Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
SPECIAL PRICE: Just £9.99 for your next 8 magazines
Subscribe today
News

The Big Issue's Covid-19 reaction is up for a prestigious global media award

We will go head-to-head with news giants CNN and The Telegraph for the INMA Global Media Awards after we were recognised for pivoting to subscriber model to support our vendors while they are off the streets

Contactless

The Big Issue has been named as one of world’s most inspiring examples of media responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, by the INMA Global Media Awards.

For their annual awards, INMA (International News Media Association) rewards the best ideas to energise news brands, create new products, engage audiences, grow revenue, develop customer insights, and instill innovation.

The Big Issue was among 12 publications shortlisted in a last-minute additional category rewarding outstanding initiatives in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Also recognised in the category were CNN and The Telegraph.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is the ‘trust moment’ for news media brands, and the entries submitted for this bonus INMA category redefine what ‘inspiration’ and ‘hope’ mean,” said Earl J. Wilkinson, executive director and CEO of INMA. “Feedback from the judges has been that this was one of the toughest assignments ever and that every entry truly is a winner.”

Following the coronavirus lockdown, The Big Issue could no longer be sold on the UK’s streets, meaning vendors saw their income slashed overnight as did the not-for-profit behind the magazine.

Since then, The Big Issue has had to rapidly pivot to selling through other platforms – including subscriptions, digital sales and through supermarkets and newsagents – whilst still finding ways to support the magazine’s regular vendors.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

In just under seven weeks, The Big issue sold more than 8,000 subscriptions, sold another 8,000 copies of the magazine in retailers, and saw 3,000 downloads of the new Big Issue app.

The magazine also saw support from celebrity devotees, media outlets and online fans.

The Big Issue has also managed to support over 2,000 vendors through supermarket vouchers, topping up electric and gas keys, ongoing social and emotional support and helping them access all of the support services available to them at this time.

And the work is not yet done — The Big Issue will continue to be there for vendors throughout this pandemic, thanks to the support of loyal readers.

The overall winners of the INMA Global Media Awards will be announced Tuesday, June 2, in an international broadcast by INMA.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

READER-SUPPORTED SINCE 1991

Reader-supported journalism that doesn’t just report problems, it helps solve them.

Recommended for you

View all
Cost of housing homeless people in temporary accommodation soars to £2.8bn
Tina who lives in temporary accommodation
Homelessness

Cost of housing homeless people in temporary accommodation soars to £2.8bn

Bailiffs tried taking my kids' toys over council tax debt – people shouldn't have to go through this
Acorn members hand in their open letter at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Council tax

Bailiffs tried taking my kids' toys over council tax debt – people shouldn't have to go through this

Privately educated elite five times more likely to take Britain's most powerful and influential jobs
Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer
Education

Privately educated elite five times more likely to take Britain's most powerful and influential jobs

Homelessness facts and statistics: The numbers you need to know in 2025
Homelessness

Homelessness facts and statistics: The numbers you need to know in 2025

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payments: Where to get help in 2025 now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payments: Where to get help in 2025 now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue