A Level MEDIA – Component 2

Case Study – The Big Issue

Revision Booklet

Link to Magazine: https://moodle.worthing.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/15721/mod_folder/content/0/Eduqas%20A%20Level%20Media%20Studies%20C2SB%20Magazines%20-%20The%20Big%20Issue.pdf?forcedownload=1

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Edition: ‘25th Anniversary’ Publication: October 17-23 2016

A Level Component 2: Investigating Media Industries and Audiences

Focus areas:Media LanguageAudiences Media ContextsRepresentationMedia Industries

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PRODUCT CONTEXT

• Weekly magazine

• Publisher – Dennis and The Big Issue Ltd.

• Genre – Independent/Current Affairs/Entertainment/Street magazine

• First published – 1991

• Creators – John Bird and Gordon Roddick

• Current cover price - £2.50

• Current circulation – 82,000

• Distribution method – “Since the magazine was founded, we have been in partnership with the people who sell it. Vendors buy The Big Issue for £1.25 and sell it for £2.50. Each seller is a micro-entrepreneur who is working, not begging” https://www.bigissue.com/latest/how-much-does-the-big-issue-cost/

The magazine is one part of The Big Issue Ltd alongside:

The Big Issue Foundation – an independently funded charity which provides support and guidance for vendors in areas such as training, education, health and housing

Big Issue Invest – helps to finance sustainable social enterprises, charities and a social trading platform

The Big Issue Shop – buyers purchasing eco-friendly products, or products from organisations which use profits to support social enterprises or charitable causes

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Overview

Title The Big IssueTypical topics / subject matter

-Homelessness-Gender-Sexuality-Home adverts-TV adverts-Art-Statistics -History of The Big Issue-Universal audiences -Success stories -Book/music/TV/film recommendations -Games and puzzles -Job’s for The Big Issue -Councelling ad

Types of product advertised (with specific examples of brands)

- I, Daniel Blake (film) - Prayer for the Day (book)- Christmas donations for Crisis- -Club de fromage ice rink- Design the Christmas cover- Turn2us benefits and pension company- Classic 80s TV box sets - Ricloa herbal sweets - Warren Evans handmade mattress

What can we tell about the magazine and the magazine’s target audience from the magazine’s content?

- The TA are likely to want to feel like they have done good by buying the paper

- The readers want to be educated on social issues and also be entertained

- The audience may also belong to a social group with is misinterpretated/underrepresented eg trans, LGBTQ+,

What can we tell about the magazine / magazine’s audience from the

- The audience are likely to be people who have spare income to spend on donating to the causes that the paper shows

- The readers are NRS social grading B-C2 this is because they have adverts for help with pensions/money help and necessary items like mattresses, but they also have luxuries like DVDs and Sky shows, these are a luxury but not high end expensive goods like technology or holiday showing

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advertising? they are well off but maybe not excessively wealthy.

Representation in the adverts

Consider the concept of Representation in the featured adverts

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Who do you think the adverts are aimed at?

The audience of the adverts is a NRS grading B-C2, they are likely to be charitable and ethical in the way they do things, the products advertised are ethically sourced and cruelty free.

What might this tell us about the audience for The Big Issue?

The audience are socially conscious and care about the environment, they therefore would link to the social independence of the magazine.

Generally, how are people represented across the adverts?

They are represented positively, they are happy to be helping out with the environment. This alludes to the idea that they enjoy helping out with the environment and those in need. This would appeal to the audience who may have a sort of hero complex and want to do good.

How does this fit in with the genre of the magazine?

The magazine is a socially conscious independent magazine that aspire to do good, therefore linking with the genre.

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How might these adverts represent contemporary issues?

It shows the issues of sustainability and ethics, these are problems of modern issues due to excessive plastic waste and lots of waste in general. Contemporary issues are shown, and they require help from the readers of the magazine, the readers are socially conscious so they are more likely to help.

Media Language and Representation in the main article

Article: ‘Moving On’Elements of media language

Analysis of meaning and representation (including specific examples):

Layout and DesignPositioning of headline, pull quotes/sidebars, columns, images

The articles has a range of different stories from people, each person has a story and image with them, this allows us to get the whole picture and see all the different representations of all the people who used to work for The Big Issue.

