1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

I began my research into newspapers by learning the different conventions between broadsheet and tabloid newspapers. I was paying attention to:

-The difference in size, which newspaper has more articles and information in it?
-The different languages used in articles, how broadsheet headlines are factual and informative, whereas tabloid newspaper headlines are more shocking and outstanding.
- The type of adverts which were used - whether they were aimed more towards an upper class or lower class
- The difference between how many images.

From doing this research it made it easier for me to make my decision on which conventions I would like to follow when making my own newspaper.

I then began to do research into local newspapers, looking at what kind of articles are written, whether it is mainly soft or hard news, also the price and type/amount of adverts used.

When beginning to create my local newspaper, I felt sure of the type of conventions I wanted to use. I felt using tabloid newspaper conventions would be much more interesting as this is a much more laid back kind of newspaper compared to broadsheet. The one convention I did not wish to follow is the target audience of local newspapers. From my research it was clear that most, or nearly all local newspapers are aimed towards elderly people or the adults livings in the area. The type of news which is included is mainly soft news, including headlines, stories such as "I've lost my cat for a week". The adverts included are mainly local businesses, such as estate agents or plumbers in the area and also schools which would only appeal to a certain audience.

I wished to create a local newspaper which would attract and interest a younger audience. I began my research by doing a questionnaire and finding out what teenagers would find interesting in a local newspaper, many said sports, fashion, events and celebrities. Which are features which are not normally used. I began writing my articles after knowing what interests my target audience. I especially followed conventions such as creating advertisements to do with local businesses and the articles being soft news, yet instead the topics I've written and included would mainly appeal to a younger audience rather than conventionally elderly people and adults. I advertised an APP and a twitter page for my local newspaper which would not normally be included in typical local newspapers, but I felt this would be a feature which would appeal to a younger audience. I also followed the three color convention, I personally used red green and black. When creating my local newspaper I used a very similar layout to a local newspaper called Ham&High, and followed the design and layout conventions from this. I also used the convention from tabloid newspapers of the main headline being in a large bold font.