3/30/17 Feedback and Revisions

We presented our 3rd quarter submission to the class and Mr. Elsbree this week. In doing so, Hannah and I got some very helpful feedback to help us polish up our magazine before the final submission is due. First off, I got the feedback that I should include more of a variety of pictures of Nick and baseball throughout my magazine. While I would love to make this change, I do not have the availability in my schedule to make the trip up to Gainesville in order to perform another Photo shoot. Along with this, Nick has a very busy schedule as they are in the middle of the spring baseball season, so he is unavailable to make the trip back down to Sarasota. Although my pictures don't have a wide variety, I believe they still contribute very well to my magazine. Aside from this, Hannah and I received some very helpful tips on how to revise our table of contents. While our format can be different, there were some key features in both of our table of contents that were varying. First, we were told to make sure that our writing on that page was the same front for the both of us. Hannah decided to change her font to the one I was using, Lithos Pro Regular. Hannah also added the arrow bullets that she left out accidentally when originally creating her table of contents. Along with this, my font was originally bolded on my table of contents but we decided it would be best if I unbolded it so it didn't outshine the background picture. Lastly, Elsbree gave us the advice to have some continuity regarding where our page numbers were placed for each article. Hannah and I decided we would have them on the second line following the name of the article. I believe these changes have greatly impacted my work to make it better overall. I will show a picture of my old table of contents and new table of contents below. The old is on top and the new is on the bottom. - Hope Bumgarner 

3/24/17 3rd Quarter Submission

3/20/17 Marketing and Distribution Overview

Magazine	Marketing Techniques Used	Distribution Methods
Sports Illustrated	-        Experiential Marketing (SI President Mark Ford defines the new effort as alternative marketing or branded entertainment. To lead the organization-wide push, SI will invite fans to interact with its 45-year-old swimsuit brand not only in print and online but in person, too. SI named the experience "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 24/7 New York to Vegas.")	-        Video channel -        Facebook page -        Twitter page -        Instagram page -        Website -        Print magazine
Food Network Magazine	-        Be transparent (Let consumers know exactly what they’re getting.) -        Capitalize on Trends (The key is to stay on top of the bigger trends) -        Make it easy (The more advanced technology becomes, the easier users expect the digital experience to be. The Food Network website has a “social” page in which they preview all of their social channels) -        Listen & Learn (They not only heard consumers desire for a healthier focus, but took action and made it happen.  Along with integrating more wholesome meal ideas into the network lineup and magazine pages, they gave “Healthy Eating” its own home, even starting a blog for it.) -        Keep Consistent (Give your brand a personality and stick to it.)	-        Television channel -        Facebook page -        Twitter page -        Instagram page -        Google + account -        Website -        Print magazine
Runner’s World Magazine	-        Interactive, two-way relationship -        Be mobile (technology is up and coming so change and adapt with the trends)	-        Two new podcasts -        Facebook page -        Twitter page -        Instagram page   -        Website -        Print magazine

3/19/17 Distribution Research

I have done a little research about the best way to distribute my magazine. As mentioned in one of my previous blog posts about real media texts, I believe the best way to distribute my magazine is as a print magazine or as an online magazine. With some further research and after talking to Hannah we decided that if we offer our magazine in an online format we would accompany it with a cost. We decided we would integrate some type of deal where we offer a certain amount of free articles (probably about 5) and then if you wanted to continue reading you would have to pay 99 cents per article or subscribe for a certain amount of money each month. We got this idea from watching a documentary on the New York Times. The New York Times, a very successful newspaper, was faced with some problems regarding cost as print newspaper became less popular so in order to cut down on costs and increase revenue they took to an online format. They offered 10 articles for free and then after that each article would cost a certain amount of money or they could buy a subscription. In doing so they highly increased their revenue because people like being able to get information from the comfort of their own home. Also, in offering online articles they were able to cut down on the amount of employees and paper they were using therefore cutting cost. As print newspapers became less popular, the New York Times was not the only newspaper that created an online format for their articles. Majority of newspapers and magazines now have an online format of some type. When the New York Times transferred to this type of Distribution, their sales went up because their articles were now offered in two different widespread formats. - Hope Bumgarner