Font size, type, colour etc.

The titles are all highlighted in red, this is a bright colour that attracts attention and stands out on the page so we can see the individual stories clearly, giving a uniqueness to each person.

Images/photographs (shot type, angle, focus)

The images all show the people smiling and looking happy in their new jobs, Joel Hodgson is shown by the Thames in a stance that looks like he is about to run, therefore showing that he is ready for the future and for anything ahead. Viv Askeland and Marvina Newton have their photos taken in a low angle shot so we are looking up at them, this symbolizes how they are rising to the top and have achieved so much already.

Mise-en-scene – colour, lighting, location,costume/dress as appropriate

The people are wearing varied clothing, reflecting their personalities and new jobs. The lighting is all high key and bright, this allows us to see them clearly and it shows how they are undoubtedly the main focus of the article.

Anchorage of They are set out in a formal manner; name, job,

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images and text description, image. The structure is easy to follow and allows readers to clearly differentiate between people.

Mode of address (direct/indirect; formal/informal)

The formal mode of address gives a professional feel to the article; we are to take these people seriously. The articles are informative and personal, but as they are brief, we do not get to hear much about them, but a personal quote is always used.

Specific devices e.g. emotive language,rhetorical questions, hyperbole, use of fact/statisticsSubject-specific lexis

Quotes Facts Subject specific lexis Personal pronouns

What narrative has been established?

The individual narratives of each person is displayed clearly. It is a multistranded narrative that is closed in structure as we find out what happened to them.

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Consider how the same elements can be applied to the other articles/features

Contents Bakery article

Editorial ‘My Pitch’

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‘Letter to My Younger Self’

Identity – applying David Gauntlett’s theory

Quote: The mass media has become more liberal in terms of sex and gender issues, and considerably more challenging to traditional standards (Gauntlett)

Consider how this quote might apply to the article on the artist, Grayson Perry. Why might such an artist feature in the magazine?

Perry is a straight man who is a transvestite. They open up ideas of what trans people are and also challenge the stereotype that men should be manly, or even the idea that transvestites are homosexual. He may feature in the magazines as they are an independent magazine and do not cater to mainstream audiences, his involvement in the magazine raises social issues and also allows other to identify with him.

How might we apply Gauntlett’s theory in the wider context of ‘challenging traditional standards’ with regards to other articles and features in the set edition?

The representation of homelessness and benefits seems to be shown in a positive light. They are not seen as hopeless or charity cases but instead voices for change and entrepreneurs, they therefore act as role models for readers and break down prejudices.

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Representation of Stereotypes (Hall)

How far does The Big Issue magazine confront and challenge the media notion of constructing stereotypes? Does the magazine challenge any notion of racial or gender stereotypes?

Stereotypes are subverted with the use of ‘real people’ in the images, they are not superficial or used for aesthetic purposes, the images show people anyone can identify with and also conform to the independent nature of the magazine. The magazine doesn’t seem to refer to racial differences but instead shows how we are all one of the same and can identify with anyone is we have similar experiences.

Representation of Issues

Consider how the magazine represents the issue of homelessness and the stigma that is often attached to it? How can it be seen to respond to the under-representation and misrepresentation of homeless people?

Homelessness is broken down to being shown as an inescapable situation for those who experience it, it is not shown as a result as bad decisions like drugs, but instead the result of unforeseen circumstances or bad business ideas. The idea that homelessness is not a singular thing and that it has many strands and levels to it. The misinterpretation of homeless people is largely down to prejudice and negative stereotypes that people may experience in real life. Some people they meet may not be nice, but the media doesn’t dispute these anomalies and instead reinforces them with bad press, building up negative stereotypes.

Binary Opposition (Structuralism – Claude Levi Strauss)

The magazine’s tagline, ‘a hand up not a handout’ sets up a series of binary oppositions, most notably between charity and social enterprise, begging and working, dependency and independence. This is fundamental to the magazine’s ideology and the work it does in transforming the lives of the street vendors who sell the magazine and changing public perceptions of homelessness

Cultivation Theory (George Gerbner)

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The idea that repeated patterns of representation cultivates particular attitudes and beliefs in the audience

How might we apply Gerbner’s theory to The Big Issue magazine and to the ‘cultivation’ of attitudes and beliefs which might apply to the issue of homelessness? Is the magazine attempting their own version of ‘cultivation’?

