The Big Issue Magazine.

F A C T S

• First published in 1991
• Most widely circulated street newspaper
• Hybrid genre (entertainment and social business)
• Entertainment aspect attracts advertising revenue
• Editorial content is often critical of big business, banking and champions the political cause and role of the individual within society
• Costs £2-50 / £1-25 goes to the trader
• John Bird's idea because he was homeless
• Vendors buy it half the price.
• Focuses on Social, Cultural and Political Contexts
• over 200 million copies sold
• thebigissue.com, subsidiary
• big issue invest
• Lord John Bird - helped many homeless people
• It focuses more on the left (labour) side as it came from the left wing.
• It supports the less wealthy
• Founder (John Bird) comes from poverty/homelessness, however many conservatives are self-made business people, come from poverty & want to keep their wealth.
• "social exclusion" - some people sit completely outside the mainstream society e.g homeless people.
• UGC, user-generated content, home-made aesthetic.

Homework

Metro - The Big Issue magazine: Helping the homeless for 23 years

1. despite his efforts, none of them seem to acknowledge his existence.
2. The Big Issue is sold by street vendors across the country who buy copies from the publisher for £1.25 and sell them on the streets for £2.50
4. He became homeless eight years ago after he lost his job and his flat and has spent time in prison for a drugs-related offence.
7. Funded by donations and grants, it works to help the magazine’s vendors to secure housing, training and healthcare. Nearly 100 people a week turn to it in times of need.
10. Having sold about 140,000 copies a week during its peak in 2001, it now distributes 100,000 a week across Britain through 2,000 vendors.
13. instead of giving £2.50 for the magazine, people are giving a fiver. So what’s actually happened is that a lot of vendors might sell 20 papers a day and yet they will make enough money to live because they get the money for 30 or 40 papers. The amount of money on the streets is higher than it’s ever been
16. Its eyes are set on making the government aware that its welfare system doesn’t reduce poverty and campaigning for the living wage. On the editorial side, the magazine is looking to turn its vendors into online contributors through a project called The Big Answer.

05/11/18.

-UGC aesthetic, user-generated content.
-images are usually unconventional
-glossy covers

Magazine	Date and Issue
Paddington

Analyse the connotations of the different elements of media language:

Elements of Media Language	Analysis of meanings (including specific examples)
Overall layout/composition	Blue and yellow colour scheme, with Paddington in the sight of the Big Ben waving, he also has a suitcase in his hand, which could portray migration. The text surrounds him.
Masthead	The Big Issue
Cover lines	"migrant British icon, one of us"
Font size. Type, colour etc	Font size is quite big, sans-serif, yellow
Images/Photographs (shot type, angle, composition)	Front cover of Paddington, long-shot,
Mise En Scene	Set in central London; Big Ben in the background,
­Language/Anchorage	English language, anchorage would be Paddington, if he was not there, then we wouldn't get the message.
Narrative established

How does the combination of elements of media language:

Communicate messages and values?	Paddington is in the front cover of the magazine,which portrays a message on migration; A young Peruvian bear travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he meets the kindly Brown family, who offer him a temporary haven. So,
Reflect the political/social/cultural context?
Establish the brand identity of the magazine?
Construct and appeal to its target audience?

REPRESENTATION QUESTIONS

·         Groups/peoples/themes

•     How do these representations reflect the industry context/ ideology of The Big Issue?

•     How is the audience positioned in relation to these representations?

·         Is there any evidence of The Big Issue’s ethos of a ‘hand up not a hand out’ and reinforcing the message that the magazine is achieving its aims. Is there an increased focus on campaigning and political journalism?

·         Are a diverse range of people represented?  

·         Any empowering message that positions the audience to respond positively and align with this point of view?