Magazine Prototype Creation, Spring 2012

MAGAZINE PROTOTYPE CREATION
Due date: May 14

Your group will be developing a prototype for a new magazine launch. The main goal of the prototype is to graphically represent the philosophy and tone of your new magazine. The magazine prototype will be at least 72 pages, with about a 60:40 ad-editorial ratio. Although you do not have to create the advertisements, they must fit the focus of your magazine, and you should substantiate that in the business plan.

Every prototype must have:
1. Editor’s Letter. Written and designed.
2. Cover. Design your logo, cover art, and cover lines to be consistent with your magazine’s philosophy and articles within.
3. Table of Contents. The table of contents should match all the departments and articles. Article titles should be consistent with cover lines and with interior pages.
4. Departments. Include several departments, each with its own title design, subtitles, subheads, pull-quotes, and captions as needed.
5. Articles. Each group member is responsible for writing at least 2 articles. Some articles may be short sidebars, specialty columns, in-depth cutlines, or lists. As your magazine develops, there may not be space for all articles. If that is the case, the individual whose article is not included should attach it to his or her final individual report.
6. Illustration & Design. The photos, illustrations, and design should all fit the overall philosophy of the magazine. The magazine should have several longer articles that are tied to the magazine’s focus and presented with representative photos or illustrations and design.
7. A Media Kit and Business Plan.


INDIVIDUAL REPORT, which will be due the last day of class with the final magazine.
• A 250- to 500-word report about your activities as a group member.
• Your 2 “articles,” whether they were used or not. Each story will have a detailed source list that will be handed in with it. (That means people’s names with phone numbers/emails, web sites, etc.) Within the articles, all sources should be properly attributed.
• Each group member will be given an evaluation form to evaluate each group member. Those evaluations will be averaged and figure into the individual grade.

General Information about Your Magazine

You should assume that you have enough money to do a magazine start-up. Your publication may be either a consumer or specialized business/trade magazine. You should be thinking about all these factors, and answer them in your business plan due March 28.


1. Title. What is the working title? It should be succinct, clear, descriptive, and specific. Make sure it doesn’t duplicate any other magazine title, i.e. Google it. Why is your magazine title appropriate for your audience?
2. Frequency. With what frequency will your magazine be issued (quarterly, monthly, weekly, etc.)? Why did you choose this frequency?
3. Price. What is the price of your magazine, on the newsstand (cover price) and for a one-year subscription? How did you arrive at that price? Compare your price to that of your competitors, as well as other magazines.
4. Number of pages per issue. What is the average total number of pages per issue?
5. Circulation. What kind of circulation do you expect to get? Provide a viable figure based on your research into the topic and the audience. What do you estimate to be the final circulation for your magazine for the first year? Is there room for circulation growth?
6. Distribution. Will your magazine be sold primarily by subscription, by single copy on newsstands, or by a mix of both? Will your circulation be controlled (if you are proposing a specialized business/trade magazine)?
7. Editorial profile statement. Write an editorial profile statement – a one-paragraph statement of what the magazine is all about, whom it is for, and what it typically contains. (After answering all these questions, you should be able to summarize your magazine’s thrust, purpose, and focus. See SRDS for samples of editorial profile statements.)

Magazine concept/Need for the Magazine

Due: Feb. 29

As a group decide the answers to the following questions. At this point, your answers can be brief, but you should expand upon them as you develop the Media Kit that will accompany your magazine. Type your answers. Keep a copy of this information on disk, so you can fold it into your later Media Kit.

