Who publishes music magazines?
Two major music magazine publishers are Bauer Media and Future PLC. An example of an independent magazine publisher is The Wire.
Bauer media group: It's first issue was published in October 1986.Bauer Media is Europe’s largest privately owned publishing Group. The Group is a worldwide media empire with over 300 magazines in 15 different countries, as well as online, TV and radio stations.Bauer Media is a sister company of H Bauer Publishing, the publisher of the UK's biggest TV listings, Take a Break and Bella. For example a magazine Bauer media produces called Q, has circulation figures of 52,781 (ABC July-December 2013. Bauer media publishes many magazines such as closer, heat magazine and smash hits also.
Future PLC :The company was founded as Future Publishing in Somerton, Somerset in 1985 by Chris Anderson with the sole magazine Amstrad Action. An early innovation was the inclusion of free software on magazine covers, the first company to do so.Anderson sold Future to Pearson PLC for £52.7 million pounds in 1994, but bought it back in 1998. It publishes more than 30 magazines. Total circulation figures for a magazine called 'Guitarist' are 25,047 ABC between January-December 2013. Magazines published by future PLC are Rhythm, edge, computer music, guitarist and many more.
The Wire: It was founded in 1982. The magazine is run by a small, dedicated team of full-time staff, plus a large international group of over 60 freelance writers, based in different places around the world. A digital version of the magazine is available on iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire, Android and via your web browser.In December 2000 it was purchased in a management buy-out organised by the magazine's staff and has been run independently ever since. The wire has a monthly circulation of 20,000 people and a subscriber database of 9,000 people.
This magazine contents page is a lot more simple than the Billboard one. This may give the representation that their target audience is not capable of reading as much, connoting that they are a younger audience. Again the colour palette shows connotations of love, youth and girls. This shows that the audience is young. This fits Laurie's 1965 theory "Teenagers are presented as a class in themselves." Young teens (12-16), are a class of their own. The enjoy very different things to what say a 20 year old may enjoy. It is for this reason that this magazine contents page uses young, girly, bright colours to attract this specific audience and draw in their attention.
The pastel colours of this magazine suggest that the magazine is aimed at a younger target audience. The boy band featured are liked by many young girls this suggests that the magazine is aimed at a younger audience. The milkshakes they are holding show connotations of summer, fun and youth. The fact they are in a magazine that is targeted at younger girls this represents them as a young band also. This magazine almost fits Laura Mulvey's 1975 theory of "The male gaze" within this theory she states women as being "sexual objects of desire for the audience to admire." This magazine is doing the opposite of this theory. Making the boys the objects of desire. This is done by choosing things that young girls would like, for example; Pastel colours, milkshakes and young boys. It has been proven that Laura Mulvey's theory is now changing and magazines are including more males as the sexual object of desire to attract more of the female target audiences.
This particular magazine is represented as if it has a younger target audience, which it does. The pink and purple colour palette shows connotations of love, barbie, hearts, flowers etc. However the yellow within the colour palette shows connotations of happiness and sunshine. All connotations represent the audience as young and immature. This cover fits Stanley Halls's 1904 theory "youth must have excitement." With words on the page such as; SCREAM, SHOCKER, soap alert and GLAM, you can see why this it fits this theory. The thrill of excitement in the titles draws in the youth's attention.
The simple layout of this contents page represents it as popular magazine. However the layout is filled quite heavily with text, this connotes that there is a lot to be read about in the magazine. The colour palette sticks to the same simple colours in the logo; black, red, yellow, blue and green. This represents it as a well known magazine. Because of the simple layout of this contents page I feel it aims at a slightly older target audience. However I do feel that it fits Stanley Hall's 1904 theory that "Adolescence is a time of stress and storm, making teenagers common mood a state of depression." The pale blue and grey effect of the page almost seems like it connotes sadness and a dull setting for the magazine.
Shakira is dressed simply, this shows that she doesn't have to dress up for the magazine and is not being sexualised in any way. This represents her as a strong character. This also goes against Laura Mulvey's 1975 theory of the "male gaze", this theory states that "women are seen as erotic objects of desire for the characters in the story or people in the audience." Because of her natural beauty, she does not need to show off her body to be seen as pretty or sexy. Her natural features make her attractive enough. Her smile connotes she is confident and doesn't need to be sexualised to show this.
The colour palette shows female connotations, I think this is because the deep purple has connotations of love, calmness and it is a female orientated colour in general. The font is simple, this connotes that it is easy to read and shows the simplicity of the magazine without the ned of fancy fonts. The image shows a medium close up of Shakira. Her pose is bold, this has a representation of power and shows that she is strong. However pretty and delicate with her hair flowing and makeup perfectly applied. This image, is not like your typical magazine front cover image. Shakira is plainly dressed, well covered up and looks very respectable. This goes against Laura Mulvey's theory of the "male gaze". Her theory states that women are seen as " erotic objects of desire for the audience to enjoy." Shakira is proving this all wrong by looking gorgeous, yet classy in this very feminine image.
