Media Magazines glossary

Term   Definition   Front Cover Barcode How the shops scan and sell the product. Buzz words Key words to draw the reader in, such as ‘exclusive’, ‘free’, ‘plus’. Date The release date of the magazine. Issue number The number of the magazine. Main cover line The main story, which will be linked to the picture. Main image A mid shot or close up of artist/group.  They will be the main story. Masthead The title of the magazine. Price The amount this costs, often in several currencies. Puff Offers to draw the reader in (freebies). Smaller images Sometimes there are images of what else will be in the magazine. Strapline/tag line The motto of the magazine.  It comes with the masthead. Strip A strip at the top or bottom of the magazine which draws the reader in and explains what else is going on in the magazine. Sub-lines The other stories which are featuring in the magazine – 5-6 maximum. URL address The web address for the magazine Contents Page Article The writing about the main image on the front cover. Body copy Industry word for the article. Caption A quote/description of a picture Columns The way in which the page is presented. Double Page Spread Drop capitals Where the first letter of the paragraphs is bigger and in a different colour to the other letters. Headline The title for the story. Letter from the editor An introduction to the magazine from the editor.  This explains what is in the magazine and guides the reader to certain aspects of the magazine. Page numbers Guides the reader to the stories, so they can easily find the stories. Quote Something directly from the interview. Standfirst The first paragraph of the article.  This should reveal the who, what, where, when, how of the story. Sub-heading A smaller phrase, which may help to explain the headline/give more information. The lead When you write the standfirst in a bolder/bigger font than the rest of the article. Title All contents pages have the title ‘contents’. General Terms Anchorage Using text to pin down the meaning of a picture and visa versa. Borders The spaces around the page, pictures and text. By-lines The name of the person who wrote the article. Colour scheme All magazines have a colour scheme, usually 3-4 colours. Genre The category of the magazine. Gutters The gaps between the columns of a text. House style The style of the individual magazine.  Their conventions/identity.  You should be able to recognise the magazine without the masthead, simply from the house style. Kerning The space between letters Mise-en-scene What is in the picture. What can you see? What colours, props, setting  etc have been used? Mode of address How the magazine talks to the reader – their use of language. Page layout The way in which the page has been set out. Picture credits The name of the person who took the picture.

Music Magazine Key Terms