Time

Time is an American news magazine and multimedia journalism brand headquartered in New York City. Founded by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce, it published its first issue on March 3, 1923, becoming the first weekly news magazine in the United States. The founders initially considered the name Facts, reflecting their intention to provide concise information for busy readers, but selected Time and adopted the early slogan “Take Time—It’s Brief.” The magazine developed a distinctive editorial voice that combined compressed reporting, personality-driven narratives, irreverence, and broad coverage of politics, business, international affairs, science, culture, entertainment, and public figures. Under Luce, who became the dominant figure after Hadden’s death in 1929, Time grew from a magazine into a major publishing and communications enterprise. Roy Edward Larsen was also instrumental in expanding circulation and developing complementary radio programming. The March of Time, a dramatized news program derived from the magazine, helped bring the Time name to a mass audience during the 1930s and 1940s. Time became especially recognizable through its red cover border, introduced in 1927, and through covers centered on influential individuals. Its Person of the Year franchise evolved from earlier “Man of the Year” issues and became one of the most visible annual judgments about who or what had shaped global events. The magazine also developed recurring editorial features such as Milestones and Listings, while its writing style—often called “Timestyle”—influenced American magazine prose and helped popularize several expressions. During the late twentieth century, Time operated within the broader Time Inc. publishing group. It became part of Time Warner after the 1989 merger between Time Inc. and Warner Communications, and later part of AOL Time Warner before the corporate name reverted to Time Warner. In 2014, Time Inc. was separated from the wider Time Warner group as an independent public company. Meredith Corporation acquired Time Inc. in 2018, but soon sold Time magazine to Marc and Lynne Benioff for $190 million. The Benioffs have kept the magazine separate from Salesforce, Marc Benioff’s technology company, and publish it through Time USA, LLC. Time has adapted its publishing model in response to declining print advertising and circulation. It changed its print delivery schedule in 2007, experimented with personalized print through Mine in 2009, and expanded its digital archive and online journalism. In 2023, under chief executive Jessica Sibley, the company removed its online paywall and emphasized business-to-business activities, events, licensing, partnerships, and leadership-focused coverage. Time continues to publish print editions and operate a substantial digital presence, including international editions in Europe, Asia, the South Pacific, and France. Its business remains challenged by the structural decline of magazine circulation, but the brand retains international recognition through its editorial franchises, visual identity, events, and high-profile journalism.

Time was established in New York in 1923 by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce, former colleagues at the Yale Daily News. They designed the publication as a concise weekly news magazine for readers with limited time. The first issue appeared on March 3, 1923, and featured retired Speaker of the House Joseph G. Cannon on its cover. Its early editorial formula emphasized people as the organizing principle for news, with substantial attention to politicians, business leaders, entertainers, and other public figures. Hadden’s death in 1929 left Luce as the principal force behind the magazine. Luce shaped Time’s growth and its place within a larger publishing enterprise, while Roy Edward Larsen played a major role in circulation, management, and distribution. Larsen helped extend the brand beyond print through radio. Time experimented with early broadcasting in the 1920s, and in 1931 introduced The March of Time, a dramatized weekly news program. The program was broadcast first by CBS and later by NBC, helping familiarize millions of listeners with the magazine. The publication became known for its compressed prose and unusual sentence construction, a manner widely described as Timestyle. It also became associated with strong visual conventions, most notably the red border added to its cover in 1927. Time’s people-centered editorial approach eventually produced the annual Man of the Year and later Person of the Year franchise. The selection became a major cultural and political reference point, even when the chosen subject represented a movement, institution, or collective phenomenon rather than an individual. Time expanded its geographic reach through international editions. Time Europe, published from London, covers Europe as well as the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Time Asia is based in Hong Kong, while the South Pacific edition is based in Sydney and serves Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific island markets. Time France began publication in 2025. For much of the twentieth century, Time belonged to Time Inc., a major American magazine publisher. The 1989 merger of Time Inc. and Warner Communications placed the magazine inside Time Warner. It later became part of AOL Time Warner in 2000, before the corporate name returned to Time Warner in 2003. Time Inc. was spun out as a separate public company in 2014. Meredith Corporation announced its acquisition of Time Inc. in 2017 and completed the transaction in 2018. Meredith then sold Time to Marc and Lynne Benioff for $190 million. The twenty-first century brought substantial changes in magazine economics. Time altered its delivery schedule in 2007, tested personalized print through Mine in 2009, and maintained an online archive containing digitized text from its historical issues. The company experienced falling newsstand sales, print circulation, and advertising pages, alongside staff reductions. In 2022 Jessica Sibley became CEO. She pursued a shift away from consumer subscription dependence toward business-to-business revenue, removed the online paywall in 2023, and reorganized the company around commercial partnerships, leadership coverage, events, and digital opportunities. Time remains an active news and media brand, although its print business operates in a market defined by declining traditional magazine circulation.

1. 2025Time France begins publication

   A French edition of Time begins publication.

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2. 2023Digital paywall removed

   Time ends its online paywall while pursuing a more business-to-business-oriented revenue model.

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3. 2022Jessica Sibley appointed CEO

   Jessica Sibley becomes chief executive of Time.

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4. 2018Beniof ownership begins

   Marc and Lynne Benioff acquire Time from Meredith for $190 million.

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5. 2014Time Inc. becomes independent

   Time Inc. is separated from Time Warner as an independent public company.

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6. 2009Mine personalized magazine experiment

   Time introduces Mine, a personalized print product combining material from several Time Warner publications.

