Media Studies A Level Paper 1 The Big Issue

Paper 1 Media Messages
Section B Question 5 and 6 - 2 of the 3
Advertising and Marketing / Music
Videos / Magazines (The Big Issue)
(Media Language & Representation)
Advertising and
Marketing
Music Videos
(Titanium and
Heaven)
Magazines
(The Big Issue)

What do you need to look for
and analyse?
•Media Language – Intertextuality, Camera, Layout, Mise En Scene
CLAMPS (Costume, Lighting, Action/Actors, Makeup & Hair, Props,
Setting)
•Print Terminology – banner, anchorage text, images, graphics, layout,
content, use of colour, title, logo, words and phrases, font, institutional
information, price, bar code, power of words
•Media Representation – DRCAGES people, places, ideas
•Contexts - Social, Cultural and Political. Ideologies

Paper 1 Media Messages
Section B Question 5 and 6 - 2 of the 3
Advertising and Marketing / Music Videos / Magazines (The Big
Issue)
Media Language & Representation)
Learners must study two front covers of The Big Issue, from the September of the first year
of teaching a two-year course, (e.g. from September 2018 onwards for a candidate
entering for assessment in June 2020), chosen by the centre. The front covers selected
should demonstrate representations that are alternative to the mainstream and of
national significance, in terms of the events or issues they portray.

Starter Activity
• Which is the UK’s most popular newspaper?
• What is its CIRCULATION?
• PamCo
• http://e-sendit.co.uk/pamco/newsletter-
q4-2018/index.html
• Oct 2017 – Nov 2018

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

http://e-sendit.co.uk/pamco/newsletter-q4-2018/index.html

http://e-sendit.co.uk/pamco/newsletter-q4-2018/index.html
28,720,000 per annum

H409/01 Media Message
Section B
Magazines – The Big Issue
You will study 1 seen and 1 unseen front
cover
TYPES OF EXAM QUESTIONS

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

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

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
NB It was originally a monthly magazine but in 1993 it
was published weekly
UK, Australia, Ireland, South Korea, Japan, Nambia,
South Africa, Malawi and Taiwan
5. How is it financed?
Magazine sales and advertising revenue

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

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.
2012 relaunch with increased focus on campaigning and political journalism.
New columnists including the Premier League footballer Joey Barton, Rachel
Johnson and Samira Ahmed.

Homework for the next lesson
• 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?

Paper 1 Media Message
Section B
Magazines
Lesson 2
Colour
Semiotics
Deconstructing The Big Issue front covers
Conventions?

Your homework research
YOUR FINDINGS?
• What is The Big Issue Foundation?
• When was it launched? 1995.
• What is its remit? Widened help including Housing health,
Finance
• https://www.bigissue.org.uk/
• What other forms of media does The Big Issue use? (media
convergence)
• How?
• https://www.bigissueshop.com/

The Big Issue – what we will do in this topic
• Analyse existing Big Issue front covers
• Print terminology
• Summarise Conventions
• State who the target audience is
• Semiotics
• Postmodernism
• Cultural, Social & Political contexts
• PRODUCE YOUR OWN FRONT COVER

Deconstructing / analysing
•Denotation – what you see
•Connotation – what you associate.
What messages/meaning are being
‘encoded’
(Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory)

Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory
ENCODE
DECODE

The use of colour can create emotions and meaning

.
Aliens (1986)
Director: James Cameron
Colour used in films to create
emotion

.
Hero (2002)
Colour used in films to create
emotion

Colour Connotations
What emotions/meanings can each colour
create/evoke?

15th century BC - purple dye from a
sea snail called the spiny dye-murex

Fonts – serif = traditional, historical

Semiotics
Signs
Signifier
Signified

Roland Barthes
Semiotics:
The study of
signs

The signified meaning - connotations
•Signifier ?
•Signified ?
•The Sign

•Signifier – piggy
bank (the word or
picture)
•Signified ?
•The Sign

•Signifier – piggy
bank (the word or
picture)
•Signified – savings,
poor, planning for the
future
•The Sign

•Signifier – a
telephone (the word
or picture)
•Signified ?
•The Sign

•Signifier – a
telephone (the word
or picture)
•Signified – help,
communication.•The Sign

• A SIGN is anything in media that can be
seen to convey meaning.

