History of People (magazine) in Timeline
People is an American weekly magazine that focuses on celebrity news and human-interest stories, published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC. It had a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, making it the most widely read American magazine at the time. However, by 2018, its readership had declined to 35.9 million. The magazine generated $997 million in advertising revenue in 2011, the highest for any American magazine. In 2006, People had a circulation of 3.75 million and was expected to earn over $1.5 billion in revenue. It was named "Magazine of the Year" by Advertising Age in October 2005 and was recognized on several prestigious lists for its excellence in editorial, circulation, and advertising.
1963: Richard Stolley Acquires Zapruder Film
In 1963, Richard Stolley, the founding managing editor of People, acquired the Zapruder film of the John F. Kennedy assassination for Time Inc.
February 25, 1974: People Magazine Debuts
People magazine debuted on February 25, 1974, with actress Mia Farrow on the cover. The magazine was sold primarily on newsstands and in supermarkets.
March 4, 1974: First Issue of People Magazine
The premiere edition of People magazine for the week ending March 4, 1974, featured actress Mia Farrow, Gloria Vanderbilt, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, and the wives of U.S. Vietnam veterans who were missing in action.
1978: Early TV Version of People Magazine
In the fall of 1978, an entertainment news program version of People magazine aired on CBS, hosted by Alan Hamel, Pat Mitchell, and Phyllis George. It was produced by Time-Life Television and lasted for a few months.
1990: Events Covered in Private Lives 1991
The 1991 edition of 'Private Lives' covered the major events of 1990, marking its inaugural issue.
1991: First Publication as 'Private Lives'
In 1991, the People Magazine Yearbook was first published as 'Private Lives', covering events of 1990 without prominently displaying the year on the cover.
1991: Inaugural People Yearbook
The first People Yearbook, titled 'Private Lives', was published in 1991, covering the events of 1990.
1992: Private Lives Volume II
Published in 1992, 'Private Lives Volume II' covered the events of 1991 and included the tagline 'The Year in Review: 1991' on its first page.
October 19, 1993: Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere Named 'Sexiest Couple of the Year'
On October 19, 1993, Cindy Crawford and Richard Gere were declared 'Sexiest Couple of the Year' by People magazine.
1993: Private Lives 1993
In 1993, People published 'Private Lives 1993', covering events of 1992 and for the first time prominently displaying the year on the cover.
1994: No 'Sexiest Man Alive' Selection
In 1994, People magazine did not select a 'Sexiest Man Alive'. Keanu Reeves was later chosen to fill this gap.
1994: Private Lives 1994
The 1994 issue of 'Private Lives' covered events of 1993, continuing the tradition of prominently displaying the year on the cover.
1995: Selena Cover Sells Out
In 1995, an issue of People featuring the murdered Tejano singer Selena on the cover sold out, unlike the alternate cover featuring the TV series Friends.
1995: People Yearbook 1995
People Yearbook 1995 marked the start of the bold display of the year on the cover, summarizing key events of 1994.
1995: People Yearbook 1995 Release
The first 'People Yearbook' was published in 1995, covering the events of 1994 and marking the transition from 'Private Lives'.
1996: Launch of People en Español
In 1996, Time Inc. launched People en Español, a Spanish-language magazine that eventually came to have entirely original content.
1996: Renaming to People Yearbook
In 1996, the publication was renamed to 'People Yearbook 1995', dropping the 'Private Lives' title and marking a significant change in its branding.
1997: Regularization of 'Sexiest Man Alive' Feature
Since 1997, the 'Sexiest Man Alive' feature has been regularly awarded between mid-November and early December each year.
1997: Events Covered in People Yearbook 1998
The People Yearbook 1998 summarized major events of 1997.
1998: People Yearbook 1998
The People Yearbook 1998 covered events of 1997, following the tradition of covering the previous year's events.
1998: Launch of Teen People
In 1998, People introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People.
