Contents page 2

The contents page is used to inform the readers what is featured in the magazine and helps promote the magazine. ‘Q’ uses images on their contents page to notify to the readers who will be appearing inside the magazine. The use of limited colours (black, white and red) allows the magazine to look organised and catches the reader’s eye. 

The magazine contents page has the typical conventions you’d expect to find on other magazine content pages. Some of these distinctive conventions are; the name of the magazine and the date. The use of repetition of the magazine name allows the readers to remember the name whilst going through the magazine. The date reinforces how current the issue is. Other conventions are the use of image and the amount of colour used on the contents page. As mentioned before the use of images highlight who will appear within the magazine and attract the readers further once seeing the front cover. The use of limited colours (black, white and red) appeals to their target audience both male and female of an older generation. The white text is based on a black background and the black text is based on a white or red background, this allows the writing to stand out and looks well structured. The colours white and red also link to the colours used to create the magazine brand name ‘Q’ allowing the readers to remember the name of the magazine. The titles (contents, features, oasis special, every month and review), help separate sections, making it easier for the readers to find information they want quickly. The two titles, features and every month, are conventional on a contents page, as they are usually laid out like this. Catching sell lines listed under the titles such as; ‘Bobby Gillespie looks back on his rock’n’roll CV’ which is marked under the title features, grabs the reader’s attention and encourages them to read on to find out the full story. 

The title Oasis special, further down the page suggests the unique selling point of the magazine. This enables the magazine to attract more audience as it features information that no other magazine will have. ‘Oasis picture special’ with the word ‘exclusive’ written below it reinforces the fact that this magazine has photos that are one of a kind. The fact that the copy is black and gold instead of the three usual colours used (black, white and red) helps the section stand out and appeal to the targeted audience. The title ‘Every month’ creates a regular and unique selling point for consistent buyers of the magazine ‘Q’, this allows the audience to identify with the magazine. 

The main image takes up most of the space on the contents page. The image consists of the band ‘The Courteeners’, who are casually standing on a hill top. The long shot allows us to see the mise-en-scene; all four males are casually dressed in jeans and three of the males are wearing t-shirts and one is wearing a shirt allowing the audiences to identify with them. The band specialise in rock’n’roll and it is ironic that they are wearing dark colours as musicians within this genre tend to dress causal and in dark clothing. The band is not mentioned under any titles which propose the wide range of content in the magazine. Directly below the main image is a section titled Review. Here we see another image which is smaller, of Nick Cave who is leaning against as large white pillar. Unlike The Courteeners, Nick Cave is dressed smart in a suit reinforcing the wide range of content which is shown in the magazine. A smaller caption, alongside the title Review, states ‘The world’s biggest and best music guide’. This connotes, the magazine has another unique selling point, and allows the audience to have a close look at what is featured within the review. This could be another aspect of the magazine that interests and appeals to the audience. 

At the top of the page under the issue/date of the magazine, is a website and Myspace address for the magazine. This suggests ‘Q’ have had to become a convergence industry as more and more consumers using the internet to view magazines online. The Myspace web address connotes the magazine is able to provide for it audience by allowing them to listen to music via the internet.