• A SIGN is anything in media that can be
seen to convey meaning.
• The main image is black and white and can
be seen as a SIGNIFIER
• Why is Monochrome used?
• SIGNIFIED MEANING? CONNOTATIONS?

SIGNIFIED /CONNOTATIONS
Black and white photographs are
associated with the past, a by-gone
era, things that are classic/iconic. This
signifies Statham as an older actor one
who we are told is ‘Growing stronger
with age’.
He contrasts against the brighter
colours around him but still looks
comfortable striking the well know
Statham ‘hard-man’ pose linked to his
famous roles.

Statham’s hands are clenched into fists
which can be seen as a SIGNIFIER
SIGNIFIED MEANING ?

SIGNIFIED MEANING
Clenched fists are often associated
with violence and aggression.
However this contrasts with his
casual stance and attire.
He appears more like a boxer, very
much in control. His clenched fists
and side-on pose may also be
linked to Wolverine, who also
appears in this issue, perhaps
signifying some kind of super-
human strength or power.

The Big Issue - Distinctive style and
messages?

TASK Deconstruct a minimum of 3 Big Issue
front covers - Since Sept 2018
• Mise en scene: colours used, typestyle, imagery, shot sizes and
camera angles, costumes, props. (CLAMPS)
• Mode of address used/Media language : visually and literary
(informal, formal, serious, call to action, persuasive, aggressive.
• Representation - How are the characters featured on the front
cover represented? (DR CAGE)
• Summarize the conventions / its house style
• Who do you think the target audience is and why?
(Age, gender, socio economic / income, ideology/ psychographics)

USE
Media Language (masthead, tagline,
tagline, anchorage text etc)
Mise en Scene: colour, costume,
facial expression, body language,
props, costumes. Typefaces/fonts
Decode:
What is the message/meaning?
How is it encoded?
Who is it aimed at?
Why do you think this?
Support your opinions,

H409/01 Media Message
Section B
Magazines
Lesson 3
House style. Conventions
Intertextual references

Media Language &
Representation

TASK Deconstruct a minimum of 3 Big Issue
front covers - Since Sept 2018
• Mise en scene: colours used, typestyle, imagery, shot sizes and
• Mode of address used/Media language : visually and literary
(informal, formal, serious, call to action, persuasive, aggressive.
• Representation - How are the characters featured on the front
cover represented? (DR CAGES)
• Summarize the conventions / its house style
• Who do you think the target audience is and why?
(Age, gender, socio economic / income, ideology/ psychographics)

Deconstruct your chosen cover
DENOTE and CONNOTE
• Mise en scene & Camerawork - colours used, typestyle, imagery, shot sizes and
• Media language : visually and literary (informal, formal, serious, call to action,
persuasive, aggressive.
• Representation - How are the characters featured on the front cover represented?
(DR CAGES) Van Zoonen
• Social and Political context?
• Language - Mode of address, rhetorical question, imperative
• Semiotics (sign, signifier and signified) Roland Barthes
• Postmodernism
• Intertextual references and why?
• How does it follow or subvert the conventions of The Big Issue?
• Target audience and their ‘reading’/ decoding (Preferred/ Negotiated etc)

50 year since the
assassination of civil
rights campaigner
Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King is posed looking
wistfully into the future juxtaposed with
symbols associated with America: the
outline of a map and the flag in the
background. These aim recognition for
younger target audience (Stuart Hall’s
Reception theory)
The rhetorical question: ‘What
happened to the dream?’ references is
famous speech. The hand painted
lettering (signifying graffiti) fills the map
of America inferring that Martin Luther
King’s dream of equality has still not
come to fruition in the US
The use of red connotes the blood of the
thousands of people massacred during
the struggle for equality along with the
red stripes of the flag.
The illustration of MLK is monochrome
with connotes an historical context and
acts as a contrast to the red background.
MLK’s facial features are serious but he
is positioned looking upward, perhaps at
the flag or connotations to heaven (as
he was a Baptist minister).

The Big Issue - Codes and Conventions?
Similarities

The Big Issue – House style?
•Is the house style followed strictly?
•Position of masthead?
•General overall style of front cover?
•Describe the main image featured each week
•What do these design decisions say about the
newspaper?