1. Audience. What kind of readers will the magazine appeal to? Discuss your target audience in terms of demographics (age, gender, income, education, occupation) and psychographics (social characteristics and interests). You must have a clear picture of the typical reader for the general subject matter, the field, or the market that your magazine will serve. What is the purpose of your magazine in relationship to its audience?
How large is the magazine’s universe of readers? Check such references as the World Almanac, U.S. Fact Book (census data), or Directory of Associations.
What share of the universe can you reasonably expect to secure as the audience of this magazine? In other words, what percentage of readers do you estimate your magazine would attract? (The rule of thumb is to plan for 2 percent of the total number of people in the country to be in your interest area.)
What social, economic, cultural, or other trends can you cite to demonstrate the need for the magazine? What studies can you cite (marketing, consumer buying, etc.) to support the need for your magazine?
2. Competition. What competition is there in the field for your audience now? Which magazines are direct competitors and which are peripheral competitors? List them, with a brief one-line summary of their editorial profile, and include current circulation. Check Writer’s Market and SRDS for data, and check the newsstands for any new magazines. Find the media kits for competitor magazines online. This will give you data to study and compare.
3. Identity. Why does your magazine meet the needs of your intended audience more than competitors do? What is your magazine’s unique identity? What is its niche? Explain how your magazine does the job differently or better than other competing publications. Analyze the direct competitor, whether direct or peripheral, in terms of the other magazine’s approach, audience, history, etc. Use Writer’s Market, SRDS, and other market directories, as well as FOLIO for information.
4. Advertising. Who are your potential advertisers? List at least 10 companies or product manufacturers most likely to buy space in your magazine because they want to reach your audience and be associated with your editorial content. Include at least five different brand names from five different general advertising categories. Make sure your audience matches your advertisers.

Tentative Magazine concept, philosophy & formula

Due: Feb. 29

Revised due: March7

1. Title. What is the working title? It should be succinct, clear, descriptive, and specific. Make sure it doesn’t duplicate any other magazine title. Why is your magazine title appropriate for your audience?
2. Editorial Philosophy. Explain exactly what the magazine is intended to do, what areas of interest it covers, and how it will approach those interests. How do you intend to serve your readers through the editorial content of your magazine? Try to be as specific as possible. If you propose a travel magazine, what specific issues will be covered? Will it be photo-heavy or more dependent on type? Will the magazine be deadly serious, serious but light, or fun loving?
3. Editorial Content. What kind of features will your magazine contain? What specific topics will the features cover and how will the features be approached? How long will the articles be? Will you include fiction? Begin a list of 5 potential articles for the issue by title, with potential illustrations. List additional articles that might go into subsequent issues. Keep in mind that there must be enough editorial possibilities for the magazine to last more than a single year or to outlast a fad that may be hot now. What departments will you incorporate into the magazine? Explain the purpose and/or content of at least 5 departments that would appear each month.
4. Editorial Style. In what style will the article be written? Anecdotal? Intellectual? Investigative? Objective? Subjective? How-to-do-it?

Staffing the Magazine

Due: Feb. 29

From the following list of typical magazine jobs, assign your group members to specific jobs. The Editor-in-chief will be the leader of the group, so select someone with good leadership and organization skills. Group members may hold more than one job. With your list of assigned staff positions, also turn in a paragraph or two about what you are thinking about for your magazine’s concept/focus. Type the list and the philosophy/formula paragraphs. (See page 164 in Magazine Publishing for other jobs titles you may use.)

Magazine job titles:
Editor-in-chief – oversees all aspects of the magazine to make sure deadlines are met and the project is progressing; makes sure editorial philosophy is maintained throughout magazine
Senior Editors/Section Editors – oversee article assignments; make sure they fit with magazine’s concept, suggest packaging of features
Art Director/Creative Director – does layout and design; finds appropriate typeface; creates cover. (This person should know InDesign).
Business Manager – oversees business plan; helps develop final media kit
Advertising Manager – oversees ad sales and finding ads that fit focus of magazine; helps develop final media kit
Research director – researches magazine’s competitors, audience demographics, title effectiveness; helps develop final media kit
Photo Editor – assigns photos, as well as takes photos. Writes captions; works with other editors to determine best illustrations for features
Copy editors – read all printed material in the magazine to correct errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and facts; trim articles when needed; write headlines in consultation with Art Director and Senior Editors.
Staff Writers – write the long features that will anchor the magazine
Photographers – take photos, write captions

Note 1: Don’t forget that each group member must contribute 2 articles to the magazine, no matter what his/her job title is.

Note 2: Group members may change jobs later in the semester, but please inform your instructor of staff changes.