2002: Introduction of People Stylewatch
In 2002, People introduced People Stylewatch, a title focusing on celebrity style, fashion, and beauty.
October 2005: People Magazine Named 'Magazine of the Year'
In October 2005, People magazine was named 'Magazine of the Year' by Advertising Age for its excellence in editorial, circulation, and advertising.
July 2006: People Blamed for Rising Cost of Celebrity Photos
In a July 2006 Variety article, Janice Min, editor-in-chief of Us Weekly, blamed People magazine for the increase in cost to publishers of celebrity photos.
July 27, 2006: Shutdown of Teen People
On July 27, 2006, People announced the immediate shutdown of Teen People. The last issue was scheduled for September 2006, and subscribers were transferred to Entertainment Weekly.
September 2006: Last Issue of Teen People
In September 2006, the last issue of Teen People was released.
October 2006: People Ranks on Advertising Age's and Adweek's Lists
In October 2006, People ranked number 6 on Advertising Age's annual 'A-list' and number 3 on Adweek's 'Brand Blazers' list.
2006: Change in 'Most Beautiful People' List
In 2006, People magazine expanded its 'Most Beautiful People' list from 50 to 100 individuals, marking a significant change in its annual rankings.
2006: People Closes Editorial Bureaus
In 2006, People magazine closed its editorial bureaus in Austin, Miami, and Chicago for financial reasons.
April 2007: Merger of TeenPeople.com and People.com
In April 2007, Teenpeople.com was merged into People.com to consolidate traffic and content.
2007: Increased Frequency of People Stylewatch
In 2007, due to its success, the frequency of People Stylewatch was increased to 10 times per year.
2007: Events Covered in People Yearbook 2008
The People Yearbook 2008 covered significant events of 2007.
2008: Launch of Indian Edition of People
In 2008, the Indian edition of People magazine began publication.
2008: People Magazine Yearbook 2008
The 2008 edition of People Magazine Yearbook covered events from 2007, following the tradition of covering the previous year's events.
2009: People's Readership Peaks
In 2009, People magazine reached the largest audience of any American magazine with a readership of 46.6 million adults.
2010: People Magazine Yearbook 2010
People Magazine Yearbook 2010 covered major events of 2009, including socially relevant news and celebrity happenings.
2010: International Edition of People in Greece
Since 2010, the international edition of People magazine has been published in Greece.
2011: Highest Advertising Revenue for People
In 2011, People magazine had the highest advertising revenue of any American magazine, totaling $997 million.
July 26, 2013: Closure of Indian Edition of People
On July 26, 2013, Outlook Group announced the closure of the Indian edition of People magazine, which began publication in 2008.
2013: People Yearbook 2013
The 2013 issue of People Yearbook included an exclamation mark and covered events of 2012.
December 2014: People Selects First 'Sexiest Woman Alive'
In December 2014, People magazine selected Kate Upton as its first and only 'Sexiest Woman Alive'.
2014: People Yearbook 2014
The 2014 People Yearbook was the last to cover the previous year's events, summarizing key moments of 2013.
2015: People Yearbook 2015
In 2015, People Yearbook shifted to cover events of the same year on the front page, breaking a 25-year-old tradition, and included the tagline 'The Most Memorable Moments of 2015'.
2015: People Yearbook 2015
The 2015 People Yearbook marked a shift to covering events of the same year, breaking a long-standing tradition.
September 2016: Launch of People/Entertainment Weekly Network
In September 2016, People launched the People/Entertainment Weekly Network, a free, ad-supported online-video network covering celebrities, pop culture, lifestyle, and human-interest stories.
December 2016: LaTavia Roberson's Feud with People Magazine
In December 2016, LaTavia Roberson engaged in a feud with People magazine after alleging they misquoted and misrepresented her interview online.
2016: Debut of People Magazine Investigates
In 2016, People Magazine Investigates, a true crime series, debuted on Investigation Discovery, expanding the magazine's reach into television.