The Big Issue – House style?
• The Big Issue is UNUSUAL in that its front cover does NOT follow a
house style faithfully as other mainstream magazines do.
• Masthead changes top left, top middle and even top right and
changes colour, size and style
• Generally uncluttered
• Mostly features one person (predominately a celebrity)
• These variations connote idiosyncrasy, liveliness and lack of
pretension

The Masthead
• The masthead connotes a no-nonsense solidarity and political
commitment
• Sell line/ tagline – A hand up not a hand out’.

Styles vary
from realistic
stark
photography
to stylised
illustrations
that connote
historical
contexts.
It is known
for its
campaigning

Genre and magazines
• The Big Issue is defined by its distribution method: street vendors
• It is not constrained to any one genre like most other magazines
(health, news, fashion etc)
• It does not need to be recognised on retailers’ shelves
• Subject featured are political, celebrity, historical

.
Intertextuality
An interconnection between similar or related
works
Borrowing/referring to other eras/styles
Intertextual reference

What are the Similarities/Conventions of The Big Issue?
• Shot Size
• Mode of delivery
• Colours used?
• Graphical imagery
• Fonts/typefaces
• Key messages / themes
• Masthead position
• Style and content of Cover lines / Anchorage Text
• TARGET AUDIENCE? (age, gender, status,
psychographics)

Similarities / Codes and Conventions
• Shot Size: Often a close-up or medium close up
• Mode of delivery: direct address. Often informal
• Colours used? Bright saturated colours, eye-catching.
• Graphical imagery Often manipulated graphic
imagery
• Fonts/typefaces: Sans serif, modern
• Key messages / themes: Arresting/eye catching,
sometimes humorous. Celebrity. Political. Historical
• Masthead position: Top left or top middle.
• TARGET AUDIENCE? (age, gender, status,
psychographics)

BTW
The Big Issue Target audience in the UK:
•72% of Big Issue readers are
ABC1.
•43% of readers are AB
•Psychographics:
Reformers Explorers

BTW
The Big Issue Target audience in the UK:

Socio-economic demographics
Grade Social class Chief income earner's occupation
Frequency in
2008[3]
A upper middle class Higher managerial, administrative or professional 4%
B middle class Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional 23%
C1 lower middle class
Supervisory or clerical and junior managerial, administrative
or professional
29%
C2 skilled working class Skilled manual workers 21%
D working class Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers 15%
E Non-working
Casual or lowest grade workers, pensioners, and others who
depend on the welfare state for their income
8%
The grades are often grouped into ABC1 to equate to middle class and C2DE to be working class.
Only around 2% of the UK population is identified as upper class and this group is not separated by the
classification scheme.

BTW
The Big Issue Target audience:
UK
• 72% of Big Issue readers are ABC1.
• 43% of readers are AB
• Psychographics: Reformers Explorer?
AUSTRALIA
• The Big Issue audience is young at heart, educated and loyal. Slightly more women
than men read The Big Issue, while 61% of our readers are aged between 18 and 39.
• Compared with the general population, The Big Issue reader is more likely to be:
• A high-income earner (48%)
• A professional or manager (34%)
• Have a university degree or diploma (66%)
Source: Roy Morgan Readership Survey (June 2013)

Postmodernism
Implosion of traditions. Merging of identities. Breaking down of the
‘rules’ (gender, class and politics). Subvert mainstream conventions.
Combines elements/style/eras. Hybrid genres.

Postmodern films – parody, hybrid genres, break
the traditional rules, 4th wall, anti-heroes, a film
that knows it’s a film etc

Lesson 4
• Representation
• How are social groups portrayed on magazine front covers? (physical
ability/disability, regional identity, class, age, gender, ethnicity,
sexuality) DR CAGES
• Social, political, cultural messages / context?
• How are messages conveyed (mode of address?)
• Intertextual references
• Evidence of Postmodernism?

The Big Issue and
Representation

Richard Dyer’s Typography (1985)
1. What is being represented?
2. How is this representative of social groups?
3. Who is responsible for the representation?
4. What does the audience make of it?