3/19/17 Question 4

How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?
- As mentioned in my previous blog post I used a few different editing software's. These include Microsoft Publisher and Adobe InDesign. I used Publisher to create my Cover Page, Table of Contents, and Flat Plan. I used Adobe InDesign to create my two page spread. In terms of hardware, I had to use my IPhone 6 to take photos and my computer to edit the photos. Specifically I used Publisher to edit the photos. I also used my computer to write my blog posts and save all of my project material. Considering that I used multiple computers throughout the course of this project, I also used a flash drive to store all of my project files. As for online, I used google drive to store my photos and I used blogger to blog about the progress of my project throughout the past few months. Most of this project required technologies. The entire project itself was made using editing software and the photos and interviews were all gathered using an IPhone and computer. Since the focus of my magazine article is Nick Long, a UF baseball player that lives in Gainesville, I had to do a lot of texting back and forth with him to gather all of the extra information needed for my article that wasn't gathered in our initial face to face interview. This project would not have been possible without the integration of all of these different types of technologies. - Hope Bumgarner

3/19/17 Question 3

How did your production skills develop throughout this project?
- My production skills went from quite armature to almost professional throughout the course of this project. I had never before worked with computer software and editing systems until taking on this project. In order to create my cover page, table of contents, flat plan, and two page spread I had to use Microsoft publisher along with Adobe InDesign. Publisher is easier to navigate of the two, it seems to be more for beginners. Adobe InDesign took a lot more time to figure out how to use. Specifically, I used Adobe InDesign to create my two page spread. Initially the program just gave two blank pages right next to each other. Then I was able to choose the text box option and draw texts boxes where I decided on the two pages. I then chose the picture box tool and drew the picture boxes where I wanted them in relation to the text boxes. I learned how to completely design my own layout for my two page spread. I created my cover page, table of contents, and flat plan using Publisher. I learned how to use a picture as my background for my cover page and table of contents as well. I used a picture of Nick Long as the cover page background and a picture of a UF hat, shirt, and glove for the background of my table of contents. In using these pictures I had to edit them to create the visually appealing look I wanted for my magazine. I had to change the contrast for both of the pictures to make them darker. In doing so I was able to make it look like the background of the page faded in from black to the picture. It gave the magazine a more professional editing look. Before starting this project I had been certified in Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Excel. This project broadened my horizons and has made me more well versed in all sorts of editing software. The quality of work I can produce now is way higher than it was before. From looking at my first draft to my now finished product I can see the huge change in my skills. Each revision I have made has lead to learning more about these different editing software programs and has highly increased the quality of my product. Along with the editing software I also developed my production skills more in terms of scheduling interviews and photoshoots. I had to write and rewrite my list of questions for my interview with Nick to ensure I got every single question I needed for my article answered. I also had to analyze schedules and figure out meeting times and places to do the interview and perform the photoshoot. All in all, it is clear that my production skills became very developed throughout the course of this project. - Hope Bumgarner

3/17/17 Question 2

How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?
- My product engages with the audience in a variety of ways. First off, my product is very relatable. We focus our articles on a variety of athletes of all different ages so that people of all ages can connect to our articles. Younger kids and teenagers will be more likely to want to read and focus on our high school athletes featured, college kids will most likely want to read about the college athletes we focus on, and adults along with people of all ages will want to read about the professional athletes we feature. We offer this variety of articles so that our audience can read about the athletes of their choice. Along with this, we also include a nutrition section in our magazine that may interest much of our audience. It includes the nutrition of some of the athletes we feature along with diet plans and nutrition that will help with having a healthier lifestyle. This may interest people who are working hard to try to get in shape. Lastly, my product engages the audience visually. I have chosen fonts and layouts that will draw people to want to look at my magazine because it is visually appealing. The more eye catching the magazine the more engaging it is for the audience. I have included many interesting pictures for each article that enhance the appeal of the articles as well.
- There are a few different ways I have thought about distributing my magazine as a real media text. The first and most common way is as a print magazine. This would be just like a traditional magazine that is sold out of bookstores, convenient stores, supermarkets, etc. The magazines would be stocked in the magazine isles but would also be in the checkout lines so it could last minute catch the eye of the consumers. Along with this I may offer my magazine in an online format. We may make a website where the articles written are provided either for free or a price. Hannah and I would have to decide which would benefit the magazine more. I believe print magazine and online magazine are the best ways to distribute my magazine as a real media text. - Hope Bumgarner

