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Big Issue in Big Trouble

You heard it here second... | 17.05.2002 14:59

Big Issue, a magazine ostensibly designed to help the homeless, has hit financial trouble.

From todays Times:

"The Big Issue has more than 1 million readers and has given thousands of homeless people the chance to earn money legitimately. but now, after a disastrous launch in America, staff cutbacks and talk of a financial crisis, the magazine faces an uncertain future...
On the streets around Euston station last night, the talk among vendors was anger directed towards john Bird- The Big Issues' founder and and editor- in - chief, who this week confirmed that 6 out of 13 journalists ij cluding the editor are taking redundancy... "Its John Bird that owns it, its him thats getting rid of all the staff. Its all I, I , I with him"

The Times suggests that the failed attempt to 'break' into the USA cost some £250,000, and if so, the question is WHY Mr Bird felt the need to speculate in this way, as if perhaps he was managing a second-rank rock band ? As always, once the profit motive becomes uppermost, the well-being of those the project was set up to benefit will be forgotten. Capitalist methods cannot ultimately succeed.

You heard it here second...

Comments

Hide the following 6 comments

yes...

17.05.2002 15:49

the big issue was tried before, yknow. It was tried by Charles Dickens, yes, that one. It was called 'the penny post'. It was sold by the 'destitute', who took a portion of the cover price (one penny, obviously...).
Indeed, it is basically a business. And naturally, it's attempt to 'break into' the USA failed, because the impetus from the USA homeless presumably, wasn't there. Not to mention the people???
What's needed then in the UK? Vendors, rise up and take over the Big Issue?
Whatever happened to the arm the homeless campaign???

stinkbomb


I feel Quite sad

17.05.2002 15:55

And angry. These people depend on the money from that magazine, and they have every right to expect the venture to be managed in a competant way. What on earth made the owner think of 'investing' in the USA ?

occasional Buyer of Big issue


Heres a Keynsian Tip to help the Sellers

17.05.2002 15:59

assuming its still available in the future, When you buy a copy, (even if out of charity and you dont really read it) dont throw it away. Keep it in good shape and GIVE it to the NEXT seller you see. That way you'll help them generate a bit more cash for no extra outlay; old tip from J M Keynes (left-of-center economist)

Occasional Big Issue Buyer


Dickens ? really ?

17.05.2002 16:10

Fascinating ! I feel enlightened. I always knew that there was more to Dickens than just a story teller. (Eg, Scrooge in Christmas Carol being a satire on Malthus; and his highlighting of the problems faced by early black settlers in the port towns) but so thats where they got the idea for Big Issue from ! Why dont they say so ? (Perhaps they do. I never read it ! I buy it and give it away to the next seller I see, enabling that person to generate some more income at no extra outlay)

Occasional Buyer


Non-Issues

17.05.2002 17:57

I was hoping the Big Issue would deal with legitimate issues concerning the homeless and disenfrachised, an alternative viewpoint, but it turned into tabloid mentality, irrelevant, celebrity gossip, corporate drivel. But it did give beggars an step-up.

Reader's wife


Good riddance

17.05.2002 20:44

The Big Issue is a really bad thing, because it basically turns the sellers into little capitalists. They are doubly damaged by this, first capitalism has screwed them over by making them homeless, or poor. Then it turns them into predatory salesmen / women of a product that nobody really wants.

It gets worse though because there is a pool of good will out there towards homeless people which is being soaked up by the Big Issue. And really all the mag is is a low grade copy of tabloid muck.

Some of these vendors are quite aggressive and try to guilt trip people into buying it. The sooner the Big Issue folds the better....

Wellington Buffet