Analysis of a TV

Listings MagazineBy Eleanor Carter

Magazine logo: ‘TV Times’

Article headline

Main image

Other images

Captions on images

Pull Quote

Drop cap

Captions under each person

Subheading/strapline

By-lineQ&A

Magazine logo: ‘TV Times’

• It is a convention of a magazine page to include the logo.• The main purpose of the logo on the double page spread is to remind the

audience about what magazine they are reading.• The logo ‘TV TIMES’ is likely to become known if it is repeated throughout

the magazine.• They have also included the section of the magazine which the double page

spread belongs to- the ‘REALITY’ section. This gives the reader a clear indication about what content to expect on this page.

• Therefore, it acts as a guidance for the reader as well as a way of the magazine becoming known.

Here is an extra example of the logo being in the left hand corner of double page spread from ‘BUZZ’ magazine.

Main image

• Main images should be the focus of the page. They are conventionally very large, and can sometimes take up a half of a double page spread.

• They vary in shot type. The type of shot used in this particular magazine spread is a medium shot of a group of people.

• The amount of people used in a main image varies also, but is conventionally one or two. Therefore, this particular main image is fairly unconventional.

• The purpose of this image is to show the potential audience all the people who are involved in the TV program. They are all smiling for the photo and wearing their normal daily clothes- which will make the reader feel comfortable and make the program seem more inviting.

This is another example of a main image. As you can see it’s taking up over half of the double page spread and is therefore the largest item on the spread.

Other smaller images

• Smaller images are a convention of TV magazines, placed in different sections of the spread, like this particular article.

• The purpose of the smaller images is to add interest for the reader, as they can view the images whilst reading the text- they are a visual stimulus.

• The images also tend to link with the articles- e.g. images of people who have written the article or people who are mentioned in the article. This magazine shows images of people included in the program which the article focuses on.

• Images can be placed within text or around the edge of the page.

This is an example of smaller images- as you can see these images are placed around the page and relate to the article.

Captions on images

• The purpose of captions is to state what/ who is shown in the image, as shown in this article.

• Captions are a common convention on images. Credits can also be featured on images to show who took the photograph. This magazine doesn’t include credits.

• Captions give the reader further information about the image, such as the person’s name, age and where they are from.

• All captions are kept consistent, with the same font and color, and in this case, a box around each caption.

Here is an example of captions used on the main image and smaller images around the page. There is also a credit.

By-line

• The by-line is sometimes, but not always, used in TV listings double page spreads. In this example, it is clearly used underneath the article.

• The purpose of the by-line is to reveal who has written the article and a way of crediting them.

• It adds authenticity to the magazine.• It is usually a journalist but, in a TV listings magazine, it can also be written by an actor

discussing their TV show or a director/producer. Here, it is a journalist.• The by-line is usually in a different font or has an effect on the font to stand out from

the rest of the text.

This is another example of a by-line placed at the end of the article. As you can see, this particular by-line is in bold font to stand out.

Q&A

• Q&A’s are commonly used in TV magazine double page spreads-as actors and producers are interviewed about upcoming shows/films.

• In this example, the questions stand out as they are in a different colour to the article- red, and the names are in blue.

• The purpose of Q&A’s are to inform the readers about TV programs or films, or getting to know characters/actors featured. The readers will become more involved and be persuaded to view the program or film.

• The Q&A will relate to the rest of the page, including the subheading, headline and images.

This is an example of a Question and answer text. As you can see, questions are in bold to separate from the answers and names are placed before the answers.

Pull Quote

• Pull quotes are conventional within articles on double page spreads. • The purpose is to capture the reader’s attention and draw them to

the page, and the article in particular.• The chosen quote is often from the most interesting part of the

article- which will make people want to read it.• In this pull quote, it stands out by being blue and bold. • The text in a pull quote is bigger than that of the article, and usually

larger than the subheading. It would be one of the first items on the page which the reader would be drawn to.

This is an example of a pull quote. As you can see, it is in large font, within quotation marks and a box. The text is the same colour as the article text, maintaining the colour scheme. The pull quote here is placed to the side of the text.

Drop cap

• A drop cap is often used in articles- a large capital letter to begin the text.

• The purpose is to indicate the beginning of the article in a way which will attract the audience.

• As well as this, the drop cap looks professional in a double page spread.

• Drop caps are usually in bold, and conventionally cover three or four of the lines of the article. However, they are not always used.

• On this particular page, the drop cap is used conventionally as it’s in bold font and is large, covering at least three lines of the article.

Here is another example of a drop cap. As you can see, the letter is larger than the article and is in bold font. It is taking up three lines of the article, like the one which I am analysing.

Subheading/strapline

• Subheadings are a common convention of double page spreads in TV magazines. • They are placed underneath the headline.• They attract the reader by summarizing the article/text in a concise way which will

interest people.• They tend to be very brief and easy to read.• In this subheading, they have used bold font for someone’s name- making it stand out

from the rest of the text.• They have also put the program name in italics.• The text is larger than the article, but smaller than the headline.

Here is another example of a subheading which summarises the article and introduces it in a way which will interest the reader. It is in white writing, keeping the text colour scheme consistent.

Article headline

• Article headlines are a main convention on TV listings double page spreads.• The title very commonly is the largest text on the page. • Sometimes, colours are used to make the title stand out even more. It should be one of

the main attractions of the page. As you can see, in this particular example, yellow has been used to stand out. This differs from the colour scheme of the rest of the page.

• The reader is likely to notice the headline first.• The headline is supposed to effect the reader in the way that it will make them

interested and want to read more. It should give the reader a clue about what the double page spread is about but leave them guessing as well.

This is another example of a headline. It is in bold font and stands out on top of the main image. This particular example follows the colour scheme of the rest of the page, in white.

Conventions which this double page spread follows (include text, layout, colour scheme)

• This particular example of a double page spread from ‘TV TIMES’ has conformed to conventions as it uses a column structure. As well as this, the main image covers half of the double page spread. The text used is conventional as it is an average size for double page spreads. The article headline is the largest text, then the pull quote, then the drop cap, then the subheading, and then the article text. This is the order in which the reader should look at the items on the page. The article headline and main image are the main attractions of the page.

• This analysis has enabled me to discover how to apply the codes and conventions of double page spreads to a TV magazine, by looking at a few different examples of TV listings magazines. I looked at the layout of the page and where items were placed, as well as the sizing of items. I have also studied the colour schemes and how to apply this to my group’s double page spread. We are likely to conform to many of these conventions in our spread.