The new-look Big Issue UK hit the streets this week. Read here the Editorial from editor-in-chief Paul McNamee:
"There has been much written and talked about in recent times about the terminal decline of print. Change is blowing in, of course, but at The Big Issue we believe in a future for words and pictures on paper.
It’s why we exist. In order to provide the homeless and vulnerably housed with a legitimate way of making a living we need to produce a magazine that they can take to sell on the street.
And there is much to be said for the pleasure of leafing through your favourite title, for having it around to pick up and pass to friends, to rip out bits you like and get angry at the bits you don’t.
If we’re going to have a magazine, we thought, let’s make it mighty. We’ve taken the best elements of what we had before and amplified them.
The Big Issue has been around for 20 years. We’ve worked to create a magazine that can carry us into the next 20.
Everything is changed from the first to the last page. We’ve got some great new columnists who’ll make themselves known over the next number of weeks. We start with Britain’s most controversial footballer Joey Barton and the fearless, urbane Sam Delaney who slays Sherlock (imagine!).
At the magazine’s heart, and on the cover, we ask a question that has been skirted around in recent times – what is the news doing to us? Leveson has been taking a moral stand and will prove to be a watershed for the news industry.
We’re not about pointing fingers. A robust and truculent press is essential. But in the midst of the blame game the effect on the mental wellbeing of every one of us of a news media hyped to bring fear and paranoia has not been considered. It’s a fascinating piece.
Incidentally, we’ve also worked to relaunch our website. Have a look around, and see what we’ve done with the place.
We will be irreverent, provocative and independent-minded. We aim to be at the helm of highbrow populism – a magazine and website with weight and insight and also with wit and readability.
This is your Big Issue."
Various UK media covered the launch of the redesigned magazine, including Design Week, who reviewed the new magazine on their website.
