2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?

It is difficult to say how my magazine relates to a specific social group as the targeted audience for my product is rather wide and varied; many different social groups are targeted and certain features in my magazine will appeal to some but not others.

The photo of the male creating the 'rock-on' gesture would appeal to the slightly younger readers amongst my target audience as these are the people that are more likely to have the time to go to gigs, the places where these gestures come naturally. Readers that create this gesture themselves are likely to be into rock, hard-core or punk music and therefore this photo only appeals to certain social groups (the punks, the rockers etc). It represents these social groups as destructive, loud and miserable because of the expression the boy is making. This representation is the dominant one for people within these groups; they are thought to be angry and / or miserable, and loud when it comes to listening to and expressing their musical preferences. This photo wouldn't appeal to some of the other social groups that are interested in JAKD. Readers that listen to Foals, Jake Bugg and The Vaccines wouldn't find this gesture appealing as it does not relate to the mood and meaning behind the songs they listen too.

These readers would be more inspired by the design of the masthead. The British flag and the rough texture gives the magazine an urban feel. These readers would relate to the urban element of my magazine as they are the type of people to spend their time in cities travelling or shopping; they also take a strong interest in extreme sports such as skating and biking and so would be outdoors in towns or cities that own skate-parks with other people with these interests. This design suggests that JAKD readers are culturally aware as well as patriotic; they support their country and the stereotypical fashions and interests that go with it (Dr Marten shoes - popular in the 1990s; music from bands such as Oasis, The Verve etc - popular British bands). This represents this specific social group as individual (not following the norm) and well educated and cultural.

Despite these two main social groups being extremely different, similarities explaining why they still purchase JAKD regardless of the elements that don't satisfy their interests, are present. These two social groups are heavily dedicated to the music they listen to; they develop an understanding of the ideologies that these musicians represent and they in-turn start to represent them too. They sit at a level of compliance when it comes to belonging to these groups as, although they have a passion and a dedication for the music, they still want the right to be unique and individual. They use the music as a way to express their feelings and thoughts as opposed to changing their way of thinking to fit in with the music.