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.