Evaluation - Question 4

How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

I used a range of media technologies throughout the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages of my newspaper. I presented all my pieces of work as blog posts using Blogger, an online blogging website. I used this to produce a range of work, to research existing newspapers in written posts, but also used this to present any video posts. I was able to use YouTube, a video-hosting website, to upload and view my video posts. I chose YouTube, as it is a popular and easy-to-use video hosting service. I was able to put these YouTube videos onto my blog. Both of these technologies use the internet. I had previously experienced using these in my AS-coursework. I used these in all four stages.

In the research stages, I used a digital (DSLR) camera to record a series of interviews with members of my target audience. I used a camera, because this allowed me to show who the target audience are. I also used a digital camera to capture photographs for me to use on my three tasks. I was able to transfer these videos to a PC or Mac, where I was able to edit the videos together using video editing software. I used Cyberlink PowerDirector and Adobe Premiere Pro to edit different videos together, using different editing techniques throughout. Using editing software allowed me to produce high-quality videos. Some videos required me to perform voice-overs (narrations), to help explain something.  I recorded these narrations with various microphones which I had available to me. Performing a voice-over with a microphone, meant the audio quality would sound good.

In the planning stages, I used Microsoft Publisher and Paint to help me design various ideas for my newspaper masthead and the template for my website. These pieces of design software allowed me to trial a range of ideas for my various tasks. I felt it was easier for me to use design software, instead of pen and paper, because it allowed me to use a range of shapes, colours and fonts, to help me experiment with ideas.

In my construction stages, I used Adobe Photoshop to edit my billboard posters. I found this software easy to use, as I had previously used it in my AS work. I was able to get high-quality posters using this software. I used Adobe InDesign to help me construct my newspaper, to allow me to get a high-quality finish. This was a new piece of technology I needed to learn, as I did not use this previously. I used Wix.com, a website-building technology, to allow me to make my newspaper website. I also needed to learn how to use this. Wix allowed me to produce a website that used a range of features (such as an interactive map), which meant I could create a high-quality product. I spent time using the Internet to review current examples of newspaper websites.

In my evaluation stages, I did not use any new products, except I re-used Blogger.

To conclude, I have used a wide range of media technology in the production of my media product.

Evaluation - Question 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

I created a questionnaire, which I gave out to eight randomly selective participants, who agreed to take part.

I was happy to learn that all eight participants felt it looked like a newspaper. It was quoted as being 'very professional', and I was told that 'conventions of real newspapers' could be found. This was good, as it showed me I produced a product that followed the conventions of a newspaper.

The respondents liked the colour scheme and font choice was good, saying that it appealed to them. The structure, layout and images used in my newspaper were admired by respondents. Another respondent liked how there are a variety of ways for readers to contact the newspaper team. All these factors helped me show that my newspaper looks visually pleasing, and makes it suitable if it was sold in shops.

I received a range of feedback that would allow me to improve my product, if I re-made it. Factors such as various font sizes, adding more images, adding more reporters, and using up empty space showed that I could adjust my product to make it of a higher quality. Elements in my newspaper such as the empty space, the newspaper price, the divider lines and the image sizes were disliked by the respondents. Making these changes that were disliked by the respondents could help improve my product.
However, three respondents did not find anything that they disliked, and so it shows that my product works well.

Evaluation - Question 2

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

My three tasks all link to each other. I have used various components of a newspaper, in an attempt to show continuity between the products.

My masthead, which I produced in my early planning stages, is a newspaper component which I repeatedly used throughout my three tasks. Repeating the masthead throughout my tasks allows readers to see that the different tasks are related to the Hedingham Echo newspaper.

I repeated to use features such as the headline/main story, and photographs throughout the construction of the tasks, to help show continuity between the tasks.

I also kept the blue, black and yellow colour scheme throughout my tasks. While  these are not standard colours linked with real local newspapers, I chose to include a custom colour scheme.

I think these ideas of keeping all these features the same help shows an effective combination between the newspaper and ancillary tasks. I feel that with all three texts using similar conventions can help ensure the audience buy the product.

Evaluation - Question 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Newspaper Front&Second Pages:
My newspaper product uses a range of conventions that have been inspired by real newspaper products. I produced two billboard posters, a website and the first two pages of the front cover for my coursework - all of which were inspired by real media products.

My newspaper front pages includes several components of a real newspaper, including headlines & stories, adverts, and the masthead. I used the bold and large font style used in many local newspapers to replicate the design in my newspaper. The colour scheme I have used of blue and black is an original colour choice that was inspired by the colours in the Suffolk Free Press. I felt this choice of using an original colour scheme could make my work more original. Most of the front pages I researched included a photograph, as part of the story on the front page. I felt I should keep this trend going in my newspaper, by using an image linking to the main story. I included a series of adverts in my newspaper - a convention seen in real newspapers. I felt the inclusion of this would help give the newspaper a feel for a local paper. I made the adverts in my newspaper stand out, as adverts in actual newspapers stand out.

