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".

FOCUS GROUP: FRONT PAGE LAYOUT

I have asked my focus group what they prefer between my favoured newspapers, The Metro and KM newspapers, in order to figure out which I should take inspiration and codes and conventions from when making my front page.

I showed them these two front pages, and then my simplified layouts of how I would adapt and make my own:

The Feedback:

Although the KM has more advertisements, the majority of my focus group said that they preferred the KM.
Some of those who preferred the KM said:

"The Metro has too many headlines on it, makes it look crowded"
"It looks more traditional"
"I don't like how the pictures look and are placed on the Metro"

Overall, it was a 7:3 vote in favour of the KM and therefore what I will base my newspaper on.

FOCUS GROUP: TABLOID VS. BROADSHEET

I asked my focus group generally what type of newspaper they preferred to read, a tabloid or a broadsheet.

My focus group is aged 24 to 67, and the majority ruled for broadsheet newspapers appealing to them over tabloids as they "prefer to keep update with the news than a celebrity's new boyfriend".

2 out of 10 voted tabloid, 8 voting broadsheet.

Interestingly, the 2 who voted tabloid were the youngest out of the group aging at 24 and 26.

This information has given me an deeper insight to target audiences, showing that a more mature audience interest is in broadsheets (which most regional newspapers have followed in terms of their content, not conventions like size)

FOCUS GROUP AND TARGET AUDIENCE

Before in depth research I have found that in general most regional newspapers that I have seen tend to aim for a more mature target audience, not only showed through their serious, grammatically advanced journalistic style but also through the advertisements for boilers, care homes, car services, etc, which will attract those who own their own homes, who have responsibilities and not teenagers or children who are looked after and catered for by parents. The audience are interested in relevant and cultural news, and like to be updated of what is going on in their local area. It also adheres to how those who join a 'neighborhood watch' tend to be those in the elderly or those with families as they want to keep their hometowns safe and secure, therefore the regional newspapers are a source of vital information for them to keep updated.

I have got together a focus group of 10 people between the ages of 24 to 67, as through research for my AS coursework, I have discovered that the younger generation are more interested in the news of the celebrity and music world than what is going on in their home town.
By making a focus group I can have help in my decision making and direct feedback in each step to creating my regional newspaper. It will also ensure that I am on track to appealing to my target audience with the contents of my newspaper.