Magazine Publishing, MCOM 359, Spring 2012

MAGAZINE PUBLISHING, MCOM 359

Instructor: Prof. Beth Haller

Phone: 410-704-2442

Office: Van Bokkelen 205B

E-mail: bhaller@towson.edu

Spring 2012

Office Hours:
12:30-1:45 p.m. & 3:30-4:45 p.m. MW and by appointment. Feel free to send me E-mail messages at any time with questions about the class.

Course Objectives:
1. To acquaint students with the magazine industry, past and present.
2. To give students understanding of all aspects of magazine development through the creation of a comprehensive magazine prospectus and prototype.

Who should take Magazine Publishing?
• Each student will be expected to contribute at least two stories to the final magazine developed, so only students who have already taken MCOM 356 (Feature Writing) can take Magazine Publishing. You CANNOT take this class concurrently with Feature Writing. Please drop the class if you do not meet the prerequisite.
• Students with plenty of time outside of class to devote to the group magazine project, which is a major portion of the grade. Everyone in the group will have a hand in researching, writing, editing, and designing the final magazine.
• Students who are self-starters and creative, but can work with a group. All magazines are group efforts, so you will need to learn to coordinate your work to produce all aspects of the magazine, just as this takes place in the “real world.”
• Students who can meet deadlines and follow directions. Because you will be creating an entire magazine, you will have to make sure each component is completed on time. Your work will affect the entire group so you must behave conscientiously and complete the assignments expected from you.
• Precision writers and editors who like a challenge. Sloppy assignments are doomed because every typo, spelling mistake, grammar mistake, loses points and with a 72-page magazine that can mean a low grade very quickly.

Required Textbooks/Supplies:
The Magazine from Cover to Cover, by Johnson and Prijatel
NY Times (Read daily for story ideas)
Magazines that you will purchase on your own
A FlashDrive that can be used for your group’s prototype. (Cost should be split by the group. You should back up all parts of the project in multiple ways.)
A Facebook account. (Not mandatory but some student groups are finding it useful to communicate outside of class using a private Facebook group. You can create a group so you can review each other’s stories and photos as you work on the magazine.)

Grading:
Magazine Analysis Presentation: 15 percent
Midterm: 15 percent
Final Exam: 15 percent
Group Magazine Project: 40 percent (Half of grade is group grade for prototype and half is for student’s individual participation.)
In-class assignments/Attendance/Class participation: 15 percent

Grading criteria for written assignments and course in general: (Whenever written assignments are given, I expect you all to produce the best written work of which you are capable.)

90 - 100 ("A" & “A-“) On the written assignments, this means the paper is clear, organized coherently, and well-written. It is effective reporting on the topic. It has no spelling, grammar, format, or accuracy errors. In terms of the course, this means you have almost perfect attendance, scores in this range on the tests, and have good questions and discussion in class.

80 - 89 ("B+", “B” & “B-“) On the written assignments, the paper is cohesive and well-organized, although it may have some minor spelling or grammatical errors. The reporting covers almost all of the important information and follows proper format. In terms of the course, this means you have good attendance, scores in this range on the tests, and have good questions and discussion in class.

70 - 79 ("C+" & “C”) On the written assignments, the paper is disorganized and contains many minor errors. The reporting missed some pertinent information or does not follow proper format. In terms of the course, this means you have poor attendance, scored in this range on the tests, and have not participated in class discussions.

60 - 69 ("D") On the written assignments, the paper ineffectively reports on the topic; it is not coherent or understandable. It contains an unacceptable number of spelling, grammar errors and/or inaccurate information or does not follow proper format. In terms of the course, this means you have missed more classes than you have attended, scored in this range on the tests, and have not participated in class discussions. Students may receive upper level elective credit with a D, but this course will not count among MCOM credits.

Below 60 ("F")* The paper contains major factual error(s) related to the topic. The information presented is completely incorrect. The paper does not meet the requirements in page length, focus, or format. In terms of the course, this means you have missed more classes than you have attended, scored in this range on the tests, and have not participated in class discussions. If you are caught cheating in any way, you will automatically receive an F in the course. If you attend the final exam and your average is below 60, you will receive F rather than an FX.

("FX")* This is an administrative failure for non-attendance or failure to withdraw. If you do not withdraw from the course by Towson’s preset deadlines for the semester and stop attending the class, this is the grade you will receive.

