I have highlighted aspects of the cover which are important in how my local newspaper will also shape up and what aspects of it I need to use. The above image I have highlighted the eyes of the cover as they blend and mix correctly. When I create my paper I need to ensure that it has a similar image or ensure that the cover looks professional and the images overlap if necessary in that same manner.
The topics as we can see are here about jobs, sport and business although other editions have highlighted food adverts as well as other pullouts such as regular features such as Banter a monthly youth pull-out as well as Crackerjack every Thursday with a guide to Music and Reviews. Other highlighted features to the two images above are the clear masthead. The font has been established somewhat as the Evening Post font which uses serif and large descenders on letters. The masthead here takes up the top of the cover whilst allowing still advertising and a dominant cover story on the page. Other aspects of the cover page I have highlighted are the stories and the layout where the main story appears in the bottom left hand side of the page, a place where the cover story usually takes place as well as the regular sub-stories on the cover where here there are two. They also incorporate an image or two, where here I have highlighted the picture of John Cleese, the pose which instantly has an air of class and status to reflect the actors current status. The overlap of his hand onto the strap line of 'At the heart of all things local' is a simple yet neat way of adding some layers and extra interest onto the cover. The image is smaller for the main cover story whilst the font is the biggest on the cover along with the masthead which balances the page.
I have also drawn onto page 3 of the Evening Post to look at another task I need to fulfil as part of my practical tasks. I have highlighted the In-Brief column, something I like and something that I can certainly use similarly in my own paper. The news is almost organised under bold sub-headings of the place in which it involved. An easy way for the reader to acknowledge the news or take in certain areas which may withhold particular interest.
Another technique regularly used by the EP is the use of quotes on the inside page, here the example of 'SNIDE REMARKS' which is printed in bold to represent a layout and structure, also representative of the inverted pyramid narrative structure. The use of 'SNIDE' also draws on the Posts' style and approach to negative stories such as crime from a Daily Mail point of view. This subjectively meaning that they often use lexis to insult the guilty or to weaken the guilty's image. Other aspects of the page are other news stories such as the ringed bottom story, almost an average sized story in the post. In keeping with the formatting of about 5 columns wide in width, here one column is taken up by an image. This is something that I will study to analyse length of main stories compared with sub-stories. Another feature I picked out was the advert which is bottom right of the page. Here 'Majestic' advertise, a coach company labelled 'the coach specialists', a company which match the target audience of the EP. Majestic Holidays offer coach holidays in B+Bs and traditional seaside resorts amongst other things, representing and targeting an older age group, likely to be retired or certainly 50+.
Above I have highlighted and zoomed in on an image I found interesting as it told me alot about how the Evening Post or media use photography to an equal importance in comparison with the stories and text content. Here the image I have highlighted is showing a traditional family of 4, perhaps often associated with holidays or fun days out. Here the contrasting story uses that stereotype or common view to highlight the dejection and mood of the family in this story. The photographer is likely to have created the shot with the intention of making the children appear unhappy, both looking towards the ground, a stark contrast to that positive and exuberant child image.
The mum as the mother to the children leans in to signal the relationship whilst the Dad maintains a degree of his stance to show muscular features and almost a backbone to the story. This framed image is just one example of the type of production that goes into every image in the paper.
Above: Majestic Advert
Left: I have highlighted another cover of the Evening Post to highlight regular occurrences such as the eyes, and the adverts that are used. They often revolve around features inside the magazine so taking this into account I could also include features and adverts to Jobs, Modelling, Music, Eating Out, Sport and similar topics.
I have also ringed the gaps between each advert on the eyes to show the blend and the design that goes into creating a smooth visual above the masthead, maintaining the Posts' smart yet efficient daily newspaper.
Other aspects highlighted apart from the regular main cover story in a bold front along with a sub-story to the right above an advert, here a food advert. Something which I need to recreate for my own newspaper. These alternative features include the directions for the reader such as the highlighted 'Turn to Page 2' as well as the Date line, an essential feature of any newspaper but nevertheless important to a local daily newspaper which my paper will be.
I have also highlighted here the web address, reflecting technological convergence and the diversification of Northcliffe Media into Northcliffe digital, such as this example of 'thisisbristol.co.uk'.
The other dominant feature is the sub-heading to cover story which is printed in a bland yet clear grey again to signify content , all for the purpose of targeting the reader.
Lexical choices such as 'rip-off' are very much an EP style considering their background stemming from the Daily Mail whilst naming figures such as '£700,000' draws attention to the story.
Above I have highlighted another page 3 of the Evening Post which again contains a travel advert from the same company, reflecting how the advertising works with regular advertisers gaining discounted prices for commitment to the paper whilst the paper benefits from regular interest from the advertiser.
Other aspects I have circled are the use of two large images to replicate the importance of the story to that issue. The story is clearly spread over a double page with large coverage which signals credibility as paper, with a heavy word count, lots of detail and images add credentials to a well documented story. The images here also present a contrast of opinions by showing almost the battle between the man shown on the bike against a legal team.
I have also analysed the date line and the use of the masthead at the top of the page, two minor details which make the paper that much more aesthetically pleasing.
I have also noted the caption for the photo as an essential to any image in the paper.
On the other hand the above cover page, I studied briefly simply to realise what conventions were regularly re-recurring in the paper. The masthead obviously, but the main cover story is printed in the same font, boldly usually in no more than 7 words.
I admire this issue of the paper as the layout is ever so slightly yet effectively different to other issues. The sub-stories are printed again above the regular advert space in the bottom right third of the page. I like the quick headlines and the directions for the reader. They appear bold and highlight what is inside the paper but don't overcrowd the page at all. Which still leaves room for a sub-headline to the main story, another common feature in a grayscale colour. Other regular features such as the stars to represent where the paper is from in terms of location (2 stars greater Bristol and 3 stars central Bristol) as well as the strap line, date and website.
Above is a zoom on the same cover page. Here I have picked up upon the language choices such as 'row' , 'search' and 'saved' as well as some 'Evening Post recognition!
The choices all offer an attraction to the reader, such words entice the reader into looking at an 'end product' from the paper, these headlines again part of the inverted pyramid discourse.
They appear appealing and the words offer a degree of controversy and opinion which in turn generates reader interest.
I have also highlighted on the image to the left, zooming in on the specific of the subject of the image and the ladys' expression. I have highlighted her as the image shows the detail and focus I need to use in editing programmes such as PhotoShop and InDesign in order to produce the best image and quality for a newspaper, a professional publication. The woman is holding the post, a bonus in itself but the facial expression represents real saviour and pride reinforcing how the ''Evening Post saved her life'' storyline. The caption again another essential to give a brief description of the story for readers who don't read the article. Readers should be able to gauge what is happening through firstly the headline and then a caption if there is an image. The background being blurred is a simple yet effective way of editing the photo, a skill I used during my AS task.
Below I have highlighted the image which shows the Post' following the story, it shows a cut out somewhat edited into the form of a callout or AutoShape from other programmes such as Microsoft Word etc. This is used to show reliability and almost to enhance the opinion of the paper to who is reading it. It suggests credibility, great coverage creating an amount of reader satisfaction.
The idea of following a story is something the Post regularly do, and have done with coverage of schools being changed to academies in 2011 and is an effect I could recreate in my paper if decided.