Media Representations
https://www.bigissue.com/advertising/
The Big Issue’s pitch to advertisers is:
‘Provocative independent journalism’
and
‘high-profile exclusive interviews with
celebrities’.
The Big Issue values: ‘to dismantle
poverty by creating opportunity’.
The Big Issue aims to remedy the under-representation and the mis-representation
of homeless people

Messages and values
• Editorial content is often critical of big business
and banking.
• Champions the political cause, and role of the
individual within society.
• Often focuses on personal and social issues in their
representations of celebrities.
• Front covers tend to convey more left wing
political beliefs in their representations.
"We’ve focused on stories and voices
that really tell an outsider story.
Important voices that are rarely
properly heard in main media. Hitting
25th anniversary lead me to look again
at what The Big Issue was at launch, so
we’ve gone back to early approaches
of a certain stridency, a more agitating
voice. And there is plenty of news
around to get teeth into.
(Paul McNamee, Editor of The Big Issue speaking in 2017)

Messages and values
• It could be argued that The Big Issue privileges a white
male perspective owing to an under-representation of
people of colour and women on covers where an
individual is the focus.
• However, ethnic minorities and women are
represented positively when they are featured –
countertypes often used.
• The Big Issue challenges stereotypes in its
representation of excluded groups in society, e.g.
featuring homeless people and The Big Issue vendors
in a positive and often celebratory way.

Representatio • Analyse how the featured character
is being represented.
• How has Media Language been used
to create this representation?
• Are Stereotypes used? Why?
• What message is being constructed?

Social and Cultural Contexts
• The Big Issue reflects celebrity culture by often
featuring a celebrity positively as the main focus of
the cover or in their cover lines as something that will
appeal to audiences. It is assumed the audience will
recognise the people featured and their significance.
• Social inequalities are often reflected in the
representations (perspective is often one of concern
over issues of equality or campaigning for the less
powerful in society).
• Multiculturalism and feminism are reflected in their
generally progressive representations of a variety of
social groups.
A social/cultural
context is something
that relates to the
wider world being
represented in a text.

The Big Issue.com
https://www.bigissue.com/category/latest/
Read a couple of the articles
What are they about?
What do they focus on?
What is the mode of address?

What contexts are influencing the last 12
months issues• Strictly judge and male dominated – Celebrity Equality
• Showers for homeless – creating aware homeless
• Spending patterns and homeless risk creating aware homeless - political
• Obesity and food banks - political
• Homeless for Christmas creating aware homeless
• Costs of funerals – financial austerity
• Gaming – Fortnight – streaming – raising money for charity
• VR OAPs – technology
• Vegans and English language - trending
• Fashion – own brand
• Music in war zone – John Simpson
• Chris Mason – Brexit

What contexts are influencing the
last 12 months issues
• Feminism /equality –
• Political – Brexit
• Celebrity
• Austerity- Homelessness awareness
• Individual – improvement

Social, Cultural & Political Context
• In order to appeal to audiences, advertisers refer to relevant social
and cultural contexts at the time of publishing. The idea being that
these contexts reflected in the text will enhance the appeal of the
product to audiences. The Big Issue often adopts a Zeitgeist topic
(what is currently trending)
• A social/cultural context is something that relates to the wider world
being represented in a text. Social and cultural contexts change, and it
is interesting and sometimes shocking to look at historical adverts
that reflect social and cultural contexts from different eras.

• Political context. Campaigning. Often from the point of view of the homeless.
Takes the stance of a newspaper and is governed by the professional ethics of
journalism. Truthful portrait on the world. Democracy.
• Celebrity Context – aims to attract buyers of the magazine by recognising
famous person (pre launch 2012 the front covers portrayed homeless people
and did not sell well).
• Multiculturalism – equality. Diversity. Internationalism (opposite: Racism)
• Individualism – improvement, aspiration. (opposite of society/group)
• Feminism - #MeToo (opposite: Sexism/Patriarchy)
• Consumerism –
• Postmodernism -
Social, Cultural and Political
contexts

YOUR TURN NOW
• Choose a front cover you haven’t analysed yet
(Cover Junkie website)
• Create a presentation which deconstructs
meaning using:
• Media Language & Representation
• Cultural, Social & Political Context
• Semiotics (sign, signifier and signified)
• Postmodernism
• Intertextuality
• How does it follow the conventions of The Big Issue?
PRESENT ON TUESDAY

