Q2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Age: My media product represents the age of my teenage/young (16-25) audience as the models for my feature artist 'White Walkway' are 17 and 18, which is a similar age to my ideal target audience. This is evident through the use of costume of the models; the clothes in which they are photographed wearing are influenced by the current trends in clothing that young people are following at the moment, e.g. the brand 'Palace' has a target audience of young males. Also, my male model 'Leaver X' is seen to be wearing a baseball cap, emphasising his young age of 19; this could potentially attract the target audience as they feel they can relate to the artists, through age, clothing etc. The age of the models is also evident in the young fresh faces of the two girls, which connotes youth. This creates a relatable image of the artists, as the readers may want to copy their idols style or haircut/may share similar clothes, making them more desirable and more likely to be idolized. This links to the Dyer Star Theory, as the readers are more likely to aspire to be like their idol, copying their look/lifestyle. Throughout my magazine, I feature both male and female artists from the ages of 16-19, this shows a strong variety of ages, making it easier to represent my target audience, again making it easier for the readers to be able to relate to them. Featuring both male and female models in my product means that the female/male gaze is more likely to be applied/occur within my magazine; this is because readers will feel as if they are similar/relatable to the artists, which could increase the attachment to the artist/magazine. Whereas, this isn't likely to occur in a magazine featuring an older artist, e.g. Morrisey (The Smiths), this is because times have changed therefore the older artists no longer represent modernization within the music/media industry; young people want to see young artists, and be in the know with the latest trends, not focusing on old bands that have been and gone. This means that the target audience could be drawn away from the magazine, decreasing the popularity of the product, as young people will not particularly be interested in things that an older artist has to converse about, e.g. their children, buying houses etc. Language: The semi-formal language in which I have used throughout my product represents the age of my target audience as I tried to make it easy for them to understand/not sound too informal that it discourages them from reading the magazine and represents youth as a whole. I did this because it isn't common for teenagers/young people to use formal language, they mainly use colloquialisms, therefore I tried to include slightly informal/slang phrases that would appeal to my teenage target audience. This means that they again are able to relate to the magazine as the language is quite laid-back and chilled out; linking to the uses and gratifications theory, my target audience are more likely to read 'Edge' as it represents social solidarity (having something to read in their leisure time). The two-step theory could occur within the language of the magazine, as they may repeat words or phrases featured in the magazine and repeat them to their friends. Stereotypes: My indie-rock magazine tries to connote the genre and represent the fans/artists strongly throughout, this is shown through the use of costumes and facial expression (shown on the front cover of the 'Edge', as Sian is seen to be wearing a black leather jacket and have a very fierce and emotionless. Drugs and alcohol are featured in the 'White Walkway' interview in my magazine, this portrays youth as the majority of young people stereotypically are known for taking drugs and binge drinking. This is a slightly negative attribute of my magazine as the feature story of 'Lucy's drug struggle', however it shows how she overcame her troubles (this could potentially help a reader if they are going through a similar problem (they have a role model in the artist)). The purpose of using a 'drug scandal' story was for my target audience as young people, to encourage them to stay away from drugs and binge drinking regularly, giving them the awareness needed. This is portrayed in the 'White Walkway' interview when interacting with Lucy, showing how she overcame her struggle with drugs (through music and positivity). This will also remove the negative stereotype/stigma attached to young people and their 'recklessness'. Gender: Within the indie-rock genre, it is very male dominated and lacks femininity; however I chose to against typical stereotypes and used a female model as the feature artist for my front cover. This encourages more women to read the magazine, and creates more equality within the music industry.

Q3. What kind of media institutions might distribute your product and why?

what kind of media institutions might distribute my product? by Alice Porter

Q5. How did you attract your audience?

Q5. How did you attract and address your audience? by Alice Porter

Q7. Looking back at your preliminary, what do you feel like you have learnt in the process?