Henry Luce: Publishing Giant and Founder of Fortune Magazines
Henry Luce was one of the most influential publishers of the 20th century. His accomplishments in the world of publishing are numerous, and they continue to influence the field today. From founding Fortune Magazine to creating the Time-Life book series, Luce laid the groundwork for modern media by demonstrating the power of the press and its ability to capture the attention of the public.
Biography
Henry Robinson Luce was born on April 3, 1898 in Shantung, China. His father, who worked in a missionary movement, had made the country his home. As such, Luce was educated in Chinese schools until he returned to the United States at age 15. He attended Hotchkiss preparatory school before enrolling at Yale University, where he studied history and literature. After graduating from college, Luce went to work for Hadden’s magazine – now known as TIME – in 1926.
Time Magazine and Rise to Success
Luce’s work at Hadden’s proved to be the springboard for his career. Luce and his partner, Briton Hadden, saw merit in what was traditionally called a “weeklies” type magazine, and created one along a different model. By merging hard news reporting and interpretation, entertainment, and product reviews, TIME quickly caught on with the public and offered readers something new. The magazine proved to be hugely successful, allowing Luce to launch other publications, including LIFE, which was the first picture magazine.
Fortune Magazine
In 1930, Luce launched Fortune Magazine, the most enduring of all his publications. A groundbreaking business magazine, Fortune was a response to the public’s burgeoning interest in finance, corporate industry, and the economy that swept the nation during the Great Depression. It aimed to provide a comprehensive and nuanced picture of the business world to readers and quickly became the go-to publication for those interested in the financial industry.
Life and Time-Life Books
The success of TIME led Luce to launch other endeavors, including LIFE, in 1936. Going against the traditional grain, LIFE incorporated pictorial journalism, which combined images and text to tell stories. Its use of the medium was so revolutionary that it quickly became a benchmark in print journalism. By 1949, Luce launched Time-Life Books, a publishing arm for books related to news, entertainment, and culture.
Legacy
Henry Luce’s legacy in publishing has stood the test of time. His emphasis on merging hard news with art, culture and entertainment paved the way for modern publishing. Even today, his influence can be seen in the pages of the newspapers and magazines that focus on global trends and in the use of photography and visuals in print journalism. He changed the way news was reported and consumed, and set a precedent in the publishing world that has not been matched since.
Henry Luce was undoubtedly one of the most influential and successful publishers of the 20th century. He laid the groundwork for modern media by founding Fortune Magazine and creating the Time-Life book series. His influence continues to be felt in the way news, entertainment and culture is reported and consumed. His legacy will no doubt be remembered for years to come.
