HELLO AND WELCOME

I have made this blog to keep track of and display the process of my Media Studies coursework. For my coursework, I shall be producing the first two pages of a regional newspaper, a billboard advertisement for the newspaper, and a website.

My inspirations so far are coming mainly from Metro newspaper.

TEACHER'S COMMENTS

MARK SO FAR: Planning and Research is still incomplete (planning more than research). Proficient research into similar products and target audience. No real evidence of shotlists, layout and drafting (this is the biggest issue so far). Time management is good. Proficient use of ICT and communication skills. Presentation is high end proficient. Overall 12/20 Room for improvement, especially with planning. on WEBSITES: 'WHAT'S ON'/'EVENTS' PAGE
This contains some good information, but it is very text heavy and would probably be better presented as a Prezi. Good inclusion of Uses and Gratifications theory, but now even more. on METRO: FIRST TWO PAGES Try to include some element of Uses and Gratifications theory. This is particularly important here, because websites are by their very nature something that requires an active audience and people will tend to follow elements based on their specific needs. on WEBSITES: HOME PAGE  Nicely presented and very easy to navigate. Any way of getting more critical theory into this? on WEBSITES: 'WHAT'S ON'/'EVENTS' PAGE       Natasha, It would be nice if you could get some audience theory stuff into this section somewhere... on FOCUS GROUP AND TARGET AUDIENCE

EVALUATION QUESTIONS 1-4

FINAL PRODUCTS

Ancillary Tasks:

http://natashakarczewski.wix.com/thanetherald1# < Website

WEBSITE DRAFTS TO FINAL PIECE AND FOCUS GROUP

The link to my website: http://natashakarczewski.wix.com/thanetherald1#

BILLBOARD DRAFTS TO FINAL PIECE WITH FOCUS GROUP INPUT

LAST DRAFTS OF FRONT PAGE AND FOCUS GROUP COMMENTS (INCLUDING REDESIGNING OF FRONT PAGE)

When I presented this front cover to my focus group, the general comments that I got was that it was plain and boring. I then asked them what I should improve on and they believed that the layout was completely off as it looked like the two advertisements were squishing the newspaper content together. Working from this feedback, I went back and completely re-designed the layout, during this time I had also created a logo (the design process can be found here) which is why it is featured in the latest draft. 

I then gave out my new layout and asked them to write down what they thought could make it better. These are some of the responses:

- Needs a colourful house style

- More images 

- Eye catching headlines

- Bright colours

I worked with these feedback and decided to create a blues and black colour scheme to fit with my new logo and its coastal theme and location. I changed font sizes and made them bolder to stand out more. I only added one more image so not to over crowed the page, but made sure that the headlines accompanying them were 'eye catching'.

This shows the last two drafts of my front cover, I am pretty happy with my final one and it will only take a few minor tweeks to have it as my final piece

MAKING A LOGO/BANNER AND FOCUS GROUP

I have been making my banner and logo that will appear on my front page, website and billboard. The images are in order of my drafting, changed by the opinions of my focus group.

 

 

 When I first showed my focus group this image the general opinion was that it was bland and boring, they wanted an image to go along with it or some colour.



Working with their feedback, I added a picture of Ramsgate Harbour as the background. I then showed my focus group this image and some said they liked it, but others said that because it is only a image of Ramsgate, it may confuse some people as they may think that this is just Ramsgates local newspaper and not all of Thanet's.

With my focus group still not completely happy, I started again. I began to think of what would define Thanet and what image I could use that everyone would recognise and associate with where they live. My first thought was perhaps to merge all of the images I had of the harbours/peirs together, but when I attempted it it didn't look right at all, pretty horrific actually. So, I went back to the KM newspapers and saw that they had a simple logo with the name of the newspaper stacked on top of each other beside it. I went back to my focus group and asked them to shout out what they associated with where they live, many shouted out beaches and the harbours, but I had already tried and failed at that one, and then someone shouted out seaguls.
I took this idea and went onto paint and began to try and draw out some seaguls. I don't have much skill on paint, so I thought that a simple silhouette would be easier for me to draw using the computer. I tried out a few different ones, but the one that shows now is the one that I believed was better and more recognisable. I paired it with a blue background, the general colour associated with the sea and the sky, and boardered it with a dots to make it stand out and look a little different from normal logos. Folowing the conventions of KM, I stacked the name of my newspaper alongside it with the 'Herald' almost double the size of the the location.

I took this to my focus group and all were pleased with it. "The seagul is easy to recognise and I know the newspaper will be for somewhere on the coast without even reading the name".

FRONT PAGE SECOND AND THIRD DRAFT

I have changed the layout for my front cover as I think this looks better and more realistic to a newspaper. I am also following some of the conventions of KM newspapers and this  adheres to that
.

