Question 2.

How does your media product represent particular social groups ?

My Media Products.

My media products have been designed to suit an audience within the 12-16 age range, and is specifically aimed at young girls. I have designed it so it displays the enjoyment of all things pop, I have broadened the magazine, so that it doesn’t just focus on music, it focuses on the pop world as a whole, so anything from fashion to the social life of a pop artist. I felt that this was the best way to attract my audience, who are not of a mature age, therefore probably wont want to read a magazine purely about music, instead they would rather know how to dress like a pop star. My target audience are presented to have a good knowledge about Pop music, and the artists that are present in this genre. My media product is shown to be up to date, and have the most current affairs that are present in the ever changing Pop industry, by making my magazine appear to have all the latest information, before any other magazine of my genre, I feel that this will attract my target audience. I feel that my magazine incorporates the Uses and Gratification theory, as I have used a direct approach, so that they feel involved in my magazine, this is emphasised by the editors note, that is seen to be a direct letter to the consumer themselves, I feel that my magazine will create good social interaction between my target audience, as it will enable them to start a conversation with enough knowledge on the subject.

My Audience

As my target audience is young girls, they will all probably live at home with their parents or guardians. Due to this, I have made my magazine the low price of £1.99, therefore it isn’t seen expensive from the parental point of view, or the young girls point of view. My target audience will probably be bought my magazine when their parents are out shopping, or they may purchase it with pocket money. My audience will still be in secondary school when reading this magazine, so I have made it appropriate for their age range, not using any sexually promiscuous images, and have used colloquial language in order to interact with them.

My audience will be interested in Pop music, however other interests that I have included in my magazine are:

- Boy bands, which is a common interest in young girls, who form fan groups, such as ‘Beliebers’ and ‘Directioners’

- Fashion, this is a key element of interest for my target audience, as young girls aspire to look/be like successful female pop artists, so by incorporating affordable fashion into my magazine, this will attract the interest of my target audience.

- Gossip, my target audience will take an interest in the lives of pop artists, young girls like to know who’s ‘dating’ and who isn’t.

Social Groups

My media product represents the Pop social group. I have done this by creating an artist who is aspirational to young girls who would be reading my magazine, I have presented a female who is successful and happy in her own body, I have also portrayed her as sweet and loyal, in order to create a suitable role models for the young girls who would be reading my magazine. I have made sure that my magazine sticks to the genre, which is Pop music, so therefore only using current Pop artists within the content of magazine… I have also represented my genre, by incorporating it into the masthead of my magazine, which will allow people an insight into the content of my magazine, just by reading the title. I have also represented my social group (young girls interested in pop music) by using a pink colour scheme within my magazine, as I think that pink connotes a ‘girlish’ theme, I also feel that I have used it appropriately, as it isn’t over bearing and the writing is still legible. I have used a lot of colloquial language in my magazine, in order to communicate with my social group, I have also used slang such as OMG and LOL, as these are phrases that will be commonly used by my target audience, I have avoided using formal/intellectual language, that could leave my audience feeling confused, therefore I have made all the language appropriate to them.