QUESTION 3-WHAT KIND OF MEDIA INSTITUTION MIGHT DISTRIBUTE YOUR MEDIA PRODUCT AND WHY?

STAGES OF PRODUCTION

The first thing you need to do when starting off the production stage is creating the idea and pitching it. The initial concept of the magazine must be thought of, for instance the specific theme of it and this can be done by creating a flat plan it shows the first ideas of your magazine layout. This is the stage where ides begin to emerge and the start of future ideas are planned out. The editorial and graphic concepts begin to be gathered. The articles are in the first edition of being created and constructed. The illustrations and photographs are collected and a decision is made on what is used to compliment and go with each story. The cover story might also have been selected at this time. The graphic designers start to construct the layout of each page in the magazine. This also includes the layout of the editorial content and the graphics and any additional advertising. The page orders will begin to be formatted, however the final decisions will probably not be made until after the proofing and the final design has been made. Any advertisements which will be featured in the magazines will already have been paid for including there location in the magazine as these are normally placed first and then any editorial contents or graphics after. The first proof is sent to the printer, which is then printed s n initial copy of the magazine to be returned to the magazine editors and checked over. Then there is a final proofing where the magazine staff proof read the initial copy of the magazine finding any errors such as colour or layout which make the magazine difficult to understand, or search for any room of improvement. Once any necessary changes have been made, the final proof is sent to he printer for printing. After all of the pages have been checked, the printer begins the final printing of the magazine. After the magazines have bee printed they are sent out to retailers and put onto newsstands to be sold.

ROLE OF THE DISTRIBUTOR Distributors play a vital role in keeping the lines between manufacturers and users operating smoothly. They can expedite response times, enhance

a company's reach and even create value-added packages.

distributors have long been relied on to serve as a bridge between manufacturers and customers. In today's increasingly globalized marketplace, this link becomes even more important. Today, wholesale distributors make up an estimated 5.75 percent of the gross domestic product in the United States and Canada, and employ 3.3 million workers.

One of the most resounding arguments for a solid distributor network is the speed with which manufacturers can respond to customer demands. It is crucial today to be able to respond to customers quickly and in real time. Because they are more localized and nimble, distributors can typically offer a faster response. "To truly be customer-driven, manufacturers need to adjust their businesses to meet the needs of the customer, which in today's marketplace means local service, local inventory and technical sales people," says Skip Giessing, a division vice president for DXP Enterprises, an industrial distributor.

A network of distributors often has greater ability to offer face-to-face service. "Good, solid geographic and account coverage is crucial to success no matter what the economic conditions," Marty Gass, regional manager for EagleBurgmann, says. With distributors in key geographic areas, manufacturers can service customers on a level that would be difficult or even impossible for a main-office sales force.

Distributors also have the benefit of reducing inventory and service burdens for both the manufacturer and the user. This is especially crucial now, when many users have been forced to cut back on in-house inventories and service staff. "Distributors, now more than ever before, are service providers," says Giessing. "They do not just provide products. They provide aftermarket services, cost reduction and process optimization strategies, as well as inventory management. Distributors create value by providing total solutions for their customers."

WHAT COMPANY WOULD DISTRIBUTE YOUR PRODUCT? The magazine distribution company I would chose would be ’Front line’ this is because it

distributes similar products like, top of the pops and girl talk. Even though these magazines are similar in the sense they are both pop magazines for girls the age range for the others is more younger girls around 8 upwards, my magazine is directed at young teenagers around 13-15 so I think there if definitely a gap in the market for my magazine. This is because there is a lot of magazines for children and adults but not many for people in between. But I think for children who have read magazines like top of the pops and girl talk for years and know they like it will be very trusting to buy a magazine from the same company when they grow out of them and want to read something that will now appeal to them as they have grown older. So I think that front line would be interested in having something like my magazine to appeal to a wider audience and so they have something for everyone.

DO THEY KNOW THE TARGET AUDIENCE WELL?

I chose front line because it distributes some of the most popular and successful pop magazines on the market, and because of this you can already tell that they know their target audience. Whilst designing and creating my magazine I was constantly referring back to real media products like top of the pops as that is the type of magazine I want to produce. Because this magazine has a good reputation it would mean that my magazine would probably sell well because its trusted by people. This is more important than people would think as usually people will buy into brands they know and love and these type of magazines are hugely popular which will therefore mean that their dedicated customers might be more likely to give my magazine a read due to the connection it has.