NME Case study

1. NME Case study

2. History • NME was launched in 1952 as New Musical Express and it describes its self as the world’s greatest and most influential weekly music magazine know globally as NME. They also say they are ultimately we remain the worlds most recognized and iconic music magazine. • It mainly reports on rock, alternative and indie music • Timeline • 1950s • The first issue was published on 7 march 1952. It launched as glossy tabloid format on standard newsprint. With non permanent ink that coined the term inkies. • It created the first UK singles chart • 1960s • The Beatles and the Rolling Stones were frequently featured on the front cover • NME was selling 200,000 issues a week making it the UK biggest seller at the time. • 1970s • 1974 a single stark photo image was devised for the front cover, the masthead and then the logo came about in 1978. • Sales plummeted to 60,000 in 1972. • To combat the plummeting sale EME started covering up and coming music and rebellious music so glam rock and punk. In doing they started selling 300,00 copies per week. • 1980s • They released a free cassette tape in one of magazine. • They released a cover with a labour leader on it which tells us about the target audiences • 1990s • NME was the publication to produce a virtual version in 1996. • They started to champion grunge music when it started to become more popular. • 2000s • It moved from looking like a newspaper to now looking like a magazine • It merged with long time rival music melody • 2010s • Its sales really fell and it had to start giving copies away to try and boost sales.

3. Ownership • NME is owned by Time Inc. which is a subsidiary of Time warner one of the richest companies in the world. • Time INC. owns a lot specialist magazine so lots sports magazine like football cycling and golf. Luxury magazine 25 beautiful homes and wallpaper so magazine all to do with appearances It also owns lots of women magazine. Like Pick me UP! And Women. So it really does target the women audience. It does seem to mainstream older women and niche markets of men

4. NME Convergence • Fans can access their favourite bands or artists through a range of media forms. The relationship between the publishing houses and the record labels means that the music industry can successfully distribute content through many media platforms such as radio, television, film, magazines, newspapers, games and the internet simultaneously to increase profit.

5. Ways to access NME Content • App • Website • iTunes • Google play • Kindle • NME YouTube channel • NME awards • Letters • Social media.

6. Representation Gender Strong independent female rebellious, sultry/sexual free spirited youthful fashionable Ethnicity from Barbados cultural heritage associated with Reggae and RnB music. US identity as she is a very main stream and heavily promoted artist Age youth culture rebellious trend setter Issues smoking (could be associated with culture) glamorising smoking for younger audiences Events Regional and National identity

7. Preferred reading • What NME want us to think • They want the males to be attracted to the image. • They want the female readers see her as a strong role model • That she a independent women • Successful • Trying to increase there female readership • Minimalistic layout and design just enough to catch your eye but it doesn’t overwhelm you. It also can force you to look through further

8. Oppositional reading • It endorses smoking to the younger audience. • Differs from there normal genre quite a lot • Fact that its free loses it exclusive appeal • That Rihanna isn’t a positive role model for kids that she too rebellious • The US overtaking the brit entertainment market.

9. Negotiated reading • People might get the magazine just because its free • NME are doing a rebranding which is why they are choosing Rihanna represent a wider audience • Targeting commuters as they give them out at train stations

10. NME Audience demographic • UK audience mainly but you can buy it online so it might have readers from other English speaking countries • It used to be Mainstream but now its become a niche market as less and people buy magazines but they still trying to get back into the mainstream • Most people who buy it are above the age of 35. But they are trying to appeal to a younger audience. • As they are appealing to a young audience. Its likely the people who buy are from a lower socio-demographics so no higher than C • Psychographic Explorers- less mainstream, New ide/music • Strugglers seek escapism+ entertainment • Armchair rebels- costume lots of media • Followers to keep up to date with what's popular to fit in

11. Audience profile • 17-30 aged mostly male 80% and 20% female • Geography mostly a English readership but also has readers from other English speaking country • Struggling singles high aspirations • Fun atics music lifestyle going to gigs • Tribe wired cutting edge likes new music probably reads it online

12. Moral panic and cultivation theory uses and gratification • The artist lifestyle could have a bad influence on children which is why parents might not agree with NME. So smoking drugs, drinking • Influencing children in a positive and a negative way as it could steer children towards drug but it could influence them to become artists • It give people a chance to escape from there life. It also lets them find out about music • It could create personal relationship as it could cause you to go to gigs and then becoming friends with people with similar personal interests.