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The Big Issue
Component 2, section B - Coggle Diagram
The Big Issue
Component 2, section B
audience
mainstream, ABC1, left wing
specialised -
reformers, explorers, LGBTQ, ethnic minorities
readership - 82,000, therefore could be argued to have limited power to cultivate change
context
- left wing
- has a political purpose
- charitable
- promote social change
- represent the marginalised (homelessness)
economic context:
ownership:
- published by TBI group
- independant
- free from conglomerate control
- driven not by profit and power but by ideology + social change
advertising:
- commercial partners are aligned ideologically (citreon partnership)
- shop - ethical, represents ideology
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theory
Barthes:
- The idea that all cultural forms are made up of a system of signs - and these signs become the 'myth' and norm through the process of naturalisation
^^^ The idea that homelessness has been naturalised to signify the meaning of lazyness + dependancy - and TBI are trying to subvert these 'myths'
Gerbner:
The idea that exposure to repeated patterns of representation over long periods of time can shape + influence the way we perceive the world around them - that these myth are cultivates repeatedly to become a new stereotype
^^^ TBI are then trying to change the myth/norm
Hall (reps):
the idea that our understanding of representations are enhanced by our understanding of sign + symbols - an d that stereotypes reinforce inequalities of power
^^^ For eg Joel Hodgson in the moving on article is positioned as if he's about to start a race - conforming to the idea that all black men are fast runners, power is diminished
Gilroy:
The idea that colonial discourses continue to inform contemporary attitudes to race and ethnicity in the postcolonial era - that the repitition of colonial representations reinforce inequalities of ethnicity
^^^ the idea that Marvina Newton in the moving on article diminishes her by linking her culture to an act of rebellion - unnatural + othered - the symbol of graffiti is stereotypes as an act of rebellion (Hall)
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Hesmondhalgh:
The idea that cultural industry companies try to minimise risk and maximise audiences by formatting their cultural products in a typical way - through stars, genres + serials
^^^
maximise risk
- its extreme political ideology (shaming the Daily Mail)
- promoting vendors over star appeal
- challenging mainstream ideology
minimise risk -
- appealing to an exclusive left wing audience
- names of celebrities on front cover
- free cover - appealing, value of money
- "no soggy bottoms here" - intertextual nostalgia (bake off)
Curran and Seaton:
The idea that the media is controlled by a small number of companies primarily driven by the profit + power - limiting variety, creativity +quality
^^^ TBI supports the idea that more diverse patterns of ownership tend to create more creative productions
Industry
vertically integrated - product -> vendor -> retailer
horizontally integrated - TBI shop, Big Issue foundation
impact of covid:
- 80% revenue lost overnight - another 20% from shop, subscriptions and online advitisers
- used £6 billion on PR reach - using Craig David, Jodie Whitelake, Joe Wicks to promote
- constructed a new app
- created a subscription tiering system
- created The Big Miss you campaign - maintaining and building vendor's voice and relationships with audiences, generating sympathy, leads to donations
- sold in retailers - co-op, sainsbury's, WHSmith, Asda
TBI online:
above the fold -
- navigation bar - 'get involved', 'shop' - pleads to an audience for donations and support
- news stories - prioritising the marginalised, a focus on community + charity (wheras magazine has a focus on vendors)
^^ criticises the government - left wing, liberal ideology promoted
- a tool to appeal to audience - navigation bar, 'get involved', #everycopycounts, subscribe + support button, 'buy, subscribe, support'
significance of the 'about Big Issue group' page -
- published by The Big Issue group (self published)
- showing how the business goes beyond just the vendors
- shows diversification of the brand
- ecologically focused - left wing, liberal
- TBI now becoming both horizontally +vertically integrated
showing their impartiality political independence in recruitment
'Big Issue shop' -
- they have a motive of affordability, sustainability + responsibility (for eco + social change) - allowing them to fulfill their mission
- a drive towards self help
- everything driven by message + purpose (even commercials)
- feedback option - "what causes are you most passionate about" (shirky - opportunity for audience engagement + contribution to content creation)
- a social enterprise - allowing to showcase the individual breaking down expectation
- Citreon partnership - a cross media convergance/synergy
^^ provided 16 electrical vans to transport the copies of the big issue to vendors (3 year partnership) - even their commercials are underpinned by message + purpose