The idea that homelessness is inescapable and that homeless people are made homeless due to poor choices and decisions is subverted by the Moving On article, although some of the people may have made poor judgement it mainly had to do with jobs and business ventures/ money not drug and drinking, the idea of homelessness has been cultivated in the media for years and is usually shows as something that people ignore, and the people who are directly affected by it don’t do anything to change it. This stereotypes is changes in the Big Issue, where they instead try to cultivate the idea that homeless people are hard workers who, when given the chance, can be better people and positively impact the economy.

Brand Identity, Ideology and Manifesto

These are the magazines own values and ideologies. They make up its branding. How it wants other to see it.

‘Vendor-centric’ – our charity work is led by the hopes and aspirations of Big Issue vendors

‘Inclusive’ – social and financial inclusion at the heart of our philosophy

‘Non-judgmental’ – we work with anyone who is prepared to engage with self-help

This is the organisation’s manifesto:

WE BELIEVE in a hand up, not a handout…Which is why our sellers BUY every copy of the magazine for £1.25 and sell it for £2.50

WE BELIEVE in trade, not aid…Which is why we ask you to ALWAYS take your copy of the magazine. Our sellers are working and need your custom

WE BELIEVE poverty is indiscriminate…Which is why we provide ANYONE whose life is blighted by poverty with the opportunity to earn a LEGITIMATE income

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WE BELIEVE in the right to citizenship…Which is why The Big Issue Foundation, our charitable arm, helps sellers tackle social and financial exclusion

WE BELIVE in prevention…Which is why Big Issue Invest offers backing and investments to social enterprises, charities and businesses which deliver social value to communities.

Go through ALL the set pages of The Big Issue magazine and make a list of evidence that reflects or demonstrates these brand values, ideologies and links to its manifesto.

Brand Value / Ideology Evidence from The Big Issue pagesHopes and aspirations

Inclusivity

Non-judgmental approach

‘Hand up, not a handout’

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‘Trade, not aid’

Indiscriminate poverty

The Right to Citizenship

Prevention

Activity

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Go onto The Big Issue website and write down five examples from the website that also reflect this ‘brand identity’.

https://www.bigissue.com/

Articles on homelessness Financial help The Big Issue Shop ‘wear designs you believe in’ Celebrity/film news articles ‘Become a vendor’ link

Industry

Activity

Watch the video narrated by co-founder, John Bird, ‘What is the Big Issue’. How might the quote ‘a publishing revolution’ apply to the magazine? Use the notes made in the lesson while watching the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYO-TeBzYWY)

Sold only on the streets Publishing revolution Buy for half the selling prices Social enterprise Access and attitude Politicians listen to them Global Street paper revolution Doesn’t treat customers with pity Sellers feel like they have made a contribution Sold 200 million in UK Sell online with big issue shop Enables people to make a difference

Distribution

Consider the Big Issue’s model of distribution – the vendor’s buy the magazine for half the cover price, in order to sell on the street – and how this might be seen as ‘empowering’ people?

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They are given the freedom to sell their own goods and are not just seen as a charity case. The fact that they must buy the goods themselves first shows how they are confident and serious about their decision to change their lives for the better. It is seen as empowerment as they are not looked down upon, they are also given follow up interviews that are included in the issue, therefore they are seen as valuable people in the company.

KEY MEDIA TERMS TO CONSIDER FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

AUDIENCE – target, global, positioning, categorising, profile, Reception Analysis (Preferred, Negotiated, Oppositional), challenging perceptions of the homeless

NICHE or MAINSTREAM MARKET – could the magazine be seen as appealing to both markets?

IDEOLOGY – linked to representation and of The Big Issue Ltd

SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS – how might the company be using digital technology to appeal to a wider audience and represent their ideology?

DEMOGRAPHICS – link to Audience – which socio-economic category might the magazine appeal to?

PSYCHOGRAPHICS – link to Audience – which category or categories of audience might be best applied to the magazine and its ideology?

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