ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Magazines //

 

The Big Issue

These are 'ethical capitalism' - they hand up, not hand out. In this magazine, the social, cultural and political context will be examined.

72% (39.1 M) people in the UK, have access to magazines - the reach involves 37% being through print and 59% being digital devices.

1 - Aiming to create impact while making profit and help poverty struck people

2 - The Big Issue is uk magazine founded by John Bird and Gordon Roddick inspired by street news (NY)

3 - First published in September 1991 by Denis Publishing

4 - Published in 4 continents and 41 countries. 50,000 copies per week.

5 - The big issue is financed through direct vendor sales and advertising.

6 - Not for profit business. Exists to give homeless people / people at risk of homelessness a chance for financial income.

7 - Sports, news and focus on campaigning and political journalism

8 - Subscriptions are bought through the website (magazine.co.uk) or one copy for £4

9 - 'a hand up, not a hand out' is its slogan

10 - the rerelease included more focus on campaigning and political journalism

Things that you are likely to see on the front cover of the Big Issue are celebrities, social issues or vendors.

The big issue is a niche magazine. It's a contrasting example of how media language can be used to construct alternate representations that appeal to certain audiences. 

Comparison Between the Big Issue and Vogue

The Big Issue contains a more political focus

Vogue involves a more crisp forehead and mastheads in front of the model showing its importance

The Big Issue having the masthead behind the person shows the importance of a person

The Big Issue contains more impact fonts whereas Vogue has more serif styles

The Big Issue has a split masthead being a part of their trademark/identity

They both include cover lines in attempt to pull their audiences towards their magazines.

Intertextuality is when a media text creates reference to another media text (celebrities are also a form of intertextuality).

72% of the Big Issue readers are ABC1, 43% of readers are AB, Psychographics: Reformers Explorers.

The Big Issue is totally A-political yet will always campaign against anti-globalization, high energy bills, living wage, making the government aware.

Questions: 1497

The front cover doesn't follow the typical Big Issue style - for example, the photo is not a photo rather an illustration.

Doesnt focus on the faces of celebrities, vendors etc. Instead, it highlights the severity of the situation by being faceless.

Macro Paragraph:

The magazine industry has been a significant part of the global media, evolving with changing technologies, audience preferences, and societal needs. Valued at approximately $100 billion globally in 2023, the magazine sector has seen shifts from traditional print to digital platforms. Although the rise of online media, print magazines still hold important cultural and economic influences, some titles even continuing to see increasing sales. In the United States, the magazine industry generates around $26 billion and £4.1 billion in the United Kingdom. As the industry continues to change, The Big Issue (BI) represents a unique convergence of media, social enterprise, and community-driven innovation.