Deconstruct your chosen cover
DENOTE and CONNOTE• Mise en scene & Camerawork - colours used, typestyle, imagery, shot sizes and
• Media language : visually and literary (informal, formal, serious, call to action,
persuasive, aggressive.
• Representation - How are the characters featured on the front cover represented?
(DR CAGES) Van Zoonen
• Social, Cultural and Political context?
• Language - Mode of address, rhetorical question, imperative
• Semiotics (sign, signifier and signified) Roland Barthes
• Postmodernism
• Intertextual references and why?
• How does it follow or subvert the conventions of The Big Issue?
• Target audience and their ‘reading’/ decoding (Preferred/ Negotiated etc)

http://coverjunkie.com/magazi
nes/917

PHOTOSHOP TUTORIAL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_4B-hJbAyA

Conventions
• Use of bright bold colours to capture the audience’s attention
• Use of the same Masthead, typically positioned at the top left or top
middle.
• Includes price
• Includes Sell line – ‘A hand up not a hand out’
• Features celebrity as focus of cover – often as a mid close up with direct
address
• Often features illustrations and graphics as main imagery or mixed with
photography
• Subject matter is a mix of entertainment and more serious issues with
reference to social issues or political references.

Plan YOUR Big Issue Front Cover – practical
task
• Plan your own cover that reflects a story in the news/zeitgeist
• It can be a campaign (eg gender equality etc) or a celebrity feature
• Follow the codes and conventions of The Big Issue
• What will your aim/encoded message be? MIND MAP and PLAN
• How will you represent the characters (reinforce or challenge Positive/
Negatively)
• How will you attract/persuade/appeal to your target audience?
• Take your own photograph - as homework for Friday 18th Jan
• You will have 4 lessons to complete WHOLE magazine front cover
• Produced in Photoshop

Haveyouconsidered
andincludedallof
these?

Self Assess your Making Media Mahara
journal

circulation sells
readershi
p
number of copies a
magazine
not just who buys a
magazine
but the total number of people likely to read
it
niche audience narrow group of readers
with a particular interest
subscription where a reader pays for a set
number of copies of a magazine in advance at a
lower price and receives them by post
mass audience readership on a very large scale
MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THESE KEY
TERMS

TERM
S
magazin
e
Masthead - the title of the
Plug - text that ‘plugs’ a feature
that will appear inside the
magazine
Cover Star – the ‘star’ featured
on the cover
Banner – text that runs
across the lower section of
the cover
Puff – a story that is
given prominence on the
cover
Anchorage Text - text that
anchors the main image and gives
it context/meaning
Skyline – text that runs
across the top of the cover

ADVERTISING IN MAGAZINES
Without advertising, no magazine could survive. If a magazine did not
contain ads, then its COVER PRICE would be three or four times greater.
The INCOME for a magazine comes from both sales and
advertising.
O
n average, advertising accounts for 70% of magazine income.
A magazine with a small CIRCULATION is more dependent on advertising
than one with a large circulation.

Accurate use of
media terminology
is essential for
writing about
media texts

Who is the…
..
• https://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=kYO-
TeBzYWY#action=share
• Make notes on the magazines aims
• Circulation figures
• http://metro.co.uk/2014/06/10
/big-issue-4754765/

Intro to Big Issue
https://www.bigissue.org.uk/about-us/our-objectivesFirst published in 1991
•Most widely circulated street newspaper
•Hybrid genre (entertainment and social business)
•Entertainment aspect attracts advertising revenue
•Editorial content if often critical of big business, banking and champions the
political cause and role of the individual within society
•Costs £2-50 / £1-25 goes to the trader

•2000 vendors
•Sold over 200 million copies
•Inspired a network of 120 similar street magazines
•Primary objective: Independent publication to offer a public
service and to try and improve a social problem
•https://www.bigissue.org.uk/get-involved/video-resources

“ETHICAL CAPITALISM”
- John Bird
What does it mean?

