saying "return" it represents that the phone has come back again more powerful than before. This main feature title can also effect the social classes as they all can't afford this phone that is represented as a powerful phone and that it has come back better than before.

Under the main feature they has used serief font text and have boxed the sentence to make it stand out with the grey colour of the background and the large yellow writing for the main feature. They use direct address saying "your new favourite phone"  this is representing that you should have this phone now but again going back to social classes not everyone is able to afford this new luxury phone.

All magazines will have a barcode, price and issue number so u know if its the latest released magazine to buy and if its in your price range to read these magazines. Above the barcode they talk about gadget reviews inside, they also use symbolic code to represent the gadget reviews by putting stars to link with reviews. They have also put around the edges of the magazine different fonts and styles of what else is in the magazine that still attracts you to buy it but in the magazine it isn't a main feature inside. They all go with the yellow theme that will match the grey background.

Research: The History of magazines: early magazines

History of magazines:

In 1663 the world's first magazine published was in Germany and it was called Erbauliche Monaths-Unterredungen. It lasted from 1663 to 1668.

In Britain the oldest consumer magazine still is print is The Scots Magazine which was first published in 1739, though multiple changes in ownership and gaps in publication. The magazine is on subjects of Scottish interest and is published monthly. Although, publication continued until 1826; at which point sales had declined to such a point that it was withdrawn. However, in December 1887 publication resumed as a partial successor to The Scottish Church under a new owner and continued until 1893 when once again it was withdrawn. It was published between 1922 and 1924 as The Scottish Church. In 1924 publication as The Scots Magazine resumed, this time by the St Andrew's Society. 

The First Scots Magazine

The Scots Magazine Today

Magazines targeting women:

The first magazine that was specifically designed just for women was called The Ladies Mercury that came out in 1693 and published in London. This was founded by John Dunton and was published for 4 weeks by The Atheian Society. The Ladies Mercury was about them responding to questions about love, marriage, behaviour, dress and humour. It was printed both sides on a single sheet of paper. 

Also, magazines targeted women a lot in 1920s as new magazines appealed to young women with a sensuous image and advertisements for appropriate clothes and accessories they would want to purchase. Also, the some women magazines showed that women should be in charge of men.

 

Magazines targeting men:

Men's magazines have existed for centuries but it was hard as it depended on the terms magazine and journal was defined back then. In 1731 The Gentleman's Magazine was published in England by Edward Cave and was often considered the first modern magazine. It ran for almost 200 years until 1922. Cave's wanted to create the magazine as a monthly digest of news and commentary on any topic the educated public might be interested. Cave, who edited The Gentlemen's Magazine was the first to use the name magazine. 

Research: Regulations

Regulations:

Definition: Regulations are a rule or directive made and maintained by an authority.

• Ofcom - They are a regulator authority for the UK communications industries. It regulates the TV and radio sectors, mobiles and postal services etc. Also protects the publisc from harmful or offensive material that could be used.
• IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisation) - They are independent regulators for the newspaper and magazine industry in the UK. They help protect individual rights, uphold high standards of journalism and help maintain freedom of expression for the press.
• PCC (Press Complaints Commission) - They are a voluntary regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of representatives of the major publisher.
• Free Press - They are a freedom of the press, legal protections for public communications media.
• The Leveson Enquiry - This is where they judge public inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the British press.

Ofcom Logo

IPSO Logo 

PCC Logo

The Leveson Logo

The Daily Mail & The Guardian

The Daily Mail is part of the IPSO group where as The Guardian is not, this means that if the Daily Mail were to get sued if they published anything that can't be allowed or there is offensive material then they could ask IPSO, to help them prove that, for example, there is nothing wrong with the published newspaper etc and try not to pay the fine they received. However, with The Guardian not being part of IPSO if they got the same problem and getting a fine for something that can't be published they will have no one to back them up and might struggle and have to pay the fine. It is up to newspapers if they want to be part of the IPSO group or not. in 2011 when The Leveson Enquiry started to sort out the culture, practices and ethics within newspapers, this therefore created huge scams as a lot of complaints were made by the newspapers, if the newspaper was with IPSO they could of stopped them spending money on fines if they got help to prove they were wrong. Also, The Daily Mail follow the Free Press this means that a press is not restricted or controlled by government censorship regarding politics or ideology this means that they are not restricted to a side on a certain politics story etc. Finally, all of the newspapers have to follow Ofcom rules as they can't have offensive or harmful material, if this happens the public can complain to Ofcom where they have to investigate that article and see if it doesn't follow the rules that were made.

Research: The Guardian

Research: The Daily Mail