After much chin-stroking and deliberation, we can finally reveal the winner of the DMU Journalism Best Cover competition.

*Drum roll*

Enter Ricky Gervais in a tux and half a lager. There are some rude gags about students who didn’t turn up for their lessons, the perpetually broken coffee machine and lecturers and their bad jokes – and then, thankfully, it’s straight down to business.

Ladies and gentleman.

Finally… we have a winner in the third year PJ3 Best Magazine Cover of the Year competition.

The winner of the DMU Journalism Magazine Cover of 2022, as judged by FourFourTwo writer and deputy editor, Joe Brewin is … Twenty One.

Congratulations to third year students Seema Mian, Samantha Johnston, Arabelle Akinfe and Lauren Sadler who scoop the annual prize of £200. (Editor’s note: You have to split that between you, by the way – it’s not each. Sorry.) 

Joe Brewin, who came to DMU earlier in the year to give a talk to students on effective magazine designs, said he was impressed with the quality of work on show this year.

“It was a tough competition to judge and difficult pick a winner,” he said. “It was very tight.”

So what did he make of this year’s cover stars?

“I would say, in summing up, that Adore comes with the good hook of a cover star and some nice lines, but perhaps they’re a little bit lost with the white-on-white design,” he said.

“Gen Fem looks smart but is probably a little generic with its offerings on the top strap – I like to know a little bit more on the stories am I actually going to find inside? 

“Ocio is probably the strongest in terms of layout and compelling cover lines, but the cover story is perhaps on the weaker side and looks a bit like a travel brochure?

“Taboob – fair play on taking the plunge with that name, and it’s arguably the most striking design of the lot on the newsstand. But does it have enough hooks?

“And then Twenty One: this has the best cover shot, and a couple of really solid, compelling cover lines, but perhaps not the best font. 

“So, on that basis, I’m going to very narrowly give it to Twenty One – it’s got some attitude, the colour should pop on a newsstand and, ultimately, it makes me want to go look inside and read the stories.”

Seema Mian, one of the writers/designers of TwentyOne, said she was proud and delighted that her group scooped the award.

“Aw, I just feel so happy to have won this and so proud of the group – Samantha, Lauren and Arabelle.” she said.

“It was a good group, we got on well, we worked hard and there were some good stories and nice designs in Twenty One so I’m so pleased all that has been recognised.

“When I finally received the magazine, it was so satisfying seeing the stories and design in print. It made them come alive. It looked and felt like a proper magazine.

“The girl on the cover is a model. I showed it to her and she was pleased with it she wanted a copy, too. I hope that’s a good sign of how effective it was.”