My Focus Group My focus group consisted of 3 people, two boys and one girl, who share an interest in indie music. I asked them 11 questions to find out if my final product was a success and met their needs.

Summary of Results – The Front Cover Do you find my cover appealing, if so why? The focus group found my front cover appealing as they liked the colours I had chosen and the masthead stood out from the rest of the magazine. What do you think is the most effective feature on my cover and why? The colour scheme I had used was one of the most effective features as it made my cover stand out whilst looking professional. The cover lines on my cover were also mentioned as the artists and bands all appealed to their music tastes. What could I improve on my cover? I should change the slogan underneath the masthead as the white stroke is too strong and I could have used a better background for my main image.

Summary of Results – Contents Page Do you find my contents page appealing, if so why? My contents page appealed to my focus group as it looked very professional and the articles and artists mentioned were all things they would want to see in an indie music magazine. What do you think is the most effective feature on my contents page and why? The use of the rules of thirds is effective as this helps maintain a professional standard. The colour scheme was also mentioned as being effective as it continues from the front cover but the most effective feature was my ‘Band Index’ as all the artists appeal to their music taste and it allows the reader to find out easily who is in the magazine. What could I improve on my contents page? There is a small gap to the side of my subscription promotion which could be filled with a picture of a previous issue of the magazine.

Summary of Results – Double Page Spread What are your thoughts on the photo used for my double page spread? The photo was thought to be effective with my article as they both relate to each other. Images of an artist/band in the studio would be expected in magazines so the use of the photo is very good.

What is most appealing about my double page spread? Why? I have used eye-catching quotes to stand out and make the reader want to find out more and even on this page I have continued the colour scheme and house style running throughout my media product. What could I improve on my double page spread? I could include the photographers name somewhere small on the page as published magazines do this in their articles.

Summary of Results – Final Questions Do you think ‘RADAR’ could compete with other successful magazines of the same genre, such as NME and Q? Why? The focus group thought my magazine could compete with other successful magazines as I have used the typical codes and conventions of a music magazine. It is also clear that I have made sufficient research into the indie genre. Would you consider purchasing my magazine, if yes why? All of the focus group would purchase my magazine as they feel it appeals to their taste perfectly. A couple of small changes to my front cover and they would be sold completely. They felt that it maintained a professional look throughout and the research I had made was evident in the final product.