Content Research

The above mind map was created to illustrate the typical content of a local newspaper which i can use to create stories to feature on the cover of my newspaper and throughout the inside pages which i will produce. The main stories featured throughout the paper cover things such as local school events, local events such as charity events and carnivals, local tradegies and crimes and general public information about the area which paper covers. Each of the stories shown target a variety of different audiences provoking them to read specific articles which trigger their interest. I also found that newspapers a filled with a vast amount of adverts, mainly for local businesses yet some wider businesses are also featured throughout. Things such as quizzes, competitions and horoscopes are also involved toward the end of the paper which acts as entertainment for the reader. At the very end of the paper, the paper covers a variety of different sports such as recent scores and league tables as well as information about teams and gossip about players. However, due to the fact that i will only be focusing on the first few pages of the paper, its unlikely my finished paper will include any sports stories.

Audience Research

In order to obtain some primary audience research, i conducted a short and brief questionnaire on my friends and family of all different ages to ensure that the population targeted was reasonably representative. The graphs shown below are the final results that i obtained.

The above question was conducted so that i am able to establish whether or not to charge for my final product. The results show that the most popular type of paper is a bought national paper. However, free local papers also appear extremely popular and seeing as i have been commissioned to create a local paper, its highly likely that i will create a free local newspaper. 

 The second question was conducted so that i could find out what interests my target audience so that i could inject the results into my paper and ensure that my final product appealed to my audience effectively. The graph shows that the most popular stories are local ones. This may be because the reader is much more interested in local news concerning their friends and neighbors as opposed to news about complete strangers. Therefore its highly likely that i will feature local information throughout my paper.

 The third question i featured within my questionnaire was a follow up question from the one above. This was so i could obtain further information about the types of stories to include within my finished product. According to the graph above, the most popular types of stories are crime and tragedy stories, where as features covering events and general stories are much less popular. Therefore its likely that i will include many more stories about local crimes and tragedies so that i can engage with the reader and trigger their interest.

 I conducted the next question so that i was able to discover which of the papers i had research was more to my audiences taste so that i knew which one to take more inspiration from. The above graph shows that the post is the most popular of the papers i have researched where as the observer is much less popular. Therefore i am more likely to take more inspiration from the post as opposed to the other papers researched.

The final question was asked so that i could establish what kind of advertisements to feature within my paper. The graph above implies that the kinds of advertisements featured doesn't really matter due to the fact that the answers are relatively equally distributed. Therefore its likely that i will feature all three of the above named to appeal to a wider audience.

The Times Inside Page

The image to the left shows an annotated inside page of the Times. At a first glance you can see that the page is over a single page as opposed to a double page spread which is what is both the Observer and the Post use. As you can see, the page is predominantly dominated by local advertisements. This helps fill space on the page and the advertisement of local business informs the reader that the paper is mainly locally based which directly targets them therefore possibly triggering their interest due to the fact the information is regarding their local town. However the use of so many adverts could end up causing a distraction from the main articles featured on the page due to the of some many different colours being used.

Despite the majority of the page being filled with adverts, the Times does also seem to feature four articles throughout the page. The headline for the top article is the boldest and largest headline featured on the page implying the story is much more dominant than the other articles featured on the page. The headline also include abbreviated, yet relatively formal language with a simple statement. This implies that the article itself is very informative and target at an older, more formal audience. This is also suggested by the lack of images used throughout the article as images provide colour and excitement to a story.

However, article featured beneath this story is full of colour with the use of a bold red border which makes the article stand out on the page implying its dominance and the use of a colourful image featuring children playing with toys which suggests the idea of fun within the article. This suggests that this article is much less serious that the above featured therefore appealing to much more youthful audience. Unlike the article above,  this story's headline is much more exciting with a clever play on words: 'teddy scares.' This also implies the idea of fun and excitement. The posed image featured is not captioned however, therefore the reader may not feel fully informed.

