Mock Exam

1) I agree that magazines are a reliable source of information because it would not be acceptable for them to provide the reader with false knowledge. However, magazines cannot be changed once they have been printed, which highlights that they are not completely up to date. Online magazines can be updated and improved as soon as the latest information comes to light, which means that what they offer is more current and therefore more appealing to the reader. The reader enjoys getting exclusive information that they cannot find anywhere else, which they are more likely to find from a magazine that offers the latest news. Print magazines such as ‘Smash Hits’ became unpopular as the information in their magazine could sometimes be a week late, which meant that the reader would have already read the story, and therefore would not be looking to buy a magazine that would tell them the same thing. Print magazines are also faced with the competition of the internet, which is much faster and also free, and are also more reliable as the information is more current.

I agree that readers enjoy reading about their favourite musicians because it provides them with a source of personal relationships. They are able to chat and discuss the information they read with a family member, friend, or someone in society.  It also gives them a personal identity as they read about their favourite musicians to inspire to be like them and make them more determined to follow in their footsteps.

I agree that audiences enjoy interacting with letters and on forums because it offers them a relationship with the magazine and to interact with them and gain a sense of belonging. ‘Top of the Pops’ offered the opportunity to write in to the magazine, discussing and sharing people’s opinions by printing them in a regularly featured page. Forums on websites increase popularity of magazines as it allows people to interact with people who enjoy the same music and topics as them, which also provide personal relationships. QR codes also increase popularity as it makes a magazine accessible to people who have a busier lifestyle that carry smart phones. Therefore they can put the magazine into their daily routine by just scanning the QR code. Also, social networking sites such as twitter and facebook can keep readers up to date with the latest information on the magazine which they enjoy.

2) I agree that most music magazines are aimed at male readers, however there is a shared interest and also music magazines that are targeted more towards females. NME has a 69% male readership rate which highlights that mostly males buy the magazine. This is accentuated through the use of masculine colours like black, and the unsexualised images of the main artists on the front cover – who are usually male. Q magazine is also targeted mainly towards men as they mostly display female artists on the front cover. However, when a female is displayed, she is often sexualised and objectified. For example the 2010 February of Q magazine featured an image of Cheryl Cole on the cover. She is wearing bold red lipstick which has connotations of seductiveness, love and passion, which would entice male readers. Red also signifies danger, which would further entice the male readers. Her smoky eye make up creates enigma and makes the reader want to find out more about her. In the image, she is biting her finger, which emphasises her seducing manor to draw male readers to the magazine. However some magazines are aimed at females. For example, the female readership of ‘Top of the Pops’ is 87% which demonstrates that the majority of readers are female. They also use feminine colours such as pink and purple, which has connotations of cute and girly things – which would be more appealing to a female readership. They also use images of popular male artists who are attractive and well known, which catches the attention of the females. Overall, I agree that music magazines are mainly targeted towards male readers, however statistics show that female readers also read the magazines that are more popular with males.