NME Magazine

NME (New Musical Express) is a popular music magazine, origionally dedicated to the punk rock side of music. It was the first music newspaper of its kind and the first music associated media to hold the UK singles chart, during the 1950’s, its first ever number 1 being ‘Here In My Heart’ by Al Martino. Its contents followed through each musical revalations, through the 1960’s, which saw the rise of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and the 1970’s/early 80’s, through the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. In its original publication, it was set as a large newspaper, but as years have passed, its size and cover style has developed and been down sized to the magazine that we can find in stores today. It is published weekly.

Content

The modern content of NME ranges from pop styles and RnB such as Lady Gaga and Rihanna, to more alteranative groups such as Enter Shikari. In the past, the dedication to closer, more up and coming bands meant that NME was the only real newspaper available at the time that held all music related gossip, and was the only newspaper that advertised gigs.
Now, it’s function as a magazine is at risk of being over powered by bigger, more international companies, such as Kerrang! and Q magazine, but its contents have remained the same, spanning over all kinds of music that is popular in the modern age.
Its content is similar to that of Kerrang!, consisting of music reviews,  gig feedback, and interviews of popular or rising stars in the music business.

Publishing information

NME is currently published by IPC media, its website and advertisements are also processed through IPC media.

Typical reader profile

I think, the typical reader profile would be people in their mid 20’s possibly early thirties, with a fast moving sense of their musical tastes. The presence of different music styles suggests that it appeals to a wider audience, but the way it is set and written gives it the air of a much maturere magazine, more in the style of its original newspaper format.

Kerrang! Magazine

Kerrang! Magazine officially began as a one off supplement in the Sounds newspaper, dedicated to the rise of hard rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Aerosmith , and the new wave of British heavy metal, a movement that began in the late 1970’s in Britain, and had branched out internationally by the early 1970’s.

Angus Young of AC/DC was the first act on the cover of Kerrang! Publication continued through the 1980’s and into the early 90’s, edited by Geoff Barton. Publication increased from a monthly bases, to fortnight as the magazine became more popular, and in 1987, to a weekly basis. When its publishers modified its content from thrash and

glam metal, to Emo and metal

core, there was a lot of complaints. Brannigan, the publisher that ended kerrangs down fall, steered Kerrang through its most commercially successful period.

Content

The content of Kerrang! Is mainly based on alternative styled groups, offering opinions on up and coming bands, and reviews of recent gigs.

It ranges its feed back from majorheavy metal like BlackVeiled Brides to the softer, more garage styled bands of You Me at Six, which gives the magazine a broader fan base.

The magazine usually consists of feedback over the past week, such as popular tweets, answered fan questions and letters of the week. The news delves into the more promotive of up coming bands and more interesting stories of the week that involve rock stars. This is usually followed by Reviews of gigs and features advertised on the cover, and a collection of posters containing famous bands.

Publishing information

Kerrang is currently published by the Bauer Media Group, and also, as Kerrang TV is in partnership with Bauer media Group it can be accounted for advertising as well.

Typical Reader Profile

Kerrangs typical reader would be aged 15-25, intelligent and be gladly aware of their individuality. The presence of brands such as Drop Dead and advertisement of gaming, can add to the individuality, showing that readers are active consumers of gaming and fashion. Almost all of the bands profiled promote tattoos and/or Piercings.

Audience theorys

Audience theories

In early years, media was thought to implant certain views into the mind of the consumer, directly by the viewer in taking the information. This is known as the Hypodermic Needle theory. Hitler used this theory to produce the propaganda to change his nation’s opinions on different cultures.

The Hypodermic Needle theory soon became less and less likely as media became more important in society. Because the society had different views, unlike the sheep suggested by the Hypodermic Needle theory, other explanations were sought out.

The two step flow theory describes the idea that information and opinions don’t just directly plant themselves into the brain, but form their own opinions on other opinions used. For example, food critics visit a restaurant, and post their opinions of said restaurant in a newspaper or the internet. Whether the critic gives the restaurant a good review or a bad review can depend on the amount of customers that the restaurant receives, because most of the population would follow the critic’s opinion, good or bad.

After the first generation of media consumers matured, individual differences began to arise, and media theorists discovered that audiences made the choice of what they watched and how they consumed texts. The theory arose that media texts had certain rolls in society-

Ø Surveillance

Ø Correlation

Ø Entertainment

Ø Cultural transmission

And that they intake them for the following purposes-

Ø Diversion, escaping the real world

Ø Personal relationships, e.g. watching soaps with the family

Ø Personal identity, finding yourself in texts.

Ø Surveillance, gossip magazines etc.

The uses and gratifications theory had been considered more rational than other theories because it can also relate to new media.

The reception theory extends the uses and gratifications theory by suggesting that texts can also be chosen depending on the more unchooseable aspects of the viewer (gender, Class, Age, Ethnicity, Sexuality) and to support reasons, the background of the viewer can be a contributer to what they consume.

I think the main theories I will be focusing on will be the reception theory and uses and gratifications, which both describe an individuality of the consumer and how they intake information through there general needs.