The two stories featured beneath this article are both very short and small with less bold headlines than the articles featured above. This makes the stories appear much more dominant on the page therefore implying that these stories are much less important that the other two. The top of the two stories shown however features a papped image of a local event which shows the reader that the paper is local therefore grabbing locals readers attention. Yet the use of a papped image shows that the people featured may be unaware the article was being featured therefore implying that the story is, again, less important.

All of the articles featured are local which shows that the paper is locally based which would interest local readers and implies that the paper is targeting a local audience. Unlike the Post, each of the articles featured have their own individual introductions which helps give the reader an insight as to what the story is about. This therefore ensures that the reader feels fully informed and they can decide quickly whether or not that particular story interests them. The display of the paper itself appears very busy due to no clear colour scheme being initiated. This could cause slight confusion to the reader and prevent the whole paper flowing effectively. Along the top of the paper, a thin black line is used to head the page. Above this header, general information about the paper is featured such as the date and technological convergences used which helps ensure that the reader feels fully informed.




Overall, i find that this layout is less effective that the Post due to the fact that the page appears busy and confusing to read. Also the shorter stories appear much less interesting and slightly irrelevant, therefore its less likely that i will take much inspiration from this inside page.

The Observer Inside Page

The image above shows an annotated version of the inside page of the observer. At first glance, a clear orange colour scheme is automatically initiated. This is due to the use of a thick orange banner header along the top of the page. Although this colour isn't identical to the ones used throughout the cover, the colours are from the same colour palette therefore making the colours extremely similar helping the magazine flow more effectively. Similarly to both the Post and the Times, the Observer also uses small short articles throughout the page. However instead of spreading them about the page, the stories are featured within the header which avoids wasting space on the page. Each of the smaller stories headlines use text style variance with a slightly enlarged headline and a white font which helps differentiate these stories the articles below. They are also separated with the use of bar lines which avoids the stories blurring together which could cause confusion with the reader. On the far right of the head, the paper also gives the reader information of how to get in touch with the paper which would aid the reader obtain extra information about the stories and the paper if it is required. Above the header, the date is featured which shows the reader how recent the news is so that they feel fully informed.

In total, the page consists of 6 different stories. Unlike the Post and the Times, each of these stories have their own individual images which helps make the paper more visually attractive by adding colour to the page and illustrates the stories effectively. They are also separate with the use of columns and bar lines which helps avoid the stories blending together which could cause confusion to the reader. The largest article featured appears to be the main story featured in the center of the page. This is implied through the use of a large dominant headline due to the use of text variance  and a larger image which follows the colour scheme effectively. By following the colour scheme, the paper flows effectively an links both the front page and inside page effectively. The headline itself is the largest one featured on the page which implies that this story is more important that the other. This can also be said about the images. Where as each of the other stories featured only use one image, the main article uses three: a large dominant image and two small circular ones. This again implies that the story is more dominant than the others and helps illustrate the story well. This article is also the only article featured consisting of an introduction which helps give the reader an insight as to what the article is going to be about which helps the reader establish whether or not the article interests them.

The articles featured either side of this story are both very similar. Both of their headlines are smaller and less bold than the article featured in the middle which suggests that these two stories are much less dominant than the center one. They both feature posed images to help illustrate the story, yet these images are much smaller than the one featured in the center which again implies that these stories are less important. However, the story on the far left of the page is followed on from the cover which helps the magazine flow more effectively.

Each of the stories featured are all locally based, as are the two large averts featured within the bottom of the page. This suggests that the newspaper is targeting a very local audience due to the fact that they feature stories which would trigger their interests and adverts which may apply to them. Both of the adverts featured also follow the colour scheme with the inclusion of colour from the same colour scheme such as red and yellow. This helps the magazine flow more effectively and links the adverts into the page well so they look a part of the paper. Even though this page isn't the cover of the paper, the paper is still advertising the papers contents with the use of a thick orange bar line telling the reader to look at the TV pages which shows that the paper is in touch with technology which could make them appeal to a wider audience range.

