Magazines (Media Messages, Paper 1, Part B) Flashcards
What is the genre of the Big Issue?
street magazine
hybrid magazine that combines social interests and current affairs, using news for both information and entertainment
Who is the target audience for the Big Issue?
AB (could also include C) as the paper is £4 so consumers must have enough disposable income
reasons behind purchasing the paper are varied, with some people simply wanting to be charitable.
Varied topics discussed within the paper can appeal to a wider audience
Reformers - purchasers of the paper - help the strugglers - the sellers of the paper.
Ownership and Regulation
The Big Issue is published by independent publisher Dennis Publishing, meaning the paper is not pressured to align with any political stance
The Big Issue is also not regulated by IPSO yet they must still abide by the editors code of conduct
Brand Values
Anti-establishment - the Big Issue opposes powerful industries such as the government, political leaders and the monarchy (don’t like parties that attempt to hold power over others as members of the social elite)
Current affairs - Since The Big Issue doesn’t align with political parties and their ideologies and so they always provide a fresh and different perception on current affairs
Representation - often represents those deemed as ‘social outcasts’ and helps to offer new and pluralistic representations
Satire - The Big Issue often uses humour (potentially even caricature) to exaggerate their messages whilst providing an escape from the depressing portrayal of hard news often found in papers
Ownership - The Big Issue is an independent publisher and therefore they are not pressured into aligning their representations in favour of certain political stances
Social and Cultural context
The Big Issue works alongside the homeless (and poverty-stricken) and provides them with jobs through their micro-business scheme
The scheme allows sellers to purchase the paper for £1.75 and up-sell to the general public for £4, earning them a profit
Each seller is a micro-entrepreneur who is working, not begging”.
This helps to provide the homeless with a purpose, a meaning in life that allows them to earn money which they otherwise would not be able to
The Big Issue focuses on issues of austerity, homelessness, poverty and unemployment throughout - even interviews with celebrities find ways to include the interviewee’s personal thoughts and/or supportive endorsements of what the magazine is trying to achieve.
Due to its high profile connection to its charitable foundations, The Big Issue often attracts a different (more exclusive) palette of celebrities and politicians as they are often more willing to contribute (some may say for greater publicity) than less morally centralised papers
When was The Big Issue founded
John Bird and Gordon Roddick
September 1991
papers are produced weekly
Brand Slogan
a hand up, not a handout
the company wants to integrate homeless people back into society by providing them with a purpose
Issue 1580 - Colour symbolism
The green and the white could represent a football field, perhaps highlighting Saka’s success as a young footballer.
white and green also make up the Nigerian flag, pulling upon Saka’s heritage, thus celebrating his diversity as magazines are often dominated by white, eurocentric depictions of success.
The red not only juxtaposes the green and white to create a striking contrast but could also be symbolic of a red flag, perhaps implying that as a society we need to hold racism accountable and be more accepting of those who are culturally different to us
Issue 1580 - Saka representation
he has been given a voice as a ‘social minority’ - Gilroy
He escapes the symbolic football pitch, suggesting that he is not solely a footballer and has achieved more with the status of a ‘modern icon’
The slight low-angle camera shot positions Saka as powerful and confident, differing from the conventional and stereotypical depiction of young black men in the media, as they are often depicted as violent and linked to crime. But Saka, who is smiling, subverts these stereotypes and instead is depicted in a wholly positive light.
his picture dominates the page
Issue 1580 - text
‘Offering a hand up’, aligns with the brand’s values and slogan ‘a hand up, not a hand out’ with their fight for social justice
modern icon dispels any negative connotations towards Saka
Issue 1580 - Brand values
Anti-establishment - the story is not political
Satire - the story is not satire and instead praises Saka with a positive depiction
Current affairs - it’s a current story
Representation - an uncharacteristically positive representation of a young black man, subverts social expectations - diverse, pluralistic representations.
Issue 1587 - Brand values
Satire - the caricature style of Sunak and Starmer undermines their importance as political leaders, and since both leaders are being ridiculed, it also aligns with the paper’s anti-establishment values.
Current affairs - discussion of an ongoing political conflict
Issue 1587 - colour symbolism
the divide between blue and red creates a visual contrast whilst also reflecting the social divide between Labour and Conservative values
Both Rishi Sunak and Kier Starmer are black and white, perhaps positioning them as outdated and old-fashioned. The black and white also creates a distance between them and ‘our man’ Will Payne, perhaps suggesting that politicians are so far removed from the general public.
Issue 1587 - intertextuality
The intertextuality of a Carry-On Film - a comedic and old-fashioned set of films, so perhaps aligning the political leaders with the old films presents them as outdated and performative as if they were the poorly performed, cheap budgeted and camp films
Intertextuality of Titanic - depicts Britain as a country of promise, yet it is more like a sinking ship and aligns with the tragic sinking of the titanic
Issue 1587 - text
Titanic - intertextuality
carry on film - intertextuality
our man Will Payne - The Big Issue vendor is named, yet the politicians who are arguably more important are not. This creates a personal relationship between us and Will Payne and furthers the social divide between politicians and the general public.
Issue 1587 - Representation
Kier Starmer and Rishi Sunak
- caricatured
- black and white (outdated)
- Rishi has his eyes closed, perhaps since he is blind to the needs of the public and is so far removed from society due to his ego
- negative depictions of their power
Will Payne
- camp and casual stance in keeping with the carry on film intertextuality
- he is holding up a card, physically manifesting the brands slogan ‘a hand up, not a hand out’
- close and personal language of ‘our man’ sees him as a reflection of British society
- smaller than Sunak and Starmer
