BIG ISSUE (1991) INDUSTRY AND ECONOMIC CONTEXT

Question 1

When was the Big Issue founded?

Answer 1

1991

Question 2

Who was The Big Issue founded by?

Answer 2

• John Bird
• Gordon Riddick

Question 3

Who is John Bird?

Answer 3

• Co-founder of the Big-Issue.
• Born into poor British-Irish family and experienced homlessness from the age of 5.
• MP in the House of Lords (2015). His parliamentary work focuses on root causes of poverty and early intervention.

His personal history deeply influenced his commitment to social entrepreneurship and poverty alleviation.

Question 4

What is The Big Issue?

Answer 4

• Social enterprise/ independent/ street magazine founded by Bird and Roddick in 1991, with the aim of dismantling homelesness. Thus operating at the intersecion of media, buisness and activism.

Question 5

How often is the magazine published?

Answer 5

• Bi-weekly publishing.

Question 6

What is the tagline/ slogan of the magazine?

Answer 6

‘A hand UP, not a hand OUT’

Question 7

How is the magazine distributed?

Answer 7

• The magazine is sold by vendors (often homeless/financial difficulty) who buy the magazine for £2 and sell them on the streets for £4
• (partnered with Dennis Publishing to print the magazine)

Unique distribution model

Cost increase 25p for the Christmas edition.
Goal= provide homeless people a legitamate way of making money.

Question 8

How is the magazine funded?

Answer 8

Hybrid business model- alligning with media convergence trends (where platforms merge across digital, print and retail)
1. Vendors (buy the magazine for £2 and sell for £4)
2. Ethical adveritsing and partnerships
3. Fundraising & donations
4. Print sales & digital subscriptions

Question 9

How was the magazine initially funded?

Answer 9

External funding from the Body Shop ( As Gordon Roddick was married to Anita Roddick–founder of the Body Shop). The Body Shop granted them £50,000 to start the magazine until it became a self- sustained model.

Question 10

How is the magazine distributed online?

Answer 10

• Partnered with Zinio (Powerful distribution company that distributes thousands of magazines online)
• Readers buy the magazine through Zinio. Zinio allows them to buy 1 digital edition OR suscribe 12 months upfront.
• Effect= targets global audiences who are online regulary, don’t have a local vendor, avoid physical copies for enviromental reasons

Question 11

Why did the Big Issue also diversify into digital distribution?

Answer 11

• Decline in the print media/ magazine industry, due to rise in web 2.0 and social media (provides alternative information/entertainment)

Question 12

What are some economic challenges faced by the Big Issue?

Answer 12

1) Decline in print media sales affects revenue.
2) Reliance on vendor-based sales—less effective in the digital age.
3) Faces competition from free online news sources.

Question 13

Who regulates the Big Issue?

Answer 13

• Regulated internally

Question 14

Name 3 times the Big Issue diversified?

Answer 14

1. Big Issue Foundation (1995)
2. Big Issue Invest (2005)
3. Big Issue Retail (2016)

Question 15

Describe the sucess of the Big Issue?

Answer 15

• Despite being an independent niche magazine it has become a gloablly recognised (Japan, Australia, Ireland)
• Sold around 300,000 copies in the UK
• Described as the most sucessful street newspaper in the world.

Question 16

What is the main criticisms that the ‘Big Issue’ recieved?

Answer 16

• Writors/ editors- in other street newspapers, the homeless themselves are employed in writing/ editing to ensure they pirotise the interest of the poor.
• Design- criticised for being overly commersialised/ having a sleek professional design - and thus emulating mainstream newspapers to generate profit. John Bird it is ‘possible to be both profitable and ethically correct’

Question 17

When did the ‘Big Issue’ rebrand?

Answer 17

• November 2021- aesthetic rebrand of the front cover.
• June 2021- buisness strategy changed slightly to sell magazine on LinkedIn.

Question 18

Key Industry theorists- Hesmondalgh (cultural industries)?

Answer 18

• The Big Issue is an alternative media product that disrupts typical capitalist media models
• Piortises activism over profit
• However, it still needs to adapt to (financial) challenges presented by a digital era

Question 19

Key industry theorists- Currean & Seaton

Answer 19

• The Big Issue is an independent publication, proving that media can operate outside large conglomerates.
• Challenges the idea that media is controlled by a small number of powerful companies.

Question 20

Key industry theorists- Livingstone & Lunt?

Answer 20

• The Big Issue is self-regulated, meaning it is free from corporate or governmental control.
• This gives it editorial independence, but it also means it faces financial struggles without commercial backing.