Time magazine celebrates 100 years in business this month. (Image: Kathryn Reed)
The belief that print publications are dying has been trumpeted for decades.
But publications are not going away. And that’s a good thing.
This month Time magazine celebrates 100 years. That’s quite an accomplishment.
I haven’t always been a reader of this news magazine. I used to be a Newsweek subscriber. I’m sure this choice was because my parents read Newsweek. I wouldn’t be surprised if they bought me my first subscription.
There were times when I didn’t get Newsweek. It probably mostly had to do with money, and little bit with not making the time to read it. Finally, it ceased publication in 2012, going to an online only format. Though it did rebrand itself and is back in print, I haven’t looked at the new iteration.
I switched to Time several years ago, then stopped my subscription for a few years when I wasn’t living in one place; having resumed my subscription since putting down roots again.
Since 2020 it comes out every other week, whereas before it was a monthly periodical.
What I like about news magazines is that they go deeper into topics than most newspapers. That’s the luxury of a longer deadline compared to the daily grind. It’s not just hard news that is covered in those pages. It’s profiles on people, pop culture segments and shorts about topics I didn’t read elsewhere. I like the variety and comprehensiveness of Time.
I also like holding the magazine.
My favorite place to read any magazine is in the hot tub. Yes, a few have become unreadable when I’ve dropped them in the water, which is why books are seldom taken to the tub. Somehow the relaxed setting takes the edge off even the most serious topic.
Being informed is critical. Where you get your news matters. Publications—print and online and those that do both—need subscribers and donors because businesses are spending their advertising dollars other places. It takes money to gather, write and publish the news.
Subscribe to real news publications, big and small—it’s how our democracy will survive.
I enjoy reading both magazines while I eat lunch. Doing so makes me eat slower!
I still have their publications from the first man on the moon! Very special. I do listen to my audio books but enjoy my magazine publications as well. I can’t ever loan them to you knowing where you read yours!
I read Time for years–tried to read cover to cover, but that got to be too much for me, as well as the price. I am reading THE WEEK now, also a Time publication. I admit it doesn’t go as deep on some subjects, but it keeps me abreast of hat’s going on in the world. I miss the letters to the editor that was featured in Time, but I have some favorite features in THE WEEK.