BILLBOARD LAYOUT

Since none of the newspapers replied to my inquiry about whether they advertised their newspaper through billboards, and I couldn't find any for regional newspapers during my research, I have had to create my own.

So far, I have decided to go basic - The logo for the newspaper, a main headline and image, with contact details and info on where to get the newspaper and the website.

FIRST TWO PAGES OF NEWSPAPER LAYOUT

This shows the layout for the first two pages that are in my newspaper.
The black boxes mean that these will be images or advertisements, the 'x' is where text will be.

TUTORIALS: HOW TO USE WIX

 

 

I used this video to learn how to make a websit on WIX.

 

 

 

 

FIRST DRAFT OF FRONT COVER

 

This is just a basic layout and guidence for my front page. The 'x''s are where text will go, the different sizes determining whether it will be a heading or article text, and the boxes are images for stories or advertisements.

 

 

BILLBOARD UPDATE

It has been a few weeks now since I tried to get in contact with a few regional newspapers in order to see whether they used billboards for advetisement, what conventions they followed, if they could send me samples of what they looked like, etc.etc. and I have still not heard back. Because of this I am now going to have to create a completely original piece, perhaps looking at billboards advertising other things to gain inspiration.

GENERAL BILLBOARD RESEARCH

 The two notorious brand drinks billboards shown here portrays complete simplicity when advertising on a large scale. There is no confusion or questions of what they are as both are very clear which is a great benefit as people who see billboards tend to be driving and will go past very fast. If a billboard is too busy then the majority of it will be ignored as people do not have the time to look at it in depth and the billboard will be unable to do its job efficiently.

For the coke advert, all they need is the bold red brand colour and the traditional bottle with the slogan going across for people to recognise it and make them want it, the goal for the company that pays for the billboard. The straw and the bottle has a shadowing effect which makes it look three dimensional, as if you could actually lift it right out. This makes the advertisement look more interesting and intriguing, perhaps causing people to make a double take to see if it actually is two dimensional leading to further interest.
 The Budweiser's billboard is same as the label that actually covers the beer, which regular drinkers of this beer would know and recognise the logo instantly. Its branded as the 'King of Beers', enticing the audience to buy it and challenge its title. Like the coca cola advert, this is not too busy and is straight to the point which leads to no misinterpretations.

PHOTOS TO TAKE

For my project I will need to take some pictures, here is what I plan to take:

Website:
- Logo/Masthead: shot of the harbour(s) (depending on whether it will be more beneficial to do Thanet or just Ramsgate, merge the pictures together) (as soon as day breaks for good lighting)
- News stories for home page: beaches, old shops, staged shots (to assist with a story I've created or elaborated on. i.e. someone holding a certificate), park, memorials, etc.
- Sports page: local rugby team, football games/clubs (I know someone who has part ownership of a football academy  for young kids, I will have to ask permission from parents/guardians to take photos of games or sessions - action shots and group shots), sport clubs, bowel grounds, etc.
- Whats on/Events page: actual events, banners/posters hanging up for events (i.e. normally banners up on Ramsgate harbour or on the chalkboards of pubs and events that they are holding), etc.

Newspaper front page:
- Logo/Masthead: shot of the harbour(s) (depending on whether it will be more beneficial to do Thanet or just Ramsgate, merge the pictures together) (as soon as day breaks for good lighting)
- Main article image: Either take a picture of something that is happening at the moment i.e. an event, or create my own setup.
- sub-heading images: (images from website)

Advertisements for website and newspapers:
- hotels, pubs, clubs, staged photos. (anything else I will be creating through photoshop)

BILLBOARD RESEARCH

This is the only billboard I could find for a newspaper, or at least something that looks like it could be a billboard, and I intend to use the advertising of e-editions for my own piece.

WEBSITE RESEARCH: SPORT PAGES

WEBSITES: 'WHAT'S ON'/'EVENTS' PAGE

This Prezi shows my research for four different websites and their 'What's On'/'Events' pages, which I have found are quite common on local newspaper websites.

WEBSITES: HOME PAGE

I have looked at a range of regional newspaper websites such as:

1- Metro

2- Kent Messenger 

3- The Thanet Gazette
4- The Canterbury Times
5- Ealing Times
6- Clacton and Frinton Gazette 
7- Streatham Guardian

Through this research I have found that there are many similarities in structure and content, some being almost exactly the same as they are from the same distributors -Ealing Times and Streatham Guardian, and The Thanet Gazette and The Canterbury Times.

The use of the segments on all websites also allows the users to go straight to their desired segments to fulfill their needs, whether it be that they are looking for an article on their local football team, an event that has happened/will be happening in their location, local travesty, etc. Each website also has a search box which means that the consumers can be more specific in what they are looking for, fulfilling their cognitive needs for information even quicker and easier.