Evaluation

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products ?

My media product challenges conventions of a local newspaper and website, as I have given it a strict identity throughout and not colour-coded my categories, leaving the colours the same for each category and just colour coding the articles and pictures the same on each section. I try and develop the conventions by including less advertisements, leaving more space for bolder headlines and bigger pictures, so that it is easy to read and understand with an eye-catching view for the target audience. There is obvious usage of conventions that my media products use and every media products use, such as big, bold headlines with large and small pictures to match. This is essential for both newspaper and magazine as the audience need to see more than the article to be interested in reading the actual article below the heading and picture.

2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

I believe that both newspaper and website have a great effect together. I have used strict colour themes throughout and used the same articles for both products, so that the continuity of both can be recognized. However I have made my website far more user friendly and simple as I believe an interactive approach would be for the younger end of my audience and would find it far more easier and fun to browse and read through something easier, yet I have given them the option to click to read further. Whereas with the newspaper I have given full articles for main stories. This is the conventional ways for a newspaper, however I have challenged the conventions of a website with my own product.

3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

I have learnt a lot from audience feedback as said before in previous posts, actually making significant changes to my products due to popular demand from my audience feedback. I have learnt that not to always follow what I want if I do not fit into the target audience myself, and before finalising a product I should ask for feedback at several different stages throughout the design process. In addition to this I also learnt new skills and how to develop a product professionally by adding weight to articles to separate the text, and using professional drop capitals and paragraph indents.

4.How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

I used Photoshop and InDesign last year, however I have developed my techniques further, being able to accommodate a PUG space as well as a Bleed Space which is needed for Print. In regards to evaluation I have developed my blog further using screen shots and images of all my work throughout.
However when it comes to the website, it has been extremely interesting as I have been introduced to Dreamweaver to upload my website and gin HTML knowledge of how websites work. I have also learnt how to create animation on Photoshop which i used for my advert for my Newspaper I find this far more affective and would use it on the Newspapers website, and animation is versatile for any interactive product.


In conclusion I am happy with the products I have produced, however I believe they could be vastly improved if I would have taken my research deeper and wider, so that I could of specifically gained what my target audience wanted. Where technology is concerned I do not believe I have faulted at all, and have gained a sustained experience in using all Adobe products. If i could improve one product it would be the website, as I believe websites can be extremely versatile and I would like to have aimed at several different target audiences and make it more personal to me. However for conventional reasons it wasn't possible. On the whole I am extremely happy with my media products I have produced. Nevertheless when it comes to research I believe I need improvements significantly to gain the specifics for my target audience and personally an understanding into why the audience want what they want.