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.

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