The type of magazine that I am looking to create is going to of the same genre and style of NME but with more of a focus on mainstream bands and not with the ‘Under the Radar’ feature that highlights the less well known bands. I am leading my magazine down the more mainstream route as I believe that this is a market which can appeal to many peoples needs as the market is broader, therefore offering more opportunity for success. My magazine will also include the latest reviews from gigs and festivals that both include the type of artists that are going to be expected in my magazine by the audience, but also our views on them that will either adhere and persuade the readers to see them for themselves or inform the audience on our views. Moreover, my magazine will also include the latest interviews of the most recognised artists in an attempt to make my magazine unique from the rest of the similar products, but also to signify that I am going to keep my audience entertained and up to date with the latest changes and stories from the music that they are interested in. Additionally, the writers of my articles will be retired musicians or recognisable faces from the industry as this will make their opinions be more valid and reliable to readers.
My magazine will include the latest reviews of both gigs and festivals as there are features that my audience are going to be most fascinated about, because they are likely to attend these sort of events. To make sure these are the main focus of my magazine, I will have at least two double-page spreads involving up-and-coming bands but also reviews on the latest festivals. Moreover, my magazine will also have a contents page which will be busy looking as this is the look that is generally taken on by similar magazines in the genre, and I want to adhere to the common conventions but with my own twists on the content. The contents will have a few images, but also lots of information for the audience to take in. Finally, my front page spread will be striking as it needs to be individual and appealing to the audience. I will most likely do this by using a large, interesting image alongside lots of sell-lines and a pull quote so that the audience are obliged to read into the magazine to find answers.
The instantly recognizable competitor for my magazine would be NME as it is the magazine that I am taking the majority of my inspiration from so they will therefore be similar. Although, NME is also considered the biggest magazine in the indie genre and it is this factor that will hinder my magazine as I will have to be able to contend for the audience and possibly prize readers away from NME and towards my magazine. Additionally, I will have to compete with Q as they are also a large magazine in the indie genre, but I believe my magazine to have quite a few differences with Q; so my magazine will not clash with it too much.
My magazine will cost between £2.50 and £3.50 on a weekly basis so that it’s always up to date with the latest news and it is also cheaper compared to magazines that are released on a monthly basis. This will appeal to my target audience of people of social classes B1-C1 as they are going to be the classes with the most disposable income. To get money from my magazine I will sell pages for advertisement. These adverts will either be advertising albums, festivals or clothes that are going to be appealing to the audience judging by the genre of the magazine. The audience will also be between the ages of 15-24 as it is people of these ages who are most likely to pick up a magazine and read it to keep up to date with their interests and to read reviews on events they may have been to.
My magazine will be weekly so that my readers can be constantly up to date with their interests and the music industry. I believe that releasing the magazine weekly will also keep the reader on edge and wanting more, as you can advertise next weeks issue in the most recent copy. My magazine will then cost between the regions of £2.50 and £3.50 as this is the average cost of a magazine of my genre and purpose. However, there will also be the chance to subscribe to my magazine in order to receive it for a cheaper price. I will then advertise my magazine on the contents page so that it is easily visible to the audience. The subscription will also be advertised on the website of the magazine, alongside the offer for people being able to download the magazine onto smart phones and tablets as I print media is slowly dying out and people are choosing to instead download the magazine.
In my opinion I believe that my magazine will be successful as it will both coincide with the indie magazines on the market at the moment, but will still have my twist on the genre and will therefore offer something new to the audience and hopefully this factor will entice them into buying my magazine over others. In addition, I think the idea that my magazine will be at a fair weekly price, means that my target audience will have enough disposable income in order to be able to buy my magazine weekly. Finally, my magazine will address the needs for the audience inside of it’s articles so that they will want to read my magazine due to it interesting them, as well as answering their questions created by the sell-lines on the front page.