Product intentions

Product intentions
To create my media product (newspaper) I will be using Microsoft Publisher, the reason I will be using this is because I can use the layout guide feature to plan my design. This will help me decide where to insert pictures and what will look more appropriate. It will also allow me to play around with conventional layouts to see if I can change it without editing the newspaper feel.

For my layout I am going to adapt some conventional features with some unconventional features to produce a unique yet appropriate design. I want to stick to the conventional method with the masthead, as it is located in the primary optical area and therefore draws the reader in. I also want to stick to the main story being predominantly larger than the others as it shows its importance and attracts the reader to the story. However I also want to incorporate a column at a side of the front page which will hold other stories with linking images, similar to the Salford Advertiser as I found it an interesting idea, which entices readers, looks attractive on the cover and gives the impression of a newspaper that is packed full. I also intend to use a section under the masthead, like both of the newspapers I have researched, because it looks attractive and gives the newspaper more depth. For my second page I would like the layout to be quite simple, I hope to section it off into 3 areas; one with an image and an article, one with a weather and horoscope feature and another section with an advertisement. I feel like this will look very professional and conventional, despite the horoscope’s being on an earlier page.

I will keep my images quite conventional, large and neat and mostly in boxes as I’ve seen this in both the newspapers I have researched. However I am also hoping to use images that overlap some of the text as I have also seen this in some newspapers and I think it looks very effective; however I will only use this if I feel like it would fit in with my layout and newspaper style. Also as I hope to design my own advertisements and situate them appropriately on the newspaper as it would be more realistic if it contained ads. I also wish to add a horoscope section and maybe a weather forecast to add extra features to my newspaper; I will place these on my second page underneath or beside my secondary article. Once I have taken all my pictures, I will edit them appropriately to the story; if it is a dreary and emotional article I will try to slightly drain the contrast of the picture to make it connect with the article to give it more of an emotional impact and if it is a humorous article I will increase the impact to give it a more cheerful and appealing feel.

I am going to include three different stories in my newspaper so that I can write in three different styles to accompany each article, however I will make sure they all connect otherwise it may seem like each story belongs in a different newspaper. My main article will be a tragedy/ crime story, a crime scene of a building where an incident has happened; in this case I am going to create a murder article. The language will include facts and quotes from witnesses foremost, as I wish to keep it informative and impacting. However I will also add emotional and intense language to connect with the readers and get them involved with the story to get them attached. For my secondary story which will be placed on the second page, I will create a local hero story, with a much more upbeat language style to coincide with the story. The story will be about a young person of the community finding a trapped/ injured animal and bringing it to safety. This is a story that would appear in a newspaper like the Salford advertiser as it is much more local rather than celebrity news etc. I feel like people would be drawn to these small but enchanting stories. I also intend to feature a small article on the front page down a column on the side, this story will be about a small community matter, such as a local MP, this is because this is quite conventional, a relatively low-key story but also of importance, therefore this is an ideal location for the article.

I also will be taking the typeface into account as I need to make sure that the fonts I use are appropriate for the document I make, as it is a newspaper I am creating I am going to ensure that the main body on the text is a serif type font as many newspapers I have researched use this style and I would like to stick this convention so that the feel of my newspaper is real and accurate. Therefore I will use Times New Roman for the main body of the product. However I wish to use a Sans serif style font for my masthead as I think it will look more modern and give my newspaper more appeal as my market research shows me that the Metro was favoured (and the Metro uses this typeface).

I will be creating three different designs on Microsoft Publisher, these three will be shown to a small focus group so that I can gain more feedback from my audience in order to choose the most fitting and appealing design. I will also be showing drafts of my articles to make sure that the audience feels they are suitable and entertaining. Therefore if I include focus groups in each step of my progress I can be assured that my final product will meet the requirements.