THE Big Issue magazine is now available in not just print form but digitally too.
Especially for those who live in rural areas – where a print copy of the magazine, which is sold on the streets of the UK’s major towns and cities by homeless people, might not be easily available – the digital version can be downloaded by going to the iTunes store.
It costs the same as the print version (actually £2.49 versus £2.50) and is the week-behind issue, so as to encourage people to buy direct from vendors.
Vendors purchase the print copy for £1.25 and sell it for £2.50. With the digital issue, revenue will be split 50-50 between production costs and general support services for vendors.
There are five regional/national print editions of the magazine: Scotland, England, Wales, South-west of England and London.
The digital version of the magazine will be solely UK-wide content.
Says Paul McNamee, UK editor of The Big Issue: “We know increasingly that people want to get their hands on the magazine but can’t, and we want to allow them to both get the magazine and be involved in The Big Issue organisation to help homeless people to help themselves. We also know, internationally, there is growing appetite for it.”