Institutional Factors and Marketing
First published in 1991 The Big Issue has gone from strength to strength to become the world’s most
widely circulated street newspaper. It officially belongs to the hybrid genre of entertainment and
social business and as such, runs regular reviews on films, book releases, theatre, music and art but
no television listings – the entertainment aspect attracts advertising revenue while the editorial
content is often critical of big business, banking and commerce and champions the political cause and
role of the individual within society. David v Goliath narratives are common as downtrodden groups and
disparate individuals fight corporate giants but the magazine has come under some criticism for its
‘flashy style’ as a street newspaper and as being overly commercial.
When John Bird and Gordon Roddick founded the magazine their aim was to offer homeless people,
or people at risk of homelessness the opportunity to earn a legitimate income by selling the
magazine – the cost of the magazine is £2-50 with £1-25 going to the trader. This was the primary
objective of the magazine as an independent publication to offer a public service and to try and
improve a social problem which they saw as endemic – John Bird MBE remains the Editor-in-Chief
and still writes a regular column at the back of the magazine. Recently (January 2013) he appeared
on BBC1’s discussion panel show Question Time surprising some viewers with his admission that
he is a ‘working class Tory’. Other writers in the magazine Bird works with include professional
journalists and new and established writers.

Bird’s own background was pivotal to launching The Big Issue – he was homeless at the age of 5,
residing in an orphanage between 7 and 10 and had a spell in prison as a teenager. After leaving prison
he slept rough on the streets of London before returning to prison in his late 20s. Four years after
founding the magazine in 1995 he launched The Big Issue Foundation, a registered charity to further
help the homeless. The Foundation provides magazine vendors with information, advice, guidance and
support on a range of issues.
As an independent publication (published by The Big Issue Company Ltd.) it needed, and received
£25,000 start up capital, donated by The Body Shop (the founder of the Body Shop, Anita Roddick was
the wife of co Big Issue founder Gordon Roddick).
At its peak The Big Issue sold 300,000 copies in 2001 but as sales declined over the decade (along
with the circulation of all print media) it re-launched with a new look and new columnists including
controversial Premier League footballer Joey Barton. Weekly circulation (every Monday) has improved
to around 58,000 and presently there are 6000 registered sellers all over the UK with acknowledgement
that there are also rogue traders (without large red jackets and clear id badges) who have ‘acquired’
copies of the magazine illegally. Most of the vendors conform to the male (85%) homeless stereotype,
are 18-46 with broken relationships and subsequent problems given and the major reason for their
homelessness

Compared to any genre of magazine The Big Issue has low production values but compared to
most other so called Street Magazines has higher production values.
Again, as with most magazines The Big Issue is sustained by advertising revenue and by The Big
Issue Foundation and supported by www.bigissue.com.
The cover is often flamboyant, revealing a high level of cultural and political awareness (see above
covers which use intertextual links to an Alfred Hitchcock film to link to budget cuts and debate on the
power of television) but also understanding the cover is the main point of sale.
The Big Issue is sold (points of distribution) in city centres, built up urban areas, train stations and
shopping centres with the bulk in London where there is a high percentage of Romanian vendors. The
magazine, although dealing with national issues is up to a point globally published being available in
Australia, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, Namibia, Keyna, Taiwan and Malawi where content is
bespoke to country and culture.

The Exam Spec says…
• Magazines: The Big Issue
• Magazines must be studied in relation to media language and media representations, including a
consideration of the social, cultural and political contexts that influence how media language is used to
construct representations.
• The Big Issue is a niche magazine outside the commercial mainstream that learners may not normally engage
with. It provides a contrasting example of how the elements of the theoretical framework for media language
can be used to construct alternative representations that appeal to particular audiences, including a
consideration of the influence of the social, cultural and political contexts.
• Learners must study two front covers of The Big Issue, from the September of the first year of teaching a
two-year course, (e.g. from September 2018 onwards for a candidate entering for assessment in June 2020),
chosen by the centre. The front covers selected should demonstrate representations that are alternative to
the mainstream and of national significance, in terms of the events or issues they portray. Learners need to
study the magazine products in relation to all the subject content bullet points listed under the ‘media
language’ and ‘media representations’ topics in the subject content table at the end of component 02.
• Consideration should be made of media language elements specific to magazines such as locations,
costumes, props, makeup, lighting, choice of camera shot, angle, typography, layout and address of written
content to the audience. The study of The Big Issue does not extend to online.