Overall, i find that this inside page is the most interesting and intriguing out of the pages i have researched. The page is incredibly visually attractive and adapts to a clear colour scheme throughout which ties the whole page together and makes the magazine flow effectively. The idea of using images for every story is again very visually appealing and helps illustrates the stories well. Therefore its likely that i will take inspiration from this page.

The Post Inside Page

The image to the above shows an annotated version of the inside pages from The Post. As you can see, the inside pages are featured over a double page spread which helps fill space effectively. From a first glance, it becomes apparent that the spread is mainly text based which shows how informative the paper is. The vast amount of text covers five separate stories which appear to separated with the use of bar lines and columns so that the reader doesn't get confused as to what they are reading which makes the stories significantly easier to read. Each of the stories featured focus on local news which directly targets local readers as this information is likely to trigger their interest as the news is regarding their surrounding areas. Each of the articles are headed differently. The largest story is headed with the largest and boldest headline which suggests that this article is the most dominant of the page. Just beneath the headline, there is a note stating that the story is continued from the cover which helps the reader flip the page and continue reading the story without too much difficulty. Only one small circular image appears to have been used throughout this story which partially illustrates the story, yet no captions are used which could cause slight confusion as the reader may become unsure as to what the image is referring to.

The story included beneath this story is the smallest story featured on the page. Although it may be the smallest story, the headline appears to bolder that a few of the other headlines yet the headline is much smaller which makes it less dominant. No images are used throughout this story which makes the story less visual and less intriguing to read as the story isn't illustrated.

To the right of this article, another larger article is featured. This article is heading with a quote which intrigues the reader as they may want to know what the quote is referring to and how it is relevant to the article. The headline features enlarged text which differentiates it from the article making it stand out effectively. One captioned image is used showing a Birdseye view of the airfield which instantly shows and tells the reader what the story is referring so that the reader can decided quickly and effectively whether or not story interests them.

The story featured above this story is again one of the larger stories on the page. Although the story is one of the larger ones, it is headed in the same style as the smallest article which reduces it dominance on the page. Yet the use of two posed large images for this article ensures that the story is bold and dominant on the page. The costume included within the images also seems to match the colour scheme effectively which helps link the whole page together effectively causing it to flow well. The images are also captioned which helps tell the reader what the image is referring to which avoids any confusion when reading the article.

The final story featured is another small article headed in a less bold headline. Similarly to the first article mentioned, a circular image is used within the article which increases it dominance on the page and gives the reader an insight as to who the article is reffering to.

Most the articles featured use blue bullets points and text as a stylistic feature which helps add emphasis to specific things and also helps link the page together so it can flow more effectively. A blue banner is also used to head the page which helps initiate the colour scheme which is continued from the cover. Above the banner, general information is given about the paper such as the date it was published and advertising technological convergence where further information can be obtained. At the bottom right hand side of the page, an advertisement for a local business is used which illuminates that the paper is locally based and helps promote local businesses which applies to their audience. It also links in with the colour scheme shown throughout the cover with the use of red borders and text boxes.

Overall, I feel that this spread works relatively well as it focuses in depth on providing news for its audience. However, the vast amount of text used throughout the page could appear quite boring to their reader, yet the use of images and bar lines help break the text up and give the paper a much better visual impact. The stories featured are all local which illuminates the paper is Bristol based which targets a Bristol based audience. The stylistic technique of adding in bits of light blue throughout each article works effectively as it links the whole page together and adds emphasis to specific parts of the page. The inclusion of a local advert works well as it fits into the colour scheme which gives the impression that the advert is part of the newspaper as opposed to being placed randomly.

