Print Research- Heat magazine

Initial Research
Heat is a British entertainment magazine published by German company Bauer Media Group. As of 2004 it is one of the biggest selling magazines in the UK, with a regular circulation over half a million. Its mix of celebrity news, gossip, beauty advice and fashion is primarily aimed at women, although not as directly as in other women's magazines. It also features movie and music reviews, TV listings and major celebrity interviews.
Analysing
Content Type
Heat at first glance can be seen as a reality magazine, with its bold and eye catching headlines, font and styles. The words used such as 'exclusive' and 'revealed' entice readers to read the magazine because it is unique and unknown information and by reading the magazine means they get exclusive information. The controversial headings, and photos ensures the magazine is known as a reality magazine but also one that needs to be read. In addition to the reality aspect of the magazine it features quizzes and polls for readers to take part in, this aspect could make readers feel a part of the magazine and also have a bit of fun as well as reading the magazine.
Target Audience
With Heat using bold, colourful and extravagant fonts and styles it could be suggested that females are the predominant target audience for this magazine. Predominantly the colours used are red which connotes love, another association with females. As well as this, the style of font could suggest the demographic of the magazine might be C2 and below as the font seems cheap and just placed in a random order. The colours, style of magazine and type of content in the magazine could suggest that the age for this magazine would be a younger audience. The audience age may be of a teenage age- such as 15 to the age of 22, or around that.
Styles
Predominant colours in the magazine are reds, yellows and whites. Suggesting that bold colours are used to attract readers and to highlight the controversial and bold headlines and sub-headlines. Although, the use of a simple white could be used to contrast with the eye-catching, bold colours. Font styles used within the magazine are also bold, which would further readers to be intrigued. The design of the magazine features not  only bold colours, but also text boxes in the shape of stars, circles and other shapes which feature bold coloured text. The use of two bold colours together highlights the story and headline more, making it a more eye-catching magazine and headline.

Industry & Where It Fits In
Similar to OK! magazine, Heat features celebrities and heavily features the use of beauty endorsements to intrigue readers further. Unlike OK! magazine, Heat features more celebrities who have controversity behind them, this could be to attract more readers. They also use famous names from controversial and popular (usually reality) programmes.
History
Heat was launched in February 1999 in the UK as a general interest entertainment magazine, at a cost of more than £4m. However, unlike other Emap (now Bauer) magazine launches before and after, it was not an immediate success, with a circulation below 100,000. A series of revamps quickly repositioned the magazine as a less serious, more gossip-oriented magazine aimed at women, and circulation quickly grew. A series of high-profile celebrity relationships, such as Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt provided ample material, while reality shows such as Big Brother and Pop Idol grew popular at just the right time to help fill pages. Heat achieved record sale figures when Jade Goody had a make-over and was first on the front cover after her stint in Big Brother 3 (2002) and later when Nikki Grahame and Pete Bennett from Big Brother 7 split and Nikki spoke exclusively to Heat (2006).
In 2009/10 Heat spearheaded a campaign alongside Girls Aloud's Nicola Roberts advocating the banning of sunbed use in the UK for under-18s. The campaign was a success and a bill was passed by Parliament shortly before the 2010 General Election.
The site crashed after the magazine was mentioned on Channel 4's Million Pound Drop Live; it took up to eight days to restore. Its total circulation from June 2013 was at 241,055.
Evaluation
As well as researching other reality magazines I am able to see the general structure of a reality magazine, and which could make me think and give me ideas on what to include in mine. The use of bold headlines, colours and font styles can give me inspiration in what to include on mine. As well as combining both magazines I have researched to create a more unique, and successful magazine which can appeal to a wider audience. Lastly, the layout of this magazine is a more realistic interpretation of what a stereotypical reality magazine would look like. This is why I will be using both aspects of both magazines to create a sleeker interpretation of a reality magazine.