The document discusses conventions for magazine layout and design. It analyzes conventions for the front cover, contents page, and double page spreads of both English music magazines like Q and Mojo as well as Asian music magazines. Some key conventions highlighted include placement of the masthead, date, splash headline, photographs and cover lines on the front cover and contents page. For double page spreads, conventions discussed include use of large photographs, standfirsts, headlines and matching colors.

1. Conventions
From my genre and form research, it’s
obvious that the following points are
conventional for all sorts of music
magazine.
However, referring to the USP of my
magazine – Asian Pop Music
I’ll also make reference on the conventions
of Asian music magazine, which may enhance
me to create a crossover of music
magazines of both cultures.

2. Firstly I’ll analyse the conventions of
English music magazine
e.g. Q and Mojo.

3. Front page
 Masthead on the top of the cover page
 Slogan to show reputation
 Date of issue
 Headline subject as the biggest splash with
description
 Other cover lines at the side
 Main photograph
- always medium close up
 Other photographs for particular featuring
stories
 Bolded splash

4. Contents page
 often categorized
 date of issue
 a photograph of the main story
 A few photographs
- photograph for headline
- a few smaller photographs for other
articles
 Brief description under each article
 Page number in front of the title of article
 Recent news on concerts or other special
events beside main stories
 Follows house style of magazine

5. Double page
 One large photo across two pages
 Additional photographs for description of
article(usually very casual)
 Standfirst
 Eye-catching headline
 Matching colours between background and
the music genre of celebrity
 Quotes by the subject

6. And I’ll be breaking…
 Avoid being too wordy
- there will be a small opening
paragraph and a few captions

7.  And now, I’ll be analysing the conventions of
Asian music magazine…

8. Front page
 Colour of masthead is always in contrast with
the background colour
e.g. red in black. blue in white etc
 Masthead always takes up the whole row
 Date of issue is always at the top left corner
 Splash at the bottom with the largest font
- smaller cover lines about the headline story
will also be diversed on other place
(illustration)
 (when a pair group)Names will be placed
vertically between the medium close up of
them (as chinese characters can be written
vertically)

9. Front page
 over coverlines will be arranged in list
- the coverlines are only names of the
subjects of the articles
- only 2-3 coverlines will include short
description
 some featuring credits such as free poster
may be placed on top of masthead with smaller
font and lighter-colour
 Usually simplistic colour scheme
- 2 to 3 colours only

10. And I’ll be breaking…
 although this will be an English magazine, in
order to bring out the taste of Asian, the
chinese names of the subjects will also be
shown
 I think the splash is already enough, so I
won’t put other coverlines about the
headline story

11. Contents page
 Images of subject may be cut-ups
 Less or no photographs from other articles
 Image of front page is always present at the top
left/right corner
 small subscription section at bottom corner
 every cover lines will have a brief description with
around 2 sentences below
 usually simplistic, without too many extra images
or decorations in order to show audience with a
clean layout for them to check out what they want
to look for
 however, description of headline story will
sometimes placed on the photograph of the main
subject
 page number is always placed before the coverlines

12. Double page
 photographs barely go across two pages
- normal two separate pages of the same
article
 many paragraphs
- may be short
- look less wordy
 may be cut-ups of subject rather than just
proper photographs
 information of modelling, make-up, hair styles
and photographer at the top left corner of the
left page
 contexts are mainly about recent news, future
plans and private lives of subjects