Radio

Radio is part of mass media, because the show is broadcast from one studio that reaches a very wide general audience.

It was significant because people didn't need to read or write to listen to the radio.

In Transition To Becoming Part of the Digital Convergence

• Ofcom regulates TV and Radio sectors, fixed line telecoms and mobile, plus wireless devices operate.
• They are recognising 'changing in listening habits' and are merging with other technologies e.g.the ability to listen to radio on the internet or the abiltiy to download the podcasts.

Different 'types' of Radio

1. Publically - funding e.g. BBC
1. The BBC has a current share of over half of all listening hours. The BBC dominates national service provision
2. Commercial e.g. Heart
1. 42% of all radio listeners
3. Community and voluntary e.g. Hospital radio
1. Tailored for distinct communities or listeners

Title Ideas: Magazine Front Cover

The Magazine Title Ideas:

• The 19th Hole
• FORE
• The Driver
• The Back Nine
• The First Tee

The 19th Hole

It's another word for the clubhouse. This is a term used by golfers, when they've finished their round of golf and they'e going in to the club house for a drink and something to eat. It's very much a jokey term, which could be a critiscm as it may not be understood by many people as it's a very local term to Oxfordshire.

FORE

I really like this title as it is catchy and very relivant to the Golfing world, the target audience will instantly relate the word to golf. The fact that the title is only one syllable makes it stand out and creates an impact when read, I think that it really captures the viewers attention and is memorable. At the moment this is the title I will use as it is one I think has the most potential to be really effective. It is also important that I feel this is a gender neutral title as both male and females will relate to the title.

The Driver

I think this would have been a very good title if the target audience was 30 - 40 years olds but I don't think this title works particularly well for a more mature audience. I also don't think this is appropriate for a gender neutral magazine title as for me it sounds a very masculine.

The Back Nine

I also really like this as a title for a mature audience as I think it's quite appropriate as many will be experiencing retirement and taking it easy which is mirrored in the title. However, with the same breath the connations of this is actually quite morbid and could easy be misconstrued to sound offensive to the target audience.

The First Tee

Doesn't really work as a impacting title. The title also doesn't scream golf, even if you know golf you wouldn't necessarily relate the title to a golf magazine. The connotations of this title is actually that it's a magazine about tea and cake maybe, or a slightly upper class magazine about morning tea; which is why I won't use it as my title for a golf magazine.

Target Audience: For My Magazine Cover

The target audience of my magazine genre 'Golf', is generally:

• Around 60+ as the sport is embraced by many in retirement.
• I'm looking to present my magazine for 60-75 year olds.
• I would like to focus on a gender neutral magazine; as it is very much a gender neutral game now, with many women dominating the golfing world.

Research on Golf: for Magazine Front Cover

I have decided to choose the Genre of 'Golf' for the cover of my magazine. The reason for this choice is that I wanted to stretch myself in terms of designing a magazine cover that I wouldn't necessarily have chosen to read myself; as it is not in my particular interests, and has not really been designed to suit my age group as I’m not the target audience.

Golf, is widely known as a gentlemens game that revolves around etiquette. The sport is generally associated with being an higher middle class and upper classes sport as it is expensive. The expence comes from the equipment needed and the cost of playing on a golf course.

The sport is not just a mans game anymore as the game has alot of female players now, this is demonstrated in the way that there are big womens tournaments that are not only played but shown live on television.  

The history of golf originates in Scotland and always been a very British game we adopted the sport as a well to do social game, in which the upper classes networked both socially and in businesses as well.

Golf is very much a leisurely sport played by middle aged people from about 30 upwards.  There are many people that read golfing magazines between the ages of 30-45 and many of the current golf magazines are aimed at this audience. For this age group golf is used as an aspect of: social networking, business networking and primarily a sport.

However, there is a large number of people that take part in sport are 60+ year olds: as it is a very practical sport that doesn't require a high level of fitness or a great deal of energy. Also, this age group are at retiring age and will therefore have more time on their hands to play the sport. It is also a great social situation for the older generation. 

Designing a magazine front cover

My initial ideas are:

• Soap magazine
• Car magazine
• Wildlife or garden magazine
• Golf magazine.

I've chosen these ideas as a starting point as I want to do some research into the different topics. I also wanted to keep it broad as I want to stay away from the typical choice of a teen mag that has a target audience for my age; my reason for doing this is that my specific perceptions of certain aspects may not be appropriate for a target audience.

