Contents page analysis

This is a contents page off Vibe magazine. This contents page follows the typical conventions of a contents page as it provides a limited amount of information for readers where they could find the page numbers of the main parts of the magazine. The purpose of a contents page is to allow readers to know where to find the information they are looking for.

The use of several images supported with relevent text is again a convention of a music magazine as it provides the essential information needed. This magazine also subverts the typical conventions of a music magazine because there is not use of an editorial which is a feature typical to contents pages. I believe that this is a fashion based edition as all the artists in the images are presented in different outfits and the captions indicate what these outfits are. That again is another convention as most music magazines use captions along with the main images to attract the reader. The images used are of different male artists in differing attire the purpose is to attract the targeted audience and to put emphasis on the choice of costume of these artists and prompt the reader to emulate them. I believe that the targeted audience is people aged 16-25 who have an interest in the Hip Hop/R&B genre and particularly also with an interest in fashion. This contents page relies more on images backed up with bits of information to attract their target audience which is another convention of acontents page.

The layout of this magazine is conventional to music magazine contents page and is also a layout that Vibe have made use of in several magazines. The masthead is a synchronising motif used by Vibe where they use that typography to appeal to their audience. The way the information is presented is standard as well as the audience can see the relevant texts they need to.

I believe that this contents page makes use of surveillance from the uses and gratifications theory, I say this because the reader will find out information from this contents page on fashion and try to imitate the dress sense of these artists for their own personal gain. Also personal relationships as the reader could speak with their friends/family about the latest fashion trends.

I also beleive that the proucers make use of direct mode of address on most of the images where the reader is directly targeted and expected to be influenced by the models costume.