Evaluation: Using Conventions From Real Media Texts

-In what ways have your productions used or developed conventions adopted from real media products?

My newspaper has been developed with some standard codes and conventions as well as me adapting some. For example, I have kept conventions with the design of the newspaper -

Header/Masthead - ‘Isle of Wight Observer’ positioned along the top like most newspapers
Date/price/website/ - normal conventions that need to be on a newspaper
Articles with supporting images - Most local papers use images to enhance the stories etc.
Paragraphing - I used the usual column format, as well as used a drop capital at the start of articles, and capital first words.

I adapted some codes and conventions such as the title of the newspaper, I kept the design similar in a serif font, however I edited the design in Adobe Illustrator and create a monocle-styled letter ‘O’ for Observer.

Evaluation: Post Production

-How much of your text was ‘created’ only in post-production?

All of the articles in my newspaper were created in post-production, as I created the layout and design for my newspaper first. Once I had created sections for the text, images and adverts, I used place holders and then inputted the final text when it was finished. I had original stories in my head, and ideas that are written lower down on my blog showing possible ideas.


The text was created in post-production as, apart from the ideas and possible articles that are stated,
there was no need to produce it any earlier. I started writing the articles and read them over, making changes when necessary and proof reading as I went along. The articles and stories in my newspaper are all fiction stories that I have created, therefore no planning or research into a story was needed, I simply wrote and re-wrote, edited when necessary and put the final articles into my already created layout for my newspaper.

Evaluation: Research and Planning

-How did your research into audience contribute to your production work?

My research into audience contributed my newspaper as I was able to determine what articles and adverts to put into my newspaper. I researched into what information was most favourable and determined that general news was the most popular option. Another high result was Music, and I used these results to produce my newspaper effectively by having general news stories such as crime in my newspaper. I also incorporated a banner for the Isle of Wight Festival into my newspaper as a link to the interest in music.


I also researched into whether the audience felt like their current local newspaper provided them with relevant information and articles. As the majority of the result was yes, I researched my local newspaper The Isle of Wight County Press and tried to write articles that are similar to the ones present in that newspaper.

Evaluation: Creativity

-What features of your work are original to you, and how successfully does your work engage its audience and provoke its interest?

The feature of my work that is most notably original to me is the header of my newspaper. To break away from conventions of the standard newspaper, I added an element of graphic design to my design by creating a logo with a difference to the regular, simple text. I stuck to the conventions for the majority of the newspaper to instill a sense of realism to my piece, however I feel that the graphic element separates it from the standard newspapers.



I also added a banner at the top of my newspaper advertising the website for the newspaper. I feel this is a modern addition to newspaper designs and influences my newspaper by giving it a more up-to-date attribute.

My newspaper successfully engages its audience and provokes interest in all criteria. I feel that it does this in various ways, one of them being that my newspaper design is a modern design yet sticks to the codes and conventions of the standard newspaper, therefore appealing and satisfying all newspapers. This is a valid attribute for my newspaper as my research shows that not a great deal of younger teens and youths read a newspaper, so I feel that my newspaper will change this by having a more modern and interesting design than conventional newspapers. Another reason is that the articles in my newspaper are straight-to-the-point stories and news, there is only hard-hitting news that affects a large audience, rather than articles that may be specific to one audience and interest, therefore narrowing the amount of readers.

Evaluation: Digital Technology

-How did digital technology influence your work in post-production?

Digital technology has had a large influence and impact in the post-production stage of my newspaper production. In fact, after the ideas had been created and the processes determined, the majority of the production was digital technology. For example, the use of the programs Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign CS5 were used in collaboration to create my newspaper. I used Adobe Photoshop to edit my photos - altering the colours, changing the hue and saturation, applying various blending options, cropping, and more. Adobe Illustrator allowed me to create the masthead for my newspaper. I created the type using the typeface Georgia and then using the Pen Tool to add the ‘tail’ and the ‘eye’ of the monocle. Adobe InDesign played the biggest part in the production process of my newspaper as it was the program responsible for putting together and the arrangement of my newspaper. I imported my photos and images from Photoshop and Illustrator into InDesign and used rules, guides, and alignment grids to ensure that the images and text of my newspaper had been aligned and places properly, as would be apparent in a professional newspaper.


I chose to use the Adobe Creative Suite CS5 to produce my newspaper as it is a highly advanced set of programs (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator) used by professionals. I had experience previous with these programs being a graphic designer, I regularly use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator with my work. I was not as experienced with the use of InDesign, however I had used it to create my magazine in my AS Media coursework. My skills with InDesign have increased noticeably, I now have a much greater understanding of the program and it has prepared me for further use of the software.

To create my radio adverts, I also used the program GarageBand, an application that allows users to create music or podcasts. It is produced by Apple and is an advanced piece of software for creating music. I created my radio advert by using the Apple loops that came with the program, and organising various ones over another to produce the desired effect. I then proceeded to record my voice using the microphone built into my MacBook.

Final Piece: Poster

Final Piece: Radio Adverts

Radio Advert - Strings


Radio Advert - Modern

Final Piece: Newspaper