The different topics generally have a few magazines out already. I have researched some online:

• Soap magazines
• Soaplife, inside soap
• Car magazines
• What car, Classic car, Top Gear magazine, Auto Express
• Wildlife magazines
• National Geographic, Countryfile, Wildlife, Bird Watching, British Birds
• Golf magazines
• Golf Monthly, Bunkered, Today's Golfer, Golf World, Women and Golf

I think that possibly a car magazine is one that is one that I wouldn't do very well; because I know very little and also have little interest in the subject. My initial thoughts of doing a car magazine is because it would have a very strong front cover and look visually exciting; however, with very little knowledge of the subject, I don't think the text and language would be very strong.

Semiotics and Semiology

Semiotics - Is the study of how meaning is constructed through language or codes
(Semiotics is Greek for sign)

Signs usually have no fixed meaning, it's influenced by cultural background. We have developed over time a socially recognised sign or language.

Semiotics anaylisis allows you to deconstruct meanings from media texts.

• Structuralism - identifying underlying structures. There are innate abilities to be able to talk. 

There is aways a:

• Signifier - text (sound, print, still or moving image)
• Signified - idea or meaning

There is no reason we call a tree 'tree' it has been built/developed culturally over time. The letters T-R-E-E has come to signify a tree.

Signs

• Arbitary - No obvious connection between the sign and the object. e.g. the word cat has no obvious links to a furry animal usually domesticated as a pet. It only works because the letters when put together has meaning. The meaning of words is the result of a mutal agreement amongst society.

• Iconic -Iconic signs means 'picture graphic'; resembles what it's trying to show. Universally recognisable signs e.g. male and female toliets signs are universally recognised symbol.

• Indexical - Indexical signs have some kind of connection with what is being signified, for example tears rolling down a face is the indexical sign for sorrow. The play button is an indexical sign because it shows the arrow going the way the film will play; and becuase we read from left to right.

Crossroads sign is an example of a sign that intergrates all 3 sign classifications.

Anchorage - The fixing or limiting of a particular set of meanings to an image.
Denotation - What an image actually shows and what is immediately apparent.
Connotation - The meaning of a sign that has arrived through the cultural experiences behind it.

Media Audiences

Media texts delievers audiences to advertisers.

Comsumers... people who:

• Buy and use information and entertainment services
• Buy and use matieral goods
• Are encouraged to accept as natural values implied or prompted by the creators of the goods and serivces

The market research and demographic theories are used to create profiles of consumers; using these profiles, they tailor their marketing to different select groups.

Strategies For Attaching Audiences:

1. Place text in appropriate medium
2. Represent targeted group within media text
3. Include objects or activities enjoyed by the target group
4. Include subjects and topics of intrest to the target group
5. Use theme music or background music of appropriate genre for target group.
6. Use settings and situations the target audience is comfortable with and familiar with
7. Esrablish attitudes appropriate to the target audience
8. Appeal to the target audiences desires.

NMT and Digital Convergence

Definition - The way in which we recieve information is becoming digital. Media products are all becoming one product essentially.

NMT - Stands for 'New Media Technology'

Key concept NMT

• Public data dump
• virtual storage space
• Content generators
• Anyone can do anything

There are three types of media:

• Interpersonal media - Letter, one to one
• Mass media - Reaches a huge audience by mass production process such as magazines
• Convergence - Mass media is losing power, individual has choice.

Forces behind the media:

• Technology
• Audience
• Regulation

Traditionally

The media distributes public information. The general purpose of the media was to share news with people.

Mass media has since developed and is now easily accessable and has a wide range of choices within the media we consume.

The history of Media

It began with pen and ink; writing letters. It was a basic form of media in that a letter could be written that would only reach one person.

Mass Media then developed and a letter could be written, photocopied and then send out on mass to communicate with more people.

In the very near future

• Fundementally alters mass media powers because we are partipant producers
• Barriers of regulation and economicss removed

Key Terms

Demographics - Applys to a population determined by age, gender, religion etc.
Psychographics - Is for the individual for a persons ideology. Is now heavily involved in digital convergence.

Implications of NMT

• Consumer
• Active vs passive - You choose what you watch and whether you take it in
• New economic structure
• Reduction of jobs

Audience Implacations of NMT

• Demographics audience has diminished
• Competition for audiences
• New niches have/ are being created
• More interactivity
• New roles for advertising (product placement)

Conclusion

NMT and the digital convergence creates a big change in relationship between content and producers, producers and content consumers.