3/7/17 Question 1

How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?
- My project uses most of the common conventions for magazines. My cover page is eye catching and has a catchy name to draw people in. The name of our magazine is Athletica which would be appealing to people involved in sports and the sporting world. The name draws these people in to read our magazine, helping us to capture our target audience. The way I have organized my cover page is also quite conventional. I have the magazine name prominently featured down the side of the page and the main focus of the magazine bolded with related articles shown underneath. Along with this I also have the cover story stated towards the top of the page in a larger font to draw attention. My table of contents is also conventionally set up. I have all of the articles included in the magazine listed, followed by their page number. My two page spread could also be considered conventional because it is set up as a traditional two page spread would be. It includes the article I wrote with pictures sprinkled in of the subject matter. In terms of how my project was organized and the techniques used to grab readers attention, my project was very conventional. Now, in terms of the focus of my magazine and the type of articles I include in each issue, my magazine may challenge some of the common conventions. First off, Hannah and I chose to focus each issue of our magazine on a different sport based on the season and the popular teams at the time. Since my issue of the magazine is the Spring edition, I chose to focus the magazine on baseball which is a spring sport. Hannah did the fall edition of our magazine so the sport she focused on was volleyball. Since I was focusing on baseball, all of my articles on sports were based on baseball teams, players, or games. I also decided to include more then just professional baseball players. I feature profession, college, and high school baseball players in my articles so that we can attract readers of all age groups. For example, in this edition I included an article called "A Week in the Life of a Division 1 Athlete". In this article I featured Nick Long, a pitcher at the University of Florida. Along with the baseball articles, we also decided that based on the sport we would include some nutrition and fitness articles that go along with the sport. Hannah focused her article on the nutritional portion of the magazine. The nutrition articles included the types of diets some of the athletes have to live by. The fitness portion focused on the types of workouts the specific athletes had to undergo. Rather than having a broad sports magazine, ours is very specific and goes quite in depth on each sport we feature which can be rare to find in sports magazines.
- Our target audience for this magazine are athletes and people involved in the sporting world between the ages of 15-45 to be very specific, although we would love to attract viewers of all ages. We represent this social group by focusing on athletes within these ages. We have kids in high school, college, and professional athletes featured so that each person regardless of their age can connect with one of the athletes we feature. Our magazine focuses on some of the issues of sports by researching problems like the overpaying of professional athletes and writing informed articles that address the issue by giving a two sided view. Overall our magazine does a fairly goo job of representing our social group and some of the issues presented in the sporting world today. - Hope Bumgarner

3/1/17 Popularity Research

For the past week I have been looking into the success of different sports magazine and the popularity of magazines across the United States along with the world. Throughout my research I came across a a list of the 10 most popular magazines. Of the 10 listed not one was a sports related magazine. Majority of these 10 magazines were gossip and celerity based. Going further into my research I did come across a list of the top 10 most popular sports related magazines. Of the 10 listed, Sports illustrated blows the other 9 out of the water in popularity surrounding the amount of sales and readers it has. Sports illustrated is described as "Easily the most famous sports magazine in America, Sports Illustrated is the undisputed authority on the people, news, and events of American sports." When comparing my magazine, Athletica, to Sports Illustrated I can see that there are many similarities. Hannah and I have chosen to focus our sports magazine on a variety of sports while also focusing on certain teams and people which seems to be fairly similar to how Sports Illustrated is written. The only major difference noticeable between Athletica and Sports Illustrated is that Sports Illustrated has a photo shoot featuring the bodies of  many young athletes and models. While this does increase popularity among the magazine this can be seen as compromising the integrity of the magazine for a quick buy. Many of the pictures included can be seen as highly provocative and sexy. This may attract many male readers for the wrong reasons. The inclusion of this shoot could be seen as putting the sports aspect of the magazine on the back burner. Some may say this shoot is a positive while I believe it is somewhat a negative. A photo shoot like this would have to go under careful consideration before trying to include it in my magazine. Hannah and I will have to clarify what lines we are willing and not willing to cross. - Hope Bumgarner