Conventions of the Magazine Genre

All magazines follow the same rules, wheter they are lifestyle, fashion, computer or music magazines. The image and name of the magazine must fit the content and the target audience. Another rule that is also important is the colour scheme, it has to appeal to the target audience.
Mode of Address is used so that the text can create a relationship with it's audience. The most common MOD in magazines is direct address. This is created when the person on the cover looks straight out of the magazine- inviting the reader in.MOD also refers to how the writing addresses the reader which is usualky in a friendly, informal way. Indirect address is when the person looks away. This is least common, but has been done.

Magazines normally always include stars or celebrities on their covers to increase sales and therefore profit. This is used to encourage selling the magazines. Celebrities and famous musicians are converntionally included because they are admired and aspiraional for the audience. The front cover of the magazine is the main advertisement therefore it should be bright, interesting and eye catching to entice the raeder to buy the magazine. Because o this it has to be representative of the magazine as a whole. The colours not only should reflect the target audience but specically in music magazines they should represent the genre of music. For example, red and black, rock magazines or pink pastel colours, girl pop magazines. Various fonts are used on the cover to make it visualy interesting and eye catching.

Magazine covers usually consist of a title/header, usually at the top of the page. (This will also create the 'brand image' of your magazine and will make it instantly recognisable for your audience). A slogan is sometimes used under the header to make it stand out from rivals. Direct address is used in a photograph either in a close up (head and shoulders shot) or medium shot of the model/star. The leading caption usually dominates the page which is focused on your eature article. Subheadings of the main stories you wish to advertise in your magazine which should usually appear on the left/right hand sides of the cover). And straplines should also be used to highlight stars in the magazine or other stories/sections. They usually go at the top or bottom of the page. To entice audiences to the magazines website, date and barcodes are used. Magazines are usually expensive monthly 'glossies' (Marie Claire) or cheaper weekly magazines for example NME, zoo etc.

The contents page should be bright and colourful encouraging the reader to read on. Pictures should be used to dominate the text and again direct address is used in all images. The title/header usually appears on every page (usually at the top of the page). Also a list of contents is used under usual sections. The double page spread should be focused on the feature article with the use of headlines and subheadings to explain the story and catch the audiences interets. A good example to do this is to use witty, puns on the starts of their new album/tour etc. Pyramid structure is a good way to structure it and again pictures should always dominate the text. Text grabs are typical, again to make the reader read the article.

The cover price of a magazine does not pay the magazineto be published. The majority of the money that make the magazine possibly comes from advertising revenue. Therfore your magazine has to appeal to its audience and sell well to make profit.