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‘Time’ Launches New On-sale Date, Sections

Newsweeklies traditionally have been retrospective, looking back on the week in the news. Time magazine wants to be more forward-looking.

“Many news sources give you information; we provide knowledge and meaning,” writes Time managing editor Richard Stengel, in a letter to readers in the current issue of the magazine (also posted online).

The letter refers to the new on-sale date for the magazine. This week marks the first that Time has gone on sale on a Friday in more than 50 years, rather than on Monday, Stengel writes. The change, he says, was made because the news environment has shifted, but also “because we’ve been listening to you. Over and over, we’ve heard from subscribers that they get the magazine early in the week and then put it aside to read on the weekend. The solution was pretty simple: let’s get you the magazine on the weekend when you want it.”

Getting the magazine out on Fridays also helps Time set the news agenda, not simply mirror it, he believes.

The “new” magazine will include some new features, such as a regular history section (geared to put today’s news in the context of historical events), a Going Green section which will discuss how green businesses will be a fundamental engine of change in the 21st century, and a Law section.