What do you know about The Big Issue? Questions and Answers

1. H409/01 Media Message
Section B
Magazines
(Media Language & Representation)

2. Starter Activity
• Which is the UK’s most popular newspaper?
• What is its CIRCULATION?
• National Readership Survey
• www.nrs.co.uk/latest-results/nrs-padd-
results/newspapers-nrspaddresults/
• Oct 2016 – Sept 2017

3. CIRCULATION
A newspaper's circulation is
the number of copies it
distributes on an average
day/week/year

4. www.nrs.co.uk/latest-results/nrs-padd-results/newspapers-
nrspaddresults/
Oct 2016 – Sept 2017

6. 3,417,000 per annum

7. What do you already know?

8. Research / Quiz
1. What is the Big Issue? 1 points
2. Who set it up? Their influences/reasons? 3
3. When was it first published? By who? 2
4. What is its circulation? In which countries? 2
5. How is it financed? 2
6. How is it different to other
newspapers/magazines? 2
7. How would you describe its content? 3
8. How can you buy it and how much is it? 2
9. What is its ethos/ideology/slogan? 2
10. It was relaunched in 2012 - why? 2 ∑=21 points

9. The Answers
1. What is the Big Issue?
A street newspaper
2. Who set it up? Their influences/reasons?
Lord John Bird.
Street News NY.
To help homeless people earn an income.
3. When was it first published? By who?
Sept 1991. Dennis Publishing

10. The Answers
4. What is its circulation? In which countries?
82,294 per week (4.3 million pa) [The Sun 3.4 million pa]
World’s widest circulated newspaper
UK, Australia, Ireland, South Korea, Japan, Nambia,
South Africa, Malawi and Taiwan
5. How is it financed?
Magazine sales and advertising revenue

11. The Answers
6. How is it different to other newspapers/magazines?
Not for Profit. (Social Business).
Sold by NFA individuals. (They purchase it at £1.25 and sell at £2.50
minimum).
7. How would you describe its content?
Entertainment and Sport, Current Affairs with a focus on Campaigning
and Political journalism

12. The Answers
8. How can you buy it and how much is it?
On–line as a subscription
or from licensed street vendor
9. What is its ethos/ideology/slogan?
A hand up not a hand out.
Dismantling poverty and creating opportunity
10. It was relaunched in 2012- why?
Sales were dwindling. January 2012 relaunched, with an increased focus
on campaigning and political journalism. New columnists including
the Premier League footballer Joey Barton, Rachel Johnson and Samira
Ahmed.

14. Homework for the next lesson – research
• What is The Big Issue Foundation?
• When was it launched?
• What is its remit?
• What other forms of media does The Big Issue use?
(media convergence)
• How?