How does The Big Issue differ visually and
ideologically from other current affairs

Audience Appeal
Undoubtedly there is an element of emotional fulfilment in buying a copy of The Big Issue – this feel good factor associated with
charity giving has to be identified as one of the key appeals of the magazine. In making a purchase you may feel better
ideologically knowing you are helping rough sleepers and the homeless. This is why ‘carers’ using psychographic research are
targeted by the magazine. Using a different model of audience, the Uses and Gratifications model Surveillance very much
applies as one of audience pleasures gained from reading the magazine. Information is available on socio political issues but
also the entertainment aspect in that you can read about a current issue but then indulge in reviews and analysis of culture.
The target audience of The Big Issue also enjoy the fact that it speaks to them, in terms of modes of address ‘in their own
language’ using an elaborated language code assuming a level of intelligence and cultural capital. This balanced
approach cloaks up to a point any encoded ideology and massages carefully the readers’ understanding of key issues.
Articles and stories assume some prior knowledge e.g. in the edition October 8th 2012 a piece on the American Presidential
Debate required some knowledge of the American constitution and political history. Shared ideological beliefs is also a key
appeal for the audience as notions of personal relationships apply – in the same edition an ironic advert for ‘Dick Sapphire’
lectures on how to make money targets the audience’s left wing, liberal leanings as they are aware the lectures are written
and performed by comedian Rory Bremner, known for his strong political opinions on issues ranging from Health Care to
Education and Politics. These are all areas audiences would expect The Big Issue to cover.
The reader is made to feel ‘independent’ by the reactionary, sometimes controversial approach the magazine has, against
dominant mainstream culture. Even the adverts do not follow mainstream conventions with copy including National Book
Tokens, ‘Let’s Trek for Children’ and Safer Medicines. There is an element of the alternative here with the caring, liberal
audience appreciating the lack of adverts for high street brands who primary objective is commercial gain. Along with this, even
the celebrities found within the magazine are associated with more realist human interest stories while at the same time
remaining aspirational as figures the target audience can identify with and relate to.

Genre
As a hybrid magazine of entertainment and social business key entertainment conventions include reviews on
television, film, book releases, theatre, music, the arts (see some display adverts). As identified before these
entertainment aspects draw in advertising revenue as this is one of the key appeals of the magazine (see above).
Front covers are nearly always entertainment based with frequent use of celebrity to anchor a narrative – see front
page deconstruction below. The Big Issue remains an unusual hybrid as entertainment magazines are rarely
hybridised with social business and as such this positions the magazine as having a USP.
In terms of social business, the magazine runs so called ‘serious stories’ – social issues e.g. AIDS
in Africa, Wikileaks, liberal politics, ‘David and Goliath’ stories which commonly focus on individuals and their
struggle against corporations in classic binary opposition. Definitions of social business are businesses that are
associated with working for the benefit of the people e.g. Charities, Education, Heathcare, Housing….This is clearly
identifiable as a key convention of The Big Issue as it places this as an ideological imperative.
Businesses foregrounded often associated with a more caring approach include Virgin, Innocent Smoothie, Co-
op Bank, Organic Milk, National Book Tokens, Skillset and the University of the Arts. Critical of big business,
banking and commerce the articles are often anti government, state control and use of power. Despite the unusual
hybrid The Big Issue retains some of its generic features including regular articles at the back of the magazine by
John Bird and a guarantee of a ‘big splash’, colour
cover that is challenging and provoking.

