Exclusive: Time to launch longevity franchise
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Time plans to launch a new editorial vertical called Time Longevity, dedicated to the coverage of science, health, business, tech and policy innovations that address aging and the human lifespan, its CEO Jess Sibley and editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs told Axios.
Why it matters: It's part of a broader transformation of Time's business from a consumer site to a platform for business decision-makers, Sibley said.
Zoom out: Over the past few years, Time has invested more editorially in covering topics top-of-mind for business and policy elites, such as health, AI and climate, per Jacobs.
- "What we're seeing is this conversation around longevity really matters to those decision-makers in whatever field they're in," he noted.
- The audience and advertiser opportunities are "truly limitless," Sibley said, noting the topic impacts readers of all ages and demographics.
- Longevity is of keen interest to a range of advertisers, including pharmaceuticals, sports, health and wellness, food, hospitality, travel, tech, education and financial services, she added.
Zoom in: The new franchise will launch later this year as a multi-platform series spanning events, digital coverage and print specials.
- Coverage is meant to provide a trusted guide for people looking to understand more about aging and living a longer, healthier life. That includes everything from financial planning and retirement to climate and wellness.
- The company will feature longevity as one of its tracks this year at its Time100 Health Leadership Forum in the fall, Jacobs said.
- It will launch a "future of living" interview series that will live across its platforms.
- The newsroom will also launch a special report that will get a dedicated section of the magazine, a digital landing page and social coverage.
Between the lines: Aside from the commercial opportunities, Jacobs said key indicators suggested Time's audience was craving more on this topic.
- Around 20% of Time's website visitors in April came to read a story about health or science, he said. A recent editorial survey of readers found that aging was the number one topic they wanted to learn more about. Time's health email, with 270,000 free subscribers, is its second-largest newsletter.
- Last month, ahead of the reveal of its Time 100 list, the company profiled entrepreneur Ben Lamm, CEO of the Colossal Biosciences, a genetic engineering company working to "de-extinct" animals. The viral Time story revealed publicly for the first time that Colossal Biosciences had brought back the dire wolf.
The big picture: Time has transformed its business by positioning itself as a community platform for opinion leaders.
- The company removed its digital paywall in 2023 amid a pivot away from consumer revenue. It's launched several premium events and lists catered toward top professional innovators in topics like AI and health and has built communities around them.
What to watch: Asked about reports that Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff was eyeing a possible sale of Time, Jacobs said, "We are launching longevity in part because we believe in Time's longevity."
- Jacobs said he expects to keep working with Benioff and his wife Lynne, who co-owns Time, "for a long time."
