About this Title
TIME gives you more than just a weekly news summary. TIME provides insightful analysis of today's important events and what they mean to you and your family--from politics to scientific breakthroughs to human achievement. Plus, TIME helps you keep up with the arts, business, and society. That's why 30 million people worldwide choose TIME.
Product Description
National and international news, behavior, books, business, cinema, law, education, environment, modern living, music, nation, press, religion, theater, video and world.
--This text refers to the
Magazine
edition.
I have been a subscriber to TIME for over 15 years and before that a reader of my parents' subscription. It pains me to say that this magazine has forgotten what it is about. Frankly, the only issues worth their salt are those resulting from a major world event such as a natural disaster or a terror attack; such events seem to energize an otherwise listless staff of seemingly bored editors and newswriters.
A newsweekly has the obligation to go beyond the newspapers--to use the extra couple days to provide a more balanced and analytical view. Unfortunately TIME fixes its editorial position at the beginning of a story--any future coverage is designed to prove TIME's initial position correct. The immediate taking of an editorial position is then carried into all future coverage of the event; stifling analysis and preventing any analytical development beyond the first few stories--"we told you so, we told you so." Even worse, the coverage of a lengthy story peters out until something sensational happens at which point the sensational event becomes the ultimate interpretation of the entire story. Can't the magazine occasionally admit it was wrong rather than turning its eye away from the story that continues to burn? Out of sight, out of mind is the mantra...
In fact, I sometimes debate whether the decline of this magazine mirrors or outpaces the general decline in our media; newspapers are failing, television news can't seem to get away from the gory or sensationalistic, even academic journals have specialized themselves into irrelevance. We seem to have a greater appreciation for comedy than analysis.
Neutrality is dead. Frankly, I don't care so much about any perceived editorial slant as I do about the fact that the magazine is increasingly boring and irrelevant. TIME used to have excellent coverage of trends and events outside of the United States--no more. Iran is building nuclear weapons but merits the occasional blurb on a world summary page. African states are making vast strides towards democracy, we get an article about Nigerian computer fraud. Russia is emerging from the turmoil of perestroika and its painful transition has much to teach about the costs and value of democracy, but we seem to focus only on the latest roadbomb in Iraq. Japan, one of the world's most influential cultures, this week merited only a snippet regarding a royal marriage and an analysis of foreign intrusion into sumo wrestling. Somewhere in the wide world is a fascinating place or culture to which TIME could send a correspondent and bring the place and people alive to its readership, instead we get tabloid excrement in the nature of Joel Stein's puerile take on pornography and social deviants. But most damning is the fact that after reading TIME one asks: How in the hell did our world become boring?
Can TIME try emulating The Economist rather than The Enquirer? Someone needs to step in and restore the proud tradition of complete and in-depth coverage--educate the reader about the world in which we live; don't wait until either natural disasters or internal politics shine the spotlight on any of the various cultures and countries in which real and interesting events take place every single week. TIME has the history and potential of being a five-star magazine, if only it would just focus on finding and reporting the news.
51 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
Glossy and well designed, Time is a weekly news magazine that gives a succinct summary of all national and international events. It gives about as much in depth coverage as one may expect of a weekly magazine. If there is any lack in depth, at times, it is because time (no pun intended) is of the essence in much of its reporting. Many of the stories are on going and are further developed each week, as more information becomes available, and put together as informative, well written articles or essays. I find them to be less slanted politically than those found in Newsweek, its prime competitor.
In addition to national and world news events, Time also covers business, the arts, and more personal issues, such as health. It follows and notes social trends and reports on them to its readers. Its articles are often accompanied by first rate photographs and illustrations. All in all, it is a value packed, first rate news magazine and, as a subscriber, I look forward to receiving it each and every week.
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
I think Time magazine is a good subscription for those just looking for an overall picture of what's been going on with the U.S mostly. Not too many internationally related articals. The past issue of the 100 Most Influential people was really bad in that they picked the most pathetic examples, i.e Brad pitt, Justin Timberlake. I'm beginning to think Time is a sellout. I would recommend U.S News and World Report instead.
I read Time to make sure I don't miss any major news items or trends. It tries to feature commentators from all sides of an issue, but they're not the reason I buy the magazine; I just want a hard-copy summary of what's going in the world. They recently introduced design changes and moved their publication date to a Friday, so you can receive it by Saturday and read it over the weekend.
Subscription-wise, I like the fact that you can manage online such things as changing your mailing address or ordering a missed copy. When I have an inquiry that can't be handled on their website, I email them and they reply within 24 hours.
Why only four stars? There's always something you can complain about the content. And there was one time when they couldn't send me a replacement copy of an issue that never arrived. (Doesn't happen often.) They sent a postcard apologizing for having run out of replacement copies for that particular issue and that they would extend my subscription by one issue. Other magazines don't even bother with customer service, so thumbs-up to Time.
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
HEY CONSERVATIVES: what about the liberals who actually adore reading time?, April 10, 2007
Like me, i must say that one fo the main reasons for my ordering of time is to stay informed with a medium that can counteract the MOUTHPIECE of the republicans, fox. I BOUGHT THIS because i read some of the articles in a local YMCA and found them to be heavily left. AND yes i enjoy their articles, it makes me feel like our party finally has a voice in a heavily conservative world.
Time magazine now is just a void full of advertisements and one sided political banter. It is like fictionalized films that try to present false, twisted information! The only good part about it are some of the cartoons at the beginning of it. Even then, c'mon people I mean wake up, this is a rags rag. I use mine to get the fire in the fireplace going, that is about the extent of its worth to me, but now that I cancelled my subscription I will have to use some NewsWEAK magazines I found in the attic.
Amazon.com Delivers: Travel
Sign-up for our monthly Travel email and have information on the latest travel deals, products and destinations delivered straight to your inbox.
Commitment-phobic?Time is also available as a 6-month subscription.
$5 Bonus Offer: Get a $5 promotional certificate good on a future purchase at Amazon when you subscribe. See details. 
Explore similar items
:
Magazines
(47)
Cart
based on 117 reviews.
The Slow Death of a Once Proud Magazine, November 22, 2005
TIME IS TOPS..., February 3, 2002
Time for light reading, May 3, 2007
Glory days behind them now, April 3, 2007