2016: Special Flip Cover Yearbook Issue
The 2016 People Yearbook featured a special 'flip cover' issue to commemorate notable personalities who passed away in 2016, including Prince, David Bowie, and Muhammad Ali.
September 2017: Rebranding to PeopleTV
In September 2017, the People/Entertainment Weekly Network was rebranded as PeopleTV.
November 2017: Announcement of Time Inc. Acquisition
In November 2017, Meredith Corporation announced its plan to acquire Time Inc. for $2.8 billion.
2017: Meredith Purchases People
In 2017, Meredith purchased Time Inc., including People magazine.
2017: Rebranding and Digital Shift of PeopleStyle
In 2017, People Stylewatch was rebranded as PeopleStyle and later that year announced it would become a digital-only publication.
January 31, 2018: Meredith Corporation Acquires Time Inc.
On January 31, 2018, Meredith Corporation completed its acquisition of Time Inc. for $2.8 billion, taking over publications like Time Magazine, People Magazine, and People Magazine Yearbook.
2018: People Falls to Second Place in Readership
In 2018, People magazine's readership declined significantly to 35.9 million, causing it to fall to second place among American magazines.
2019: People Yearbook 2019
In 2019, People Yearbook returned to bold year display on the cover, summarizing key events of the year.
2019: Jess Cagle Steps Down as Editor
In 2019, People editor Jess Cagle announced his resignation, and deputy editor Dan Wakeford was named as his replacement.
2019: People's First Cutest Baby Alive
In 2019, People magazine selected Andy Cohen's son, Benjamin, as its first Cutest Baby Alive.
2019: People Yearbook 2019
The 2019 People Yearbook returned to featuring the year prominently on the cover, summarizing key events of the year.
2019: People Yearbook 2019
The 2019 issue of People Yearbook saw the return of the bold year on the front cover, summarizing the key events of 2019.
2020: People Yearbook 2020
The 2020 issue of People Yearbook continued the trend of bold year display on the cover and included the tagline 'Our Extraordinary Year Together'.
2020: People Yearbook 2020
The 2020 People Yearbook highlighted 'Our Extraordinary Year Together' and continued the bold year display on the cover.
2020: First Multigenerational Cover Stars
In 2020, Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson, and Hudson's daughter Rani made history by becoming the first multigenerational cover stars of People's Beautiful Issue. Hawn and her granddaughter also set records as the oldest and youngest to feature on the cover.
2020: Cutest Baby Alive 2020
In 2020, Anderson Cooper's son, Wyatt Morgan, was named the Cutest Baby Alive by People magazine.
October 6, 2021: Dotdash Agrees to Purchase Meredith
On October 6, 2021, Dotdash agreed to purchase Meredith, the parent company of People magazine, in a $2.7 billion deal.
December 1, 2021: Finalization of Dotdash's Purchase of Meredith
On December 1, 2021, Dotdash finalized the purchase of Meredith, which included People magazine.
2021: Debut of People Puzzler
In 2021, People Puzzler, a crossword puzzle-themed game show, premiered on the Game Show Network, offering a new form of entertainment based on the magazine.
2021: People Yearbook 2021
The 2021 People Yearbook featured the tagline 'When We All Got Together Again' and continued the trend of summarizing key events of the year.
February 23, 2022: Liz Vaccariello Named Editor in Chief
On February 23, 2022, Liz Vaccariello was named the new Editor in Chief of People magazine, replacing Dan Wakeford.
2022: Deaths of Former 'Sexiest Man Alive' Winners
As of 2022, former winners John F. Kennedy Jr., Sean Connery, and Patrick Swayze have passed away. Kennedy Jr. and David Beckham remain the only non-entertainers to have won the accolade.
2023: People Magazine Cover Price Equivalent
In 2023, the initial cover price of 35 cents from 1974 is equivalent to $2.16.