("I") Incomplete. At Towson University, students may only receive an Incomplete with "verifiable circumstances" and “where students have completed most of the term” (Towson University Undergraduate Catalog). I recommend a medical withdrawal over an incomplete. In many years of teaching, I have had only one student finish an Incomplete.

* If you receive an F or FX, you may only repeat the course once. After repeating the course, students will only receive credit for the course once and the highest of the grades will be calculated. The lower grade will remain on the transcript with an "R" before it to indicate the course was repeated. For the transcript to reflect the repeated course, students MUST submit a Repeated Course Form to the Records Office. Transcript adjustments are NOT automatic (Towson University Undergraduate Catalog).

Guidelines for all assignments
* No late papers will be accepted after the last day of the semester’s classes.
* Any late papers will lose up to a letter grade for each day they are late.
* Do not plagiarize or fabricate.
Academic Dishonesty:
I do not tolerate plagiarism or fabrication of any kind. You should adhere to the University's policy on cheating and plagiarism. If you are caught breaking this policy, you will be prosecuted to the full extent that the policy allows. You should adhere to the highest possible standards of ethical behavior for this class.
* All assignments must be typed in the form requested and should contain your name, the date, and the assignment topic in the upper left-hand corner. (No folders or binders are necessary for papers. Just staple the pages together.)
* Proofread and correctly edit your papers!

Students with Disabilities:
If you are registered with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD), please see your instructor during the first two weeks of class to arrange your specific accommodations. If you believe you may need accommodation and have not registered with OSD, please do so by calling ext. 42638.

Student Athletes:
Within the first two weeks of class, you must have a letter from the coach explaining your place on the team and a schedule of any away games or competitions during the semester. You must take any tests and prepare any assignments that conflict with this schedule before the test or due date, not after.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
I DO NOT tolerate plagiarism or fabrication of any kind. Magazine publishers value their integrity and strive to present the truth to their audiences to the best of their ability. You will be asked to live up to these standards as well. You should adhere to Towson's policy on cheating and plagiarism. If you are caught breaking this policy, you will be prosecuted to the full extent that the policy allows.
What is Plagiarism in Magazine Publishing:
* Not citing the source of information used in a story. If you use information from a press release, you must cite it as the source as well.
* Using sentences or paragraphs from other people's stories or writings without giving credit.
* Using someone else's story and pretending it is yours.
* Copying text from the Internet and pretending you wrote it.
What is Fabrication in Magazine Publishing:
* Making up direct or indirect quotes in stories. Quoted material should be what a real person actually said.
* Making up people, events, or facts in a story.
* Making up an entire story from an event that never happened.
* Making up a story from an event or interview you attended in the past. You must represent the information in a story accurately.
* Making up a story from other people's notes or other people's accounts of an event.
The Penalty:
* The penalty for plagiarism and/or fabrication of any assignment in this class is an automatic F in the course. If there is any dispute about whether the offense occurred, the case will be referred to a disciplinary hearing. The penalty for these offenses in stiff in journalism because if you commit these in a most media workplaces, you would be fired.

Liability Statement
"In all assignments, students must comply with all laws and legal rights of others (e.g., copyright, obscenity, privacy and defamation) and with all Towson policies (e.g. academic dishonesty). Towson University is not liable or responsible for the content of any student assignments, regardless of where they are posted."

A Note on Story Sources, Reprints and Photos
Except for advertisements, all content for the magazine prototypes must be as original as possible. All stories in the magazine should be written by the group members and each story will have a source list that will be handed in separate from the final magazine. Within the articles, all sources should be properly attributed. However, if you use a sidebar that features essentially PR material, you also must give proper credit. Example: List provided by the Taos Chamber of Commerce. If you find a photo taken by someone else that you want to use, you must give full credit, i.e. it should have the photo credit accompanied by information about where it originally appeared. Example: Photo by J. W. Smith, Reuters. Originally published by Reuters, August 17, 2011. Finally, much free clip art and photos are available on the Internet, but some will not reproduce in magazine quality because the dpi is too low. However, if you want to scan these in and there is permission for copying given on the site, you may use these. The photo editor of your magazine prototype must type up a list of all Web sites, indicating which art or photos were copied from them, and submit it with the final magazine prototype.