I could have added in features such as a weather forecast on my second page, as I did not include one. I did not include one, because the weather forecast is a convention not seen in most local newspaper, but tend to be seen in national newspapers.

I took inspiration from several local newspapers, including the Halstead Gazette, the Suffolk Free Press, the East Anglian Daily Times, and the Liverpool Echo.



Billboard:
My billboard was inspired by a range of local and national billboard, to allow me to vary my ideas, in order to make my work original and stand out. My horizontal billboard shows an image of a castle, which relates to the local area. Including something related to the newspaper can help display a link between the newspaper products, and my area of choice. This does not challenge real billboards, but it develops the idea of billboards. My portrait billboard shows a headline featuring that week's headline - a form of billboard design seen in real billboards. This links to real billboards which include a major headline for that day/week's edition.

Website:
My website was inspired by a range of real local newspaper websites which vary in style - but still perform the purpose of informing readers about news articles for a target area. Real websites include other pages for events, advertisements, sports sections, and jobs. I produced three different pages that linked to home, contact and events. I have used various features for the homepage taken from real websites, including news articles, upcoming events, travel details, adverts, and interactive components like a button. For the events page, I have included a list of events in detail to allow readers to learn more about them. I have also includes cinema listings for the local area to show what movies are out in theatre. This is an interactive feature that updates by itself. For the contact page, there is a form for users to fill in to contact the newspaper. The sidebars change for each page, and display different content seen on real newspaper sites. While my website does not challenge the conventions in real websites, I have used those ideas and made them personal for the newspaper.

Newspaper Front Page & Page 2 - Audience Evaluation

I got a range of positive feedback about my newspaper, when I performed a questionnaire on six random members of my target audience.

6 Males and 2 Females filled out my questionnaire.

2) What are your first thoughts on the newspaper?
I quizzed the participants on the newspaper, to see what they first thoughts about the newspaper were. Most of the responses I received were quite similar, which is good, because it means my newspaper has got a good 'finish'. Two people felt it had a professional finish, two people said how the newspaper was well structure, while three respondents said the colour scheme was bright and suitable. One of my respondents felt that the layout did not feel like a local newspaper, saying that it was not a bad thing.

3) Does this look like a newspaper?
All eight respondents felt it looked like a newspaper. Two people quoted as it being 'very professional', while one respondent said 'it had all the conventions of a newspaper'.

4) How can I improve the newspaper?
I received a variety of responses for this question. One respondent did not agree with the use of various font sizes, so this is something I could look into improving. Respondents also suggested adding more images to use up the empty space, adding more reporters & team members, among other ideas.

5) What do people like about my newspaper?
For this question, a range of responses were recorded, with different people liking different components for my newspaper. Respondents repeated to say how they felt the use of colour and font was good. The variety of ways that readers can contact the newspaper was liked by someone, while another person liked the masthead design. Also, a respondent liked how the headlines matched with the primary design of the newspaper (using local news). Structure, images and the layout of the newspaper was liked by other respondents.

6) What do people dislike about my newspaper?
Once again, I received a range of feedback about what people did not like about my newspaper. However, three out of the eight people that I asked said there was nothing they disliked. Somebody suggested that the design of the front page was too similar to front pages of real newspapers. I disagree with this feedback, because changing the design would end up challenging the conventions, which I wanted to avoid. Other respondents disliked the blank space seen throughout the paper, the size of the image on page two, the price of my newspaper, and the divider lines seen throughout.

Do My Tasks Link Together?

I have now completed all three of my practical tasks for my coursework. My three tasks were to create a billboard poster, a newspaper website, and the first two pages of a newspaper. I am happy with my final tasks.

In all three of my products, they use the same masthead design, that I created. My masthead uses a black and blue colour scheme, which are the colours I repeatedly use throughout my tasks. The headline - 'Local Hero Hailed After Saving Dog's Life' - is repeated in all three of my tasks, having originally used this headline in my billboard. Most local billboards use a headline which is included in that week's newspaper. This is a feature that I have tried to replicate in my billboard.

For the three stories that I have included, I have used photos which I have repeated in my website and newspaper pages. This can help show continuity between my products.

Newspaper Front Page & Page 2 - Advertisement Mock-ups

These are my three advertisement mocks that I have made for my newspaper. I will use ideas 1 and 2 in my final piece of work, because I feel they are eye-catching. However, I will not use idea 3, because I feel this is very simple, and does not have much information in it. I could improve that idea by adding an image of the business itself. For idea 1, I could improve it by adding an image of the castle itself, but will use this idea.. I do not think of any changes I can make to idea 2, and will also use this.

Idea 1

Idea 2

Idea 3

Newspaper Front Page & Page 2 - Price

My final price of my newspaper will be 60 pence.

I feel this is a suitable price because many local newspapers use a similar price for a weekly newspaper. It is not overly cheap, so many people in my target audience would happily purchase the newspaper at that  price.