Analysis of Regional Magazine Websites

Analysis of Cornwall Today:

As a regional magazine, Cornwall Today fulfils a range of archaic choices regarding the design - however this is very much alongside modern design themes and easy to navigate layout ideas. Cornwall Today's website is easy to use, efficient and easy to find the information that you're looking for. The images are vibrant and there is a reasonable level of interactivity, regarding gallery images and drop down boxes. Perhaps an excellent website design considering it's primarily aimed at an older audience. 

Regarding the layout of Cornwall Today's Home page, the layout is simple and efficient, it's easy to navigate and easy to operate. The text boxes allow it easy for the audience to differentiate between articles and different information. Image spacing is even all over and connotes a fun, professional idea, which helps the audience to understand the content. A coherent design presents a design which has a main masthead at the top of the page, following on from traditional website designs, as well as touching on connotations attached to magazine layouts, a menu bar just below it and then a range of article and link boxes below. This design allows your eye to scroll down from the top of the page, exploring the content available and allowing the audience to understand the content. This layout design is similar on most pages, it does slightly differentiate on some pages however, I will touch on this later. 

With concern to images, Cornwall Today website uses a range of interesting images which grab you attention and the content represents the stories, themes of the magazine and also genre ideas regarding regional magazines. All of the image present a range of interesting design ideas, the image shot types and framing allow the home page to stand out and grab the target audience's attention. 

The masthead and header section of the page is shown throughout all pages of this website. The same font and styling is used as is shown on the magazine itself. This helps to build a recognition and a resemblance between both the product and the website design, building corporate themes with the audience. Furthermore, the simplistic header also incorporates an advertisement, an important theme for a regional magazine, fitting this genre. 

The colour scheme on Cornwall Today follows a simplistic theme, especially on the home page. Greys are used alongside whites and a turquoise blue. This range of colours allows for contrast and also allows images and text to stand out. On other, lesser pages, text boxes in the colour of orange and shown which highlights important information for the audience which grabs their eye and drawn them in. The colour of orange connotes summer, perhaps relevant to the content and ideas of the article. Text is shown in a variety of colours, mainly opposing the background colour to create a sense of binary opposition. 

The type styles throughout this website present traditional ideas. For example, the masthead follows ideas surrounding an archaic font which uses a serif and a traditional regional magazine styling. For article text, and text used in text boxes and as subheadings, a more modern type style is used which follows maybe a more younger target audience to what we expect from this genre of magazine. Furthermore, a range of fonts in this type face are used in different weights and different colours to allow them to stand out.

The lexical choices shown through this website present an idea of traditionally, alongside modern themes which allow for Cornwall Today's specific audience to be shown. This is done through use of words relating to content, specific ideas as well as representing specific topics. 

Analysis of Devon Life:

In terms of an overview of DevonLife, this website is music more complex then the previous one which I explored. A variety of information and content makes it look much more like a news website than it does a regional magazine website. Content, layout and design all fit modern ideas which allow for a sophisticated, however perhaps younger audience to be attracted. 

The layout of Devon Life is much more sophisticated and explores a range of different layout ideas as oppose to Cornwall Today. From use of text boxes behind text which allows it to stand out, and attractive content, ordered specifically and coherently depending on importance. Styling allows the page to look attractive and sections such as the menu bar are modern and stylistic. Regarding aesthetic themes, DevonLife presents content laid out in columns as well as information laid out in horizontal boxes which takes up the whole width of the page. 

DevonLife uses a range of different image which aims to attract their audience and pull them into the content, persuading them to buy the next issue and read on. Images represent content of articles and specific ideas presented through monthly issues. Content also represent cultural themes and ideas, however images don't seem to be quite as exciting as Cornwall Life - this may be down to magazine photographer, or perhaps idea connotation. 

The masthead of DevonLife's website is traditional and again, follows that of their magazine. This helps to build corporate themes and create a link between the two mediums. The typeface has a serif and is in the colour of black so that it opposes the white background, following Levi Strauss' Binary Opposition theory. The header on this page also incorporate a search bar, allowing the audience to search for specific content, as well as social media buttons which tell me that this website is designed for a younger audience than the previous one I looked at. Furthermore, the use of colour shown through the links in the menu panel makes the website look create and interactive, grabbing the audience's attention. 

Colours throughout DevonLife follow traditional, simplistic website themes, while also incorporating some brighter colours which stand out and catch the eye. Dark Grey and white are used to oppose each other and are used as primary colours. This is so that one or two other, lesser colours can be used and themes presented which aren't too overpowering. A bright range of colours are used in the menu bar and this stands out. Maybe not too many colours are used throughout this website due to the range of advertisements shown - all of these are allowed to use whatever colours they choose, meaning if the website design was also to incorporate different colours this may come across too overpowering. 

With regards to type and lexical choices, a conventional, traditional type face is used for the body of the text. While a typeface with a serif is used for the masthead. A more casual, informal typeface is used for the subheading font, as this is friendly and allows the audience to relate to the articles. The lexical choices also follow convention - with word choices specific to content and also representing the audience.

All of the other pages on this website follows similar themes and ideas and presents conventional codes and conventions. Layout styles are similar to that of the home page which is good as a link is created between both.

Analysis of Devonshire Magazine:

Devonshire magazine follows similar, however less flamboyant contentions to DevonLife. A traditional however sophisticated design looks attractive and interesting on the eye and attracts and older audience looking for regionally traditional themes. Moreover, this magazine website is aimed at perhaps an older age bracket in a higher social grade.

The layout of this website represents a simplistic design that is easy to navigate and easy to find content and information. My laying content out in columns, it makes it easy for the audience to find information and understand the importance of content depending on where it's placed. By incorporating images in text boxes, alongside 'read more' buttons, it allows for a contact design that draws in the audience and allows them to follow the content. 

Images on Devonshire Magazine website are relevant to content and presents regionally relevant themes. The images grab the audience's attention and they're engaging and interesting to view. There are a mix of photographic images alongside illustrations, which connote Devon's cultural diversity, something their target audience are looking for.

The masthead for this website presents a header with a traditional font which includes a serif. The header itself presents a simplistic, sophisticated menu bar which is easy to use and connotes professionalism. Furthermore, the social media buttons allow the audience to interact and share content with their friends. The white space makes for an interestingly sophisticated design which is simplistic and attractive on the eye.

This website uses only a few colours throughout, which follows the simplistic themes. White, black and red are the primary colours with red standing out from the white and black, grabbing the audience's attention. 

A friendly, informal typeface is used on this website, alongside the main header which uses a formal typeface with a serif. The article type is conventional to regional magazine websites and it looks good both in bold for subheadings, as well as for the bulk of the articles. Lexical choices means that the magazine's content correctly represent their audience, presenting themes which relate to content as well as genre. Word choices are picked to represent the demographic of audience as well as the genre of the magazine and also the purpose, to inform and entertain.