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

To keep my newspaper matching and looking professional, i had to keep all of the font, colour scheme and size the same.

When first combining my main product and the ancillary texts i knew that i needed the style of it to keep the same for it to create a good combination. This was done by using the colours in my logo (red, black and white). This created a more professional look as it looked like it was all from the same newspaper which was the effect i was going for. This was for my front cover and the first page of the newspaper. It was vital that they felt that they were from the same brand because if not there would of been no consistency in my piece.

For my other piece (My advert) i have carried on the trend, by having a black background, with white arrows and red text. Then finally i had the logo on the bottom of it to make sure that the reader knew where the advert was from. This added consistency gives a professional feel to the newspaper and gives more brand exposure than if i was to have different colours all the time. This will hopefully allow my readers to connect with the colour scheme.

Also with the advert, i think it describes the newspaper very well. As i am advertising a new paper, the newer generation want their news to be straight to the point, with no waffle. Even though this wasn't my initial idea for my advert, after playing about with a few ideas i thought that this looked the most professional and gave the reader a good idea about what we are all about.

Overall i found that to be successful with my products, i need consistency, powerful messages, good advertisements and a catchy slogan. I think i have achieved all of these within my products as all my products look related through the colour schemes and the use of my logo. The powerful messages being embedded within the stories. Good advertisement through my poster, and my main slogan 'Bringing Manchester Closer' makes the reader feel involved by reading the paper.

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

Evaluation

Firstly, i analyzed a number of different newspaper logos and looked at the conventions that they generally followed. The real media products had a big influence over my final logo. The one that i choose to base my logo on was the mail on Sunday's. A basic single lined logo which stretches across the full page of the front page.

Another common style of newspaper logo in the local area and throughout the country is the logo that appears to be in a box. Ones like this include The Sun, News of the World and The Metro.

All of the above logos follow the general conventions of a newspaper. With there being 1 or 2 colours throughout the logo and the same throughout the full newspaper. The logos also need big, bold and tell the reader exactly what they are reading. There is no point over complicating the logos as they wont be read as much as the full content inside

With the conventions in mind, i designed my logo in Microsoft publisher. I used red and black as the colour scheme as the red is eye catching and the black nicely contrasts the red. The conventions of my logo could be classed as going against the trend though as i have included the logo as a part of the logo. I felt this was beneficiary as it adds more of a local feel to the newspaper.

The paper above is a Wigan local paper. This follows the general conventions of a newspaper. It has the logo at the top, with adverts everywhere. There is the main article and some pictures to follow up.

For my paper, i decided against having the logo next to an advert and instead have the logo using the full top of the newspaper. I have done this as i think one large advert is more desirable than a few small ones. The little information bar below the heading is also a nice idea i think as it gives the reader a little insight to the newspaper by telling them when it is out. I have tried to keep the front cover just about the main story mainly and just given a little insight to the rest of the paper on the right.

I think my newspaper does follow most of the general conventions of a traditional newspaper, but mine has slightly challenged that by having the slogan embedded into the logo rather than down the page. I have also challenged general conventions as i have included what is featured inside the paper on the right, this is more commonly found in a magazine but is also a good addition to a newspaper.

Another way i have challenged conventions in my first page is that i have included a 'gig guide'. Again this is more suited to a magazine but with it being a local paper, it is showing the locals what is happening in the local area. But at the same time i am still following the general conventions by carrying on my colour scheme of red, white and black. I have used a large picture to draw in the reader, and a large advertisement to replicate that of a real newspaper.