My newspaper ipod app

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGVcO9vda18

since technology is rapidly advancing, and eventually there wil be a day where people all read newspapers on their smart phones, i decided i should make an app for my ipod for my local newspaper.

Evaluation

During The completion of my advanced media portfolio I have developed many skills while completing many tasks, using some software which was basic and easy to use such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint, and using some of the more complex software such as, Dreamweaver and Photoshop elements CS4. Over the 14 weeks of production I have developed many skills in using all these programs to create realistic products to my own requirements.

Over the course of the production I had to decide what software to use to create each task, at first for my website I tried to use Dreamweaver, since Dreamweaver requires a decent knowledge of HTML I decided I did not have enough time to start fresh on software I had no experience with, I decided to use a website called www.wix.com, wix allows you to use templates or blank pages to create websites. I had to pick a blank template as using pre-set template would be cheating. I found wix.com very quick and easy to use and straight forward, being able to customize colours to match my product identity. I felt wix enabled me to create the product I envisioned and wanted to produce quickly and easily.

In my ancillary task I studied many other real local newspapers websites and examined their codes and conventions and tried to emulate them, but also tried to challenge some codes and conventions to make my product new and more appealing to the developing market, for example I used a vibrant blue for most of my product, this develops a corporate identity and gives my site a modern look, as most local newspapers websites use a white background with a touch of their trademark colour scheme on some banners. I feel I successfully challenged the codes and conventions without over doing it, although given another chance I might not use so much blue.

For my print version I started using Photoshop elements to create the first page, but although elements is equipped with some very professional tools and in the right hands can be used very effectively, I am not so familiar with Photoshop elements and I struggled with making columns which are the main convention of a newspaper, I decided to use Microsoft In Design as a text box on In design can be easily formatted to use columns. I again followed conventions by purchasing local newspapers from my area and following their methods to my own design, I feel I achieved a very successful first and second page, by maintaining my corporate identity and keeping a realistic effect.

One of the main concepts of the entire portfolio was synergy and the linking of all media platforms, I linked my website to my newspaper by putting the web address in as many places where it felt relevant, in modern day media newspaper sales are depleting at alarming rates, and most newspapers are trying to push their remaining market onto their web platform, so I tried to copy this by asking the readers to visit the site and give their opinions, which also develops a rapport with the readers, which also ties in with the media concept of web 2.0 and user generated content, allowing people to develop a site. To help connect to my readers on wix you can add a comment box, which really works, so I used this system to receive real feedback on my website by giving the link to some friends and asking them to use my comment box to send me their opinions on the site.

Gaining feedback and opinions on my products other than the comment box, I used a questionnaire to find out what people wanted, and although it was apparent that the days of the local newspaper was demand are almost in the past, I set out to try and make my product to adapt to the new market which finds it much easier to use the web. The questionnaire told me what they wanted in a newspaper and I produced it. After completing my tasks based on the people’s voice, I asked family members and friends to evaluate my products, and I used my feedback to fix things which people didn’t like, or added things people wanted to see, after doing this I asked my family, since my mum is fluent with the computer and my dad is computer illiterate I decided they would be the best to evaluate my website, and I got positive feedback from both, stating that it looked modern and professional and my mum said it would be her go to source of news. For my newspaper, I sent the JPEG to some friends via face book, and asked them their opinions, again I got positive feedback with my friends saying they liked it, and it looked more appealing that most boring local newspapers they see in shops.

I feel like I have achieved what I set out to do, in making a realistic local newspaper appealing to the local market of 2011, and a website linked to my newspaper with a modern approach and much more accessible to almost anyone, and a poster which catches the attention of passersby and quickly sends the message to the local area without over doing it, given a second chance I would put more time into my newspaper and focus on the layout of the columns, I would use less blue on my website keep it a little more true to the codes and conventions.

.

Group research

View more presentations from Leohurr.

Final draft of Local newspaper Second Page.

This is the final draft of my local newspapers second page, for reference I used real local newspapers of nearby local areas and studied them for codes and conventions of there layouts and appearances, I think I have emulated my own inside page successfully, maintaining my corporate identity, i used a trajan font for my left column as all the newspapers I analysed used a bold font in there side columns, for my main articles I used a more appealing font called trebuchet MS I feel I achieved the the final product i was aiming for, after showing it to my family members, I received compliments stating it looked very proffesional, and would be something they could imagine being in a local newspaper.

Final Draft of Local Newspaper First page

This is my final Draft for my Local Newspaper I changed the title to match my Corporate Identity, added a better price tag colour co-ordinated to match my title and catch the attention of potential buyers effectively, I slightly changed the colour of the Monster advert to be softer on the eye and not as peircing as the previous yellow. I kept all my my layout and advertisements as I felt I was successful with the layout for a Local Newspaper.

Website analysis

In these two sections about sport I specifically used Pinner as the keyword to again associate the community with the victory, displaying them as our winners and our victory, doing so I am reinforcing the Community image I am aiming for.

By using "sandoval' font for the Title it gives a more important effect as if these top 5 stories are the top 5 you need to see on the site which is the impression I wanted to give.

According to ModoMediaGroup there is a 5 second theory, that when someone visits a website

you have around 5 seconds to convince them to stay.

By using my 5 Top Stories approach im hoping to capture peoples attention towards whats the big news in pinner and then to hopefully keep their attention with one of my story headlines.

This is an Extract from my Website, the headline for this story is "Our own Back Garden" by Callin it "Our" it is establishing a sense of community and that her victory is "our" victory, doing this it allows us to cheer her on for "our" own personal glory, this then establishes a Community.

Ideas for my Corporate Identity

These are some ideas for my corporate identity, I originally knew I was going to use the font; 'scripticali' for its pleasant look, without being over the top. I used a nice calm blue which a very relaxing colour. blue also symbolises royalty. I used simplistic shapes as borders to see how they would affect the image.

Number 1 I feel is very original and would fit on a newspaper comfortably.

Number 2 Is plain and simple and looks more old fashioned in comparison to number 1.

Number 3 Is too boring and although would suit a newspaper I want a more modern approach.

Number 4 Is modern but the circle would not fit in well on the page.

After my testing and asking some friends there opinions i have decided to use style Number 1 for its modern classy style.

Final Version of the poster

My Final version of the poster, I took AIDA into consideration; I used GT sans MT for the font for the main text to attract attention, i abandoned the idea of having the Print version poking out out the strap as I felt it looks smarter placed underneath the text. using only one colour for the Title and strap it looks very proffesional.

Second draft of the Poster

After realising the original plan for my poster was far too ambitious, I decided to completely re-do the poster.

I have used a simple newspaper front cover, styled poster, using my local newspapers logo it will be easily identified by the community as the corporate identity of the Pinner Bugle. a simple bold text will be used for "The newspaper for pinner" symbolising a newspaper headline but being short and sweet to quickly and effectively grab peoples attention. At the bottom is a strap with the newspaper coming out of it to show the product on the poster linking the two products together to reinforce the corporate identity.