Attendance Policy

Your attendance in this class will affect your grade in three important ways. First, your attendance will directly affect your grade if you miss more than two classes (see below for details). Secondly, a major portion of the grade in this course is the group magazine project. Your absences can hurt your group’s project (40% of the final grade), therefore affecting other students’ grades, which is unacceptable. Third, it has been my observation that students who have a casual attitude toward attendance almost always do not earn a passing grade because exams (30% of your grade) will come from class lectures and discussions. Therefore, attendance is integral to 85% of your final grade.

The roll will be taken at the beginning of each class. If you arrive at the class significantly late (20 minutes or more, leave class early, or have to be asked to leave class (disruptive behavior or sleeping), it will be counted as an absence. Three absences – for any reason – are allowed without affecting your final grade. Each absence after three will lower your final grade by 5% unless there is a written notification by a doctor or university official. Four or more absences (which means you have missed almost 2+ weeks of class) could result in an F for the final grade regardless of your performance in the course.

You should use the “allowed absences” to cover all personal emergency situations, including common illness that requires rest at home or visit to a health clinic, death in the family, car problems, taking care of family or friends, etc. There are no additional “excused absences.” Exception may be made only in a case of a true medical emergency that requires extended hospitalization. In this case, you are allowed to miss up to four classes. However, you will be advised to seek a medical withdrawal from the course if you have to miss three or more weeks of classes.

Observance of religious holidays, recognized by the University of Maryland System, are not considered absences under this policy. Also, if you miss class for “participation in university activities at the request of university authorities (athletics, forensics, etc.),” it will not be considered an absence if you submit a letter from the coach/university official/professor explaining your place on the team/activity and a schedule of any away games or events during the semester. This letter must be submitted by the second week of the current semester. You must take any tests and prepare any assignments that conflict with this schedule before the test or due date, not after.

When you miss a class, it is your responsibility to cover all the information given during the class as soon as possible from someone in the class. This includes lecture notes, assignments, schedule changes, etc. It is a good idea for you to find someone for exchange of information for a missed class.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

(Any schedule changes will be announced.)

WEEKLY READINGS

(Readings are for the week and should be read before attending class.)

Jan. 30: Syllabus intro
Feb. 1: Chap1: “The Magazine as Storehouse;” Skills assessment form

Feb. 6: Chap1: “The Magazine as Storehouse”; Chap 2: The Magazine as a Marketplace” Group(s) assigned
Feb. 8

Feb. 13: Chap 3: “The Magazine as Historical Document”, Chap 4: “The Magazine as a Social Barometer”
Feb. 15: Chap 5: “Magazine Concepts;” Chap 12: Ethics

Feb. 20:  Magazine Analysis Presentations

Feb. 22:  Magazine Analysis Presentations

Feb. 27: Chap 5: “Conceptualizing the Magazine” & Chap 7: “Magazine Structures”

Feb. 29: Tentative Magazine concept/Need for magazine/Staffing, due.

March 5: Chap 7: “Magazine Structures”; Chap 6: “Magazine Business Plans”

March 7: Magazine concept confirmed, audience, planned sections

March 12: Chap 6: “Magazine Business Plans;” Chap 8: “Magazine Editorial” & Chap 9: Magazine Designs”
March 14: Exam 1, Chaps 1-5, 12

March 19-25: Spring Break

March 26: Editing practice/InDesign overview

March 28: Magazine business plan & proposed media kit due

April 2: Chap 10: “Magazine Production” & Chap 11: “Magazine Legalities”
April 4: Tentative magazine table of contents and cover design due

April 9: Work on magazine prototype*
April 11: Work on magazine prototype*
(April 13, Last day to withdraw from the semester with a W.)

April 16: Exam 2, Chapters 6-11
April 18: Work on magazine prototype*

April 23: Work on magazine prototype*
April 25: Work on magazine prototype*

April 30: Work on magazine prototype*
May 2: Work on magazine prototype*

May 7: Work on magazine prototype*
May 9: Work on magazine prototype*

May 14:  Presentations/Final magazine prototype project due May 14. NOTE: Your magazine MUST be ready by the beginning of this class.
(May 15, Last day of classes)

Monday May 21: Magazine evaluations given to students.