Representation
Pluralistic representations reflect the fact that the magazine is independent – it offers a diverse range of
representations but a key focus on minority groups e.g. the homeless which positions it as a media text that like
The Guardian, foregrounds narratives about minority groups. Connotations of being politically liberal and socially
aware and against mainstream representations are written into the magazine despite the prior admission as
identified earlier of John Bird’s Conservative political sympathies. The Big Issue wants however to be seem as
the antithesis of right wing political ideology and this is evident from front covers and content analysis.
In relation to gender the magazine has a male dominated narrative despite the alleged 59% readership (according
to The Big Issue). I personally rarely see the magazine purchased by female consumers and the content seems to
stereotypically target ‘male issues’. This is a problem for The Big Issue as it wants to appeal to both genders. The
magazine is sold not exclusively but commonly by male vendors and homelessness in terms of statistics is a ‘male
problem’. As difficult as these statistics are to interpret there are many, many more homeless males in the UK than
female and as a result ABC1, educated male consumers are more likely to be aware of this.
Representations of Age is interesting - The Big Issue allegedly has a younger target audience according to the
magazine’s own demographic analysis but many articles suggest a need for cultural capital associated with an
older demographic e.g. one article on William Shatner as James T Kirk would present ‘problems’ for a younger
reader. In this regard however statistics indicate that homeless people in the UK are more under 45 than over 45
with a significant percentage under 35. Representation of art and culture are preferred to mainstream
entertainment which again would stereotypically attract an older audience with a positive focus on representations
of working class culture despite the middle class readership.

•The central story, “What’s your Revolution?” is a rhetorical question challenging
the target audience making clear linking to the Communist Russian Revolution –
this is an attempt by the magazine to return to left wing political values.
•The connotations of the Russian Revolution are evidenced by intertextual
reference to Constructivist art which references the cultural capital of an ABC1
demographic – the fist, stars and design are common to this art movement.
•“Time to make a change” has a double meaning by referencing a need for
political change but also by referring directly to new writers – Alex Salmond as
leader of the SNP has obvious credentials to write for a politically motivated
magazine, Bob Crow is the reactionary, left wing General Secretary of the RMT
known for bringing railway workers out on strike while the Archbishop of York is
an outspoken block cleric on issues of multiculturalism and homosexuality. The
controversial Premier League footballer Joey Barton is included as a
controversial figure who has been subject to considerable criticism and media
speculation.
•Dame Stephanie Shirley is the only female writer on the front cover which
anchors the male dominated narratives and viewpoints contained within the
magazine – Dame ‘Steve’ Shirley (adopting the name Steve to help her in the
male dominated business world) is a businesswoman and philanthropist whose
work has focussed on creating work opportunities for women with dependents.

HOW TO ANALYSE A MAGAZINE FRONT COVER
1) Masthead – what does the title of the magazine suggest? Think about the actual words it uses. For example: “Woman’s Weekly” suggests the magazine is aimed at
women and is written weekly. “Total Film” suggests that the magazine includes everything you want to know about film.
2) People – What kind of people are on the front cover? Famous people would attract fans, models might make people want to read the magazine to find out how
they can look that attractive. If they are famous film actors they will attract film fans. If they are famous music stars they will attract music fans etc..
2) Other pictures - What are the pictures of and do they tell the reader what genre the magazine is? If the pictures are all of clothes and make up then it suggests
the magazine is a fashion magazine.
• Colour – What colours are used on the front cover and what do they suggest? Eg: Blue is a strong masculine colour suggesting the magazine is aimed at men.
1) Font – What kind of font is used on the front cover and what does it suggest? Eg: A bubble font might be used to attract children to a comic.
2) Words – What words have been used on the front cover and what effect do they have. Look for
 Persuasive words – eg: “Read inside now” or “A must have magazine” to make someone want to read more
 Hyperbolic words – eg: “Biggest”, “Best”, “Shocking”, “Exclusive” etc.. exaggerated words to grab reader’s attention
 Words relating to genre of magazine – eg Do any of the words tell the reader what genre the magazine is going to be?
 Names of people – Different celebrity names will attract different types of people.
 Rhetorical Questions – eg “Would you like to be rich and famous?” er OBVIOUSLY.. makes the reader want to read the magazine to find out how..
 Addressing the reader directly – eg: “How you can get a better job”, makes the reader feel part of the magazine and makes them want to read more.
2) Free Gifts – What has been offered free or as “special” on the front cover? Whatever it is will make readers feel that they are getting something extra for their
money to convince them to buy it. A ‘lure’ to encourage them to buy it
REMEMBER: Do NOT just label these features but also say WHY they have been used.. or the effect they have on the
audience.. You cannot get above a D grade unless you do this.

Media Studies A Level Paper 1 The Big Issue

Media Studies A Level Paper 1 The Big Issue

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Media Studies A Level Paper 1 The Big Issue