An American news magazine and digital media brand known for concise current-affairs journalism, influential covers, and its annual Person of the Year designation.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
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.
History
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.
- 2025
Time France begins publication
[1]A French edition of Time begins publication.
- 2023
Digital paywall removed
[1]Time ends its online paywall while pursuing a more business-to-business-oriented revenue model.
- 2022
Jessica Sibley appointed CEO
[1]Jessica Sibley becomes chief executive of Time.
- 2018
Beniof ownership begins
[1]Marc and Lynne Benioff acquire Time from Meredith for $190 million.
- 2014
Time Inc. becomes independent
[1]Time Inc. is separated from Time Warner as an independent public company.
- 2009
Mine personalized magazine experiment
[1]Time introduces Mine, a personalized print product combining material from several Time Warner publications.
- 2007
Print delivery schedule changes
[1]The magazine moves from Monday delivery and newsstand release to Friday sale and Saturday subscriber delivery.
- 2000
Time becomes part of AOL Time Warner
[1]Time enters the AOL Time Warner structure after the AOL and Time Warner merger.
- 1989
Time joins Time Warner
[1]The merger of Time Inc. and Warner Communications places Time within the Time Warner group.
- 1931
The March of Time begins
[1]Time launches a dramatized radio news program based on the magazine’s reporting.
Products and positioning
A globally recognized, authority-oriented news and culture brand that combines concise magazine journalism with influential rankings, covers, special issues, events, and digital media.
Print magazine · 1923
Time magazine
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.
Digital news platform
Time digital
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.
Editorial franchise · 1927
Person of the Year
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.
International magazine editions · 1940
Time international editions
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.
Educational magazine · 1995
Time for Kids
A youth-oriented news product associated with the Time brand, presenting current events and explanatory journalism for children and school audiences.
Personalized print magazine · 2009
Mine
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.
Controversies
2024
Layoffs criticized by employee and journalism groups
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.
2017
Catherine Mayer discrimination lawsuit
Journalist and editor Catherine Mayer sued Time, alleging sex and age discrimination. The litigation was resolved in 2018.
Marketing campaigns
- 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.
- 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.
Brand decisions
2023
Shift toward business-to-business revenueStrategyBackground
Management sought to reduce dependence on consumer subscriptions and improve the company’s financial position amid long-term print and advertising pressure.
Action taken
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.
2018
Sell Time to Marc and Lynne BenioffM&ABackground
Meredith determined that Time and several other former Time Inc. titles did not fit its lifestyle-focused portfolio.
Action taken
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)
2009
Launch Mine personalized print magazineProduct launchBackground
Time tested whether personalization could make a multi-title print product more relevant to individual readers.
Action taken
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.
2007
Change print delivery scheduleStrategyBackground
Time adjusted its long-standing publication and delivery calendar in response to changing retail and subscription habits.
Action taken
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.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Bose recognized on national lists[3]
The headline reports that Bose was recognized by TIME and Fast Company on national lists; it does not specify which lists.
Reported
TIME unveils 2026 TIME100 Next list of rising stars[4]
TIME published its annual TIME100 Next list recognizing 100 of the world's most influential rising stars, with singer Raye, comedian Druski and actor Ashley Padilla as the list's three cover subjects.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Time names Ford the most iconic American company[5]
Time named carmaker Ford the most iconic American company, and Bill Ford publicly touted the recognition.
Reported
Metapurse and TIME partner on Dreamverse Gallery[6]
Metapurse announced that TIME would partner with it to present the Dreamverse Gallery, a daytime NFT art experience planned as part of the Dreamverse festival in New York City.
Reported
TIME and Cool Cats announce NFT collaboration[7]
TIME and the Cool Cats NFT project announced a collaboration to mint 400 NFT pieces featuring cats reading TIME magazine.
Reported
TIME partners with Crypto.com to accept cryptocurrency for digital subscriptions[8]
TIME announced a partnership with Crypto.com to accept cryptocurrency for its 18-month digital subscriptions. The payment option was available in the United States and Canada, with a global rollout planned for July 2021.
Reported
TIME announces editorial hires and promotions[9]
TIME announced new editorial hires, promotions and role changes for staff across its newsroom.
Reported
MOON UltraLight receives TIME best 25 gadgets recognition[10]
MOON Ultra announced that its MOON UltraLight mobile lighting solution was awarded a place among TIME's best 25 gadgets of 2020 at CES.
Sources10 sources
- 1Time (magazine)en.wikipedia.org
- 2Time official websitetime.com
- 3Bose获评全国性榜单news.google.com
- 4《时代》周刊发布2026年TIME100 Next新星榜单newsroomamerica.com
- 5《时代》将福特评为最具标志性的美国公司news.google.com
- 6Metapurse 与 TIME 合作呈现 Dreamverse Galleryprweb.com
- 7TIME与Cool Cats宣布合作推出NFTnews.bitcoin.com
- 8TIME与Crypto.com合作，接受加密货币支付数字订阅finance.sina.com.cn
- 9TIME 宣布编辑团队新聘任与晋升yahoo.com
- 10MOON UltraLight获《TIME》年度25款最佳 gadget 评选prnewswire.com
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