• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, March 28, 2024

It was a cool Friday in November. 

Plymouth offered their newest model for $510—in an ad that also reminded you that you could tune in on Major Bowes’ Original Amateur Hour any Thursday from 9 to 10. 

Loyalists and Rebels were fighting in the outskirts of Madrid—while many U.S. citizens were preparing to celebrate two Thanksgivings.

That was how the direct mail copywriter Bill Jayme, writing in 1951, described the day in 1936 when Time Inc. debuted Life magazine as we came to know it. The letter was used into the 1960s.  

We may need someone like Jayme to write a new letter or email. Bedford Media is relaunching Life in an agreement with Dotdash Meredith.

The iconic title will appear in both print and digital in a regular cadence, promises Bedford.

It's not clear if this will appeal mainly to the boomer+ audience, or if it will open up a new market for photographers. Bedford Media promises to serve all generations through print, digital, and video.

"We see LIFE as an uplifting and unifying voice in a chaotic media landscape," says Karlie Kloss, CEO of Bedford Media. "While Bedford is a new media company, we are deeply inspired by Life's iconic legacy and ability to connect diverse audiences with universal narratives of humanity."

Under the arrangement, Bedford Media will be responsible for editorial strategy, revenue and media endeavors. Dotdash Meredith will retain rights to Life’s photography and content archives, and it will continue to publish single-topic special interest magazines for sale on newsstands. 

Bedford Media recently acquired i-D Magazine, and will begin publishing print issues this fall.

Life lasted as a weekly print magazine until 1972, then was used for specials and supplements and briefly as a monthly. Prior to Henry Luce buying the name in the 1930s, it was a periodical that had started in 1883.

At its peak, Life was known for large-scale photography that brought home World War II, Hollywood and human stories to millions of Americans. 

"Life's legacy lies in its ability to blend culture, current events, and everyday life – highlighting the triumphs, challenges, and unique perspectives that define us," says publisher Joshua Kushner.