* Attendance will be taken on these days; although after a brief meeting, the group may disperse to work on the magazine project.

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TOWSON UNIVERSITY

College of Fine Arts and Communication

Department of Mass Communication and Communication Studies

Towson, MD 21252

410-704-3431

M E M O R A N D U M

TO: All Students in the Department Of Mass Communication and Communication Studies

FROM: Department Faculty

SUBJECT: PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING

Plagiarism
The Department of Mass Communication and Communication Studies adheres to the following policy regarding plagiarism:

1. Any words or images taken directly from another source (including the Internet) must be footnoted or cited and in quotation marks. Similarly, in oral presentations, attributions must be clear.

2. Any ideas derived from a source not in the public domain or of general knowledge must be clearly attributed.

3. Any paraphrased material must be footnoted or cited. In oral presentations, attributions must be clear.

4. All papers and presentations must be the student's own work. Submission of papers or presentations authored by others, even with their consent, constitutes plagiarism.

Any student found plagiarizing in any of the above ways will receive an automatic "F" for the assignment and may receive an "F" for the course. Documented evidence of the plagiarism will be kept in the department office, and will be reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs.

Any student discovered soliciting others to write a paper, speech, test, or other assignment for that student will receive an automatic "F" for the course.

There are ambiguities in concepts of plagiarism. Faculty will be available for consultation regarding any confusion a student may have.

Most students are careful to avoid blatant plagiarism, the unacknowledged copying of exact words of the source. However, students must also be aware that the concept of plagiarism extends not only to wording but to patterns or sequences of ideas. If you paraphrase without acknowledgement, using the same sequence or structure as the original author, then you are plagiarizing.

Students have the right to appeal a charge of plagiarism. An appeal starts with the chairperson of the department.

Cheating
The Department of Mass Communication and Communication Studies has adopted the following policy regarding cheating:

ANY STUDENT CAUGHT CHEATING ON ANY QUIZ OR EXAM WILL RECEIVE A MINIMUM OF AN "F" ON THE QUIZ OR TEST AND A MAXIMUM OF AN "F" FOR THE COURSE.

Revised 1-11-05

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Civility Code Introduction

Revised (approved by COFAC College Council 11/8/2011)

All College of Fine Arts & Communication Studies students, staff, and faculty are committed to collegial and academic citizenship demonstrating high standards of humane, ethical, professional, and civil behavior in all interactions.

We must take responsibility for the relationship between our personal conduct and the quality of campus life. What we do and say always has an effect on others, whether we see it or not. Civility means more than respecting campus facilities and grounds. Civility means consistently treating people with consideration and respect. It means being courteous, polite, and fair. It means recognizing diversity and honoring differing points of view. When our behavior is guided by concern for others in our community, we are being civil. Practicing civility requires thoughtful behavior and checking our assumptions and perceptions of others’ race, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, abilities, culture, belief systems and economic status.

Civility Code

COFAC places a priority on learning. We value the inherent worth and dignity of every person, thereby fostering a community of mutual respect. Students have the right to a learning environment free of disruptive behaviors. Faculty have the right to define appropriate behavioral expectations in the classroom and expect students to abide by them. Faculty have the responsibility to manage and address classroom disruption. Staff have the right and responsibility to define appropriate behaviors necessary to conduct any university activity free of disruption or obstruction.

We believe that in order to achieve these ideals, all COFAC students, staff, and faculty are expected to exhibit and practice civil behaviors that exemplify: (1) respecting faculty, staff, fellow students, guests, and all university property, policies, rules and regulations; (2) taking responsibility for one’s choices, actions and comments; (3) delivering correspondence – whether verbal, nonverbal, written, or electronic – with respectful language using professional writing standards and etiquette; and (4) accepting consequences of one’s choices and actions.

The use of threatening or abusive language, writing, or behavior will not be tolerated and can lead to academic dismissal. Further information about civility can be found in Appendix F of the university catalog.