Media Studies OCR Exam Blog - Kate Ovington

BIG ISSUE VALUES: // Editorial content often critical of big business and banking // Champions the political cause, and role of the individual in society // Often focuses on personal and social issues in their representations of celebrities. // Tend to convey more left-wing political beliefs in their representations Criticism - They still prioritise white men over other ethnicities and genders. However, when they are portrayed it is done better than in other areas of the media. - Middle aged black men - Big Issue vendors - Homeless people - Big Issue as a company - London/British values - USA - Donald Trump - Old white rich men in business - US Government - US Voters - US Election

The Big Issue was set up as a way for homeless people to make money in a way that acts as an individual business. They believe that everyone deserves a chance to get back on their feet and do it in a way that feels like an accomplishment. Their mission is to dismantle poverty by creating opportunity. 'a hand up not a hand out' They try to give a voice to the voiceless. They don't have a specific political leaning, but look to expose corruption and hold politicians and big institutions to account. HOUSE STYLE: // Top-left hand corner is the masthead, usually black on white or white on black, sometimes different colours and boarders but always the same font and format. // Price usually in top-right hand corner in the same font each time when being sold on the street. When in lockdown and sold in shops the price is instead replaced by a message indicating this situation. // Lots of bright colours, often featuring bright yellow, almost neon colours at times. Gives the magazine ...

EXPLAIN HOW MEANINGS ARE ESTABLISHED THROUGH INTERTEXTUALITY. REFER TO SOURCE A IN YOUR ANSWER [10]   Intertextuality establishes meaning through  its  connection to the real world and cultural significance.  It ’ s  used  throughout  all forms of  media;   however,  the Big Issue magazine  often imbeds  it into their house style , creating a  recognizably   unrecognizable   aesthetic  unique to them.   Though much representation through intertextuality within the Big Issue often goes back to pop culture iconography such as album covers  like Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and TV Shows like Grange Hill,  this particular cover from May 2020 is very much in tune with the world and social issues of the day.  The idea of using the  Government's  official statement surrounding the pandemic in order to address  it’s  audience not only targets its readers  or fans ...

HOW DOES THE BIG ISSUE PORTRAY EVENTS, ISSUES AND INDIVIDUALS ON THIS FRONT COVER? 10/15

MESSAGES + VALUES: // Editorial content is often critical of big businesses and banking. // Champions the political cause, and the role of the individual in society. // Often focuses on personal and social issues in their representations of celebrities. // Front covers tend to convey more left wing beliefs in their representations of ideologies. // 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 featured - countertypes often used. // The Big Issue challenges stereotypes in it's representation of excluded groups in society, e.g. featuring homeless people and vendors in a positive and often celebratory way. "We've focused on stories and voices that really tell an outsider story, important voices that are rarely properly heard in the media. Hitting 25th anniversary ...

TARGET AUDIENCE:  // 72% of readers are ABC1 // 43% are AB // Psychographics - reformers, explorers To appeal to this TA who have a large cultural capital, they use intertextual references that they will easily understand (easter eggs). These are not dissimilar to the hidden meanings in Radiohead Burn the Witch. THE BIG ISSUE AND POLITICS: Fundamentally, the big issue are continuously critical of politicians, big businesses, banks and their inability to tackle the big issues. The Big Issue holds all politicians to account with a target mission to dismantle poverty and fight for social inclusion. They offer business solutions to social problems (ethical capitalism) by: // Offering vendors a hand up to set up their own micro-business // Campaigning for social inclusion and holding the powerful to account via their coverage of issues. THE BIG ISSUE AND BIG ISSUES: It's target mission is to dismantle poverty by creating opportunity, through self-help, social trad...

The house style of the Big Issue is not followed that strictly in terms of typography and imaging, however there is a consistent masthead which usually will be in the top-left corner of the cover. sometimes, it will appear smaller or in different places along the top of the cover. Yet, consistently over 2019, bar their Christmas issue where it was much smaller, it was in the top-left. The Masthead is usually black and white, but often the black can change to a red or translucent color. There is no barcode on the front of the Big Issue because it is not sold in shops. The general styles of each cover vary depending on the articles and how they suit it, but all remain consistently bright, colorful and chaotically organised, yet still uncluttered and modernized. There is a consistent bright yellow color acting as an accent through most of their copies, but the house style isn't strict and artistic liberties are changed and shaped depending on the issue's messages. It's o...

MARKET REACH OF MAGAZINES: // 75% coverage of the UK 15+ population (40m People) //Reach by platform:  - 40% Print  - 51% Phone  - 18% Desktop  - 12% Tablet WHAT IS  THE BIG ISSUE? A street newspaper. WHO SET IT UP? THEIR INFLUENCES/REASONS? Baron John Bird and Gordon Roddick were influenced by Street News NY to help homeless people earn an income. WHEN WAS IT FIRST PUBLISHED? BY WHO? September 1991 by Dennis Publishing WHAT IS IT'S CIRCULATION? IN WHICH COUNTRIES? The Big Issue has a circulation of 83,073 per week. It was originally a monthly magazine but in 1993 was published weekly. It is in the UK, Australia, Ireland, South Korea, Japan, Nambia, South Africa, Malawi and Taiwan. HOW IS IT FINANCED? Magazine sales and advertising revenue. HOW IS IT DIFFERENT TO OTHER NEWSPAPERS/MAGAZINES: It is a Not For Profit social business and is sold by NFA individuals. They buy them for £1.25 and sell them for £2.50, £3 at Christmas. HOW WOULD ...

For Paper 1, Section B, you will be asked about two of the three areas you have studied in relation to MEDIA LANGUAGE AND REPRESENTATIONS. // Advertising // Magazines // Music Videos One will be a 10 MARK question which will ask you to explain the impact of an element of the media frameworks on the selected text. The other will be a 15 MARK question which will ask you to do similar for either of the other two products, but will ask you to come to a conclusion at the end.