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7. 2007Print delivery schedule changes

   The magazine moves from Monday delivery and newsstand release to Friday sale and Saturday subscriber delivery.

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8. 2000Time becomes part of AOL Time Warner

   Time enters the AOL Time Warner structure after the AOL and Time Warner merger.

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9. 1989Time joins Time Warner

   The merger of Time Inc. and Warner Communications places Time within the Time Warner group.

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10. 1931The March of Time begins

    Time launches a dramatized radio news program based on the magazine’s reporting.

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11. 1929Luce becomes dominant publisher after Hadden’s death

    Following Briton Hadden’s death, Henry Luce assumes the central leadership role at Time.

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12. 1927Red cover border introduced

    Time introduces the red border that becomes one of its most recognizable visual identifiers.

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13. 1923First issue published

    Briton Hadden and Henry Luce publish the first issue of Time in New York on March 3.

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A globally recognized, authority-oriented news and culture brand that combines concise magazine journalism with influential rankings, covers, special issues, events, and digital media.

• Time magazinePrint magazine1923

  The core current-affairs publication, launched in 1923. It combines reporting, analysis, profiles, criticism, photography, and visual cover storytelling across politics, world affairs, business, science, health, technology, culture, and entertainment. Although originally weekly for most of its history, it moved to an every-other-week schedule in March 2020.

• Time digitalDigital news platform

  Time’s online journalism and digital archive extend the magazine brand beyond print. The platform publishes current reporting, features, video and other digital material, while its archive provides access to historical article text derived from scanned issues.

• Person of the YearEditorial franchise1927

  An annual editorial designation recognizing the individual, group, idea, or phenomenon judged to have had the greatest influence on the year’s events. The franchise developed from the magazine’s earlier Man of the Year feature and is one of Time’s most widely recognized properties.

• Time international editionsInternational magazine editions1940

  Regional editions serve international audiences, including Time Europe from London, Time Asia from Hong Kong, and the South Pacific edition from Sydney. The editions adapt coverage to broad regional audiences while retaining the central Time identity.

• Time for KidsEducational magazine1995

  A youth-oriented news product associated with the Time brand, presenting current events and explanatory journalism for children and school audiences.

• MinePersonalized print magazine2009

  A 2009 experiment that assembled selected content from Time Warner publications according to reader preferences. The product received a poor reception and did not become a lasting core offering.

• 2020Vote cover campaign

  United States

  For an October 2020 issue, Time replaced its familiar logo with the word “Vote” to emphasize the importance of the forthcoming United States presidential election.

  Outcome. The redesign became a prominent election-oriented brand statement while preserving the magazine’s tradition of using its cover to frame major public events.

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• 1931The March of Time

  United States

  Time extended its magazine identity into radio with a dramatized weekly news program. The broadcast format presented current events in a narrative style and introduced the publication to listeners who might not have encountered the print magazine.

  Outcome. The program ran across CBS and later NBC, supporting brand awareness and circulation growth during the 1930s and 1940s.

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• 2023Shift toward business-to-business revenueStrategy

  Management sought to reduce dependence on consumer subscriptions and improve the company’s financial position amid long-term print and advertising pressure.

  What changed. Time removed its online paywall and emphasized business-to-business revenue, leadership coverage, events, partnerships, and related activities.

  Aftermath. The strategy was followed by executive hiring and workforce reductions, with management targeting cash-flow positivity by 2025.

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• 2018Sell Time to Marc and Lynne BenioffM&A

  Meredith determined that Time and several other former Time Inc. titles did not fit its lifestyle-focused portfolio.

  What changed. Meredith sold Time to Marc and Lynne Benioff for $190 million.

  Aftermath. Time became privately owned through Time USA, LLC and remained operationally separate from Salesforce.

  Acquisition price. $190 million (2018)

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• 2009Launch Mine personalized print magazineProduct launch

  Time tested whether personalization could make a multi-title print product more relevant to individual readers.

  What changed. Mine combined selected content from several Time Warner publications according to reader preferences.

  Aftermath. The product was poorly received and did not become a lasting flagship offering.

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• 2007Change print delivery scheduleStrategy

  Time adjusted its long-standing publication and delivery calendar in response to changing retail and subscription habits.

  What changed. The magazine moved to Friday newsstand release and Saturday subscriber delivery.

  Aftermath. The change represented an operational adaptation but did not reverse the broader structural pressure on print magazines.

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• 2024Layoffs criticized by employee and journalism groupsControversy

  Time workforce reductions were criticized by the NewsGuild of New York and the Time Union, while management characterized them as part of a necessary financial and strategic restructuring.

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• 2017Catherine Mayer discrimination lawsuitControversy

  Journalist and editor Catherine Mayer sued Time, alleging sex and age discrimination. The litigation was resolved in 2018.

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• 2024Time announces workforce reductions

  Layoffs were described by management as necessary to improve the company’s financial position and support a strategy centered on leadership, climate, artificial intelligence, and health coverage. The cuts drew criticism from the NewsGuild of New York and the Time Union.

  Leadership changeOther
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• 2023Time removes its online paywall

  Under CEO Jessica Sibley, Time removed its online paywall as part of a shift toward business-to-business revenue and other commercial activities.

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• 2018Time sold to Marc and Lynne Benioff

  Meredith sold Time magazine to Marc and Lynne Benioff for $190 million. The magazine remained separate from Salesforce and Marc Benioff did not take part in daily editorial operations.

  M&A
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• 2017Meredith announces acquisition of Time Inc.

  Meredith announced a transaction to acquire Time Inc., with financing support from Koch Equity Development.

  M&A
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1. Time (magazine)
2. Time official website