Listings Magazines Research

TV Choice

This is a picture of TV Choice magazine front cover from 2008. The headlines are big sensational storylines that will be revealed in the soaps. For example, 'Corrie shock! Peter Barlow's tragic return!' The idea of this statement is to attract the target audience and even a new audience as they know that particular episode will be exciting and action packed because someone who is obviously well known on Corrie is returning to the show. The magazine front cover is all about the most popular and most watched shows in Britain, 3 of the main articles being about the 3 main soaps, Emmerdale, Eastenders and Corrie. Not only is this great publicity and selling point for the magazine but also a fantastic and different way of advertising for the shows.
The different colours and bold fonts are there to grab the attention of the target audience making them want to read and know about what is coming up in their favorite soaps. It uses lots of imagery of the characters involved to attract the target audience and expand the interest of the soaps, however, it it doesn't give too much away. For example, of there is a slight twist to the story, nothing is given away by the front cover but enough to make the audience want to watch it.


Radio Times

This is a Radio Times front cover that is advertising the 25th anniversary of Eastenders. It has a bold headline that involves well known character Peggy Mitchell alongside the main picture of characters Peggy and Angie to grasp the target audiences attention. The font is plain and in black, however it is placed on a white background. Black and white are contrasting colours that make each other stand out and become more eye catching. The picture and headline isn't only promoting the show, but the magazine too and the interview with the actors inside it which was the main selling point that week for the Radio Times. There are other smaller headlines down the left hand side of the front cover promoting other shows but it is clear that the main thing on television that week would be the fact that it was Eastenders 25th anniversary.
The name, Radio Times, is big and bold to make it stand out against other listing's magazines. Most of the writing on the front cover, including the name of the magazine, is in white capital letters; again to make is stand out and be increasingly eye catching. The names of shows are bigger than the smaller headline underneath as to catch the target audience's attention then make them have to read a bit more to find out more, then draw them in enough to make them buy the magazine and at the same time heavily promoting the shows. It is a well known fact that the Radio Times is a very successful listings magazine that is aimed at a slightly older target audience but generally has a very diverse group of buyers and readers as it features different genres of TV shows each week. In my opinion, and especially in this particular copy, it has been successful in drawing in the target audience to sell both the magazine and the shows featured.


TV Times

This is a picture of the TV Times listing magazine which I believe is aimed at a slightly younger target audience as it has a more modern look and has more emphasis on the big stars of shows as well as including more gossip and focusing far more on soaps compared to other listings magazines; like the Radio Times which has many articles about many genres of shows. However, despite this lack of diversity in the manner in which it is written and presented the TV Times still appeals to all generations.
This particular copy is about Coronation Street. The fonts are bold and include well known characters on top of giving away a big, exciting storyline. Along with this the picture is rather cheeky and daring, connoting different things. For example, the writing "Steve and Becky" is in bright red, which connotes love, danger and creates a daring atmosphere. This fits with the image of the couple as well as the smaller headline, which is implying that the relationship will still not work the second time round but as all great soaps, adverts and magazines do, it is leaving the cliffhanger and strong element of uncertainty as to what will really happen. The background is white which also makes the picture and the headlines stand out more to be far more eye catching grabbing the attention of the target audience, for both the magazine and those who watch Corrie.
TV Times is also promoting the storyline very well because the front cover is featuring an article involving the 10 best soap weddings. The article itself will allow the readers and viewers of Corrie alike to gain an idea as to what may be in store in the episode and how good it might be. Not only will this draw in current viewers of Corrie but gain new ones who only read the magazine an possibly a completely new range of viewers. The headline for this particular article is smaller than the main feature but just as effective due to the boldness, fonts, colours and small pictures which almost tease the audience as to what weddings may be in this article as they will all be popular and great to look back on. This kind of magazine is designed to only give a small taste and tease the target audience making them want more, making them buy the magazine as well as want to watch the programme.

Conclusion

Overall, I think that my listings magazine cover needs to be eye catching and give a small idea of the storyline as well as the characters. The fonts, pictures, colour, name and manner in which is is all presented and out together will be extremely important as to advertise it in the right way because it is a new soap, whereas all of the ones that I have looked at involve well known and popular soaps and shows. As I said before, the audience needs to be 'teased' to grasp enough of their attention for them to want to find out more and read about the show but not give too much away. Listings magazines have to sell both the magazine and the programmes featured to be successful, so language and the actual imagery for the front cover will be just as important as the presentation itself. The colours need to stand out and be different from other magazines as and by looking at these three examples, they are similar in what they put on the front cover but differ in the way that it is presented, so I can see that each magazine needs to have its own individual look in order to successfully reach its target audience.