Bristol Observer Cover

The image to the left shows an annotated cover of the Bristol Observer. At first glance, the cover appears very busy due to the large amount of images used throughout the page. The use of so many images distracts the reader from the actual colour scheme which could cause confusion. However, due to use of neutral colours used such as beige and yellow, the much brighter colours such as the use of purple, green and blue can blend in much more effectively. This colour scheme is illustrated through the use of the beige header at the top of the page and the banner used in the lower half of the page. The use of a header helps border the page and acts as a background for things such as the nameplate, the newspaper price and other information which helps inform the reader how recent the news is such as the date. Similarly to the North Somerset Times the nameplate is split into two. A smaller less bold nameplate consisting of the papers background and location and a larger, bolder nameplate which states the newspapers name. The variance in text size emphasises the word 'observer' much more than the smaller nameplate which could cause the reader to shorten the papers name to just the 'observer.' This promotion of slang could suggest that the paper has intentions of appealing to a more youthful audience of the younger generation. The header also features an image of a woman who is involved in a story featured in the paper whose headline is stated along the very top of the page. This helps advertise the contents of the paper and illustrates the story's importance as the image obstructs the nameplate which suggests that the image and therefore the story has more dominance within the paper.

Unlike both the Post and the Times, the Observer seems to advertise much more of the papers contents through the use of several categorical headlines which split the stories into different sections. This boosts the likelihood of appealing to the reader by attempting to trigger their interest and give them an insight as to what is included within the paper which increases the chance of them buying the paper as they are confident in what they are buying. Again, variance of text size and colour is used to differentiate the phrase '

Also unlike both the Post and the Times, this paper only seems to feature one story on the front page. The story itself seems to focus on the closure of a local airfield which helps illustrate that the paper is local which could help trigger the focus of local readers. The headline is feature in large, bold text which helps the words stand out much clearer on the page causing much more focus to be paid to them. The headline itself features the use of rhetorical questions and the use of possessive pronouns such as 'our' which addresses the reader directly so that they feel involved within the story. Similarly to the other papers i have researched, text variance is used throughout the article to split the article into different sections such as the introduction and main story. The introduction to the story is featured in much larger text which differentiates it from the rest of the article and stands out much more which could help trigger the readers interest which could persuade them to read on. Jump lines are also used at the end of the story which tells the reader where the story continues so that they feel informed and the article cuts off at a point which causes the reader to want to know more therefore increasing the likelihood of them buying the paper. The image featured is a papped shot of the airfield in action which makes it incredibly relevant to the article provided which helps give the reader a visual image of the airfield when it was running. Captions are also used to give extra information about the image if it is required to keep the reader informed.

Beneath the article, a footer is used to finish the page (apart from the advertisements) using the same neutral colour scheme which helps keep the page together. Inside the footer, the paper mentions several popular places in Bristol which again helps illuminate to the reader that the paper is local and could trigger the interest of local readers.  

Simarly to both of the papers used, the Observer features large adverts acting as a banner along the bottom of the page. This helps fill empty spaces on the page to ensure that the page appears full and busy. Both of the adverts featured are based around local business which directly targets local readers and triggers they're interest. The adverts featured also include neutal colours so that they do not dominate the page and pull attention away from the main article. The use of neutral colours also links into the original colour scheme and ensures that the page doesnt appear too bright or too busy which would be unpleasant and difficult for the reader to focus on.

Overall, i feel that this front cover works effectively as it mainly focuses on advertising the content of the whole paper as opposed to just featuring cover stories which is what the Post does. This ensures that the reader is fully aware of what the paper consists of so that they feel confident and happy with what they are purchasing. The page also focuses very closely on showing the reader how local the paper is with the use of local storys, listing places in Bristol and the inclusion of advertising local businesses. However, the page appears relatively busy to the use of brighter colours down the right side of the page. Although the original colour scheme allows for much brighter colours to be used, they could cause distracting from the main article. Yet due the colours may have been used to draw extra attention to the area which again advertises the contents of the paper which would justify the use of these colours. Therefore i find that this cover is very intriguing and hints to the papers contents to trigger the interest of its audience.