Analysis of Contents Page

Here is a scan of a contents page from the music magazine NME. I have chose to analyze this magazine because it is extremely popular with it’s target audience and I want to look at the things that they include in the contents page and apply the same conventions to my own.

There is plenty of information on the page which makes the reader want to continue reading which is a good start. The image in the middle makes a focal point and usually it is a photograph of the featured artist, explaining a little about what the article includes. This is obviously placed in the middle of the page because it is the biggest and most important part of the magazine.

Along the left hand side is a ‘band index’. This is a list of the

bands that have been mentioned in the magazine, either in an article or photographs or just a quick mention on a page. Next to the band names are the page numbers so that the reader can easily turn to that page if they are interested in the band. Along the left hand side are sections of the magazine split up with clear headings for the reader such as features, reviews and news. I like the use of this because like with the image in the middle it gives a little snippet of information about what else is included in the magazine.

At the bottom of the page there is a box about subscription to the magazine. Here they include a sentence ‘subscribe today and save over £45’. This is a tactic that makes the reader want to subscribe to the magazine .

The style of the contents of the magazine matches the front cover as always, it is in a clear sans serif front which is popular with magazine and makes it clear and easy to read. Also the color palette from the front page and been carried through to the contents which links it all together.

I chose to analyse this contents page from Billboard magazine because I particularly like the image used in the centre of the page. The bright colours used really make it stand out to the reader and catches their attention, making them want to read what is included in the magazine. Also this is shown my the smaller images used on the right hand side of the other features.

Like in the NME magazine the text on the contents page is split up into sections; 'features', 'music', and 'in every issue'. This makes it clear to the reader as it is easy to read.