Jane Mayer is the nation’s leading expert on Dark Money and wrote a very important book of that name. In the linked article here, she raises crucial questions about whether TIME will continue to exercise Tough, independent journalism under the influence of the Kochs
https://www.newyorker.com/sections/news/can-time-inc-survive-the-kochs
“Despite their long and deep involvement in trying to align American politics with their conservative libertarian views, spokesmen for the Kochs insist that the multibillionaire brothers have no plans to play any role in running or shaping the editorial content of the Time Inc. publications. In addition to Time magazine, the company publishes Fortune, People, Sports Illustrated, Money, and several other previously iconic national weeklies. Instead, spokesmen for the Kochs and for Meredith say that the brothers intend to act merely as “passive” investors. They and their underlings will have no seat on the merged company’s board of directors, and play no managerial role other than meeting on a quarterly basis with senior management to discuss “financial and strategic matters.” According to an eighty-page agreement on the merger filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Kochs do, however, reserve the right to send an emissary to attend board meetings if Meredith fails to make good on its hefty 8.5-per-cent interest payments to the Kochs. But the brothers’ motive for financing such a large chunk of the $2.8 billion merger, according to those close to the deal, is purely financial, akin to the role that Carlos Slim Helú, the Mexican telecom tycoon, has played at the Times, where he is the single largest investor.
“Those familiar with the Kochs’ history, however, have reason to be skeptical about their professed passivity. Charles Koch, in particular, is known for the unusually tight control he exerts over Koch Industries, the second-largest private company in the U.S., and also over his and his brother’s political and philanthropic ventures. As I wrote in my book “Dark Money,” a former political partner of the Koch brothers, Murray Rothbard, once testified that Charles “cannot tolerate dissent” and will “go to any end to acquire/retain control.” His brother David, meanwhile, has been quoted saying that “if we’re going to give a lot of money, we will make darn sure they spend it in a way that goes along with our intent.”
“This year, among the Kochs’ aims is to spend a projected four hundred million dollars in contributions from themselves and a small group of allied conservative donors they have assembled, to insure Republican victories in the 2018 midterm elections. Ordinarily, political reporters for Time magazine would chronicle this blatant attempt by the Kochs and their allies to buy political influence in the coming election cycle. Will they feel as free to do so now?”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Quote: “This year, among the Kochs’ aims is to spend a projected four hundred million dollars in contributions from themselves and a small group of allied conservative donors they have assembled, to insure Republican victories in the 2018 midterm elections. Ordinarily, political reporters for Time magazine would chronicle this blatant attempt by the Kochs and their allies to buy political influence in the coming election cycle. Will they feel as free to do so now?”
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I get Time magazine. They have been very explicit in denouncing Trump. Will this continue? The Koch’s are definitely a destructive force, as are most of the extremely wealthy. They definitely needed a tax cut.
Now I can rest in glory knowing that I have given money to the wealthy. Wonder if I’ll get a ‘Thank you’ letter in the mail?
This posting comes from Gordon Wilder who isn’t able to access your blog.
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Depending on your political persuasion the Republican tax plan which will probably pass both branches of our government will be applauded or abhorred. Beneficial? Time will of course be the final test.
Consider though a few things; Our economy boomed after WWII. Why? Partial answer at least. A tax of about 90% was levied on corporations and the very wealthy to pay for WWII with this caveat. Taxes were exempt if the money was plowed into investments in their company, not distributed to the CEOs.
Again, our economy boomed. The middle class benefited, wages increased, Our humongous WWII debt began to be payed off. Why not incorporate the basic ideas in this tax plan even if the tax rate is not that high. Obviously that rate would never pass muster in the present political climate
Recently laws allowed profits from corporations to be distributed to CEOs and the wealthy. Research yourselves on where the largess of America’s monetary progress has gone. Research yourselves how much the average wage earner has profited from the growth in our economy vs that of the very wealthy. Research yourselves on the plight of our very poor, our children who live in poverty etc. The opioid epidemic, our education failures have been tied directly to the plight of the poor, Have the benefits to the very wealthy really benefited the average middle and/or lower classes?
We have been promised that these tax cuts – research where they are most beneficial – will create jobs, that our economic progress will benefit the middle class. . Has there been any guarantee of that or just promises? Has any Republican who voted for this bill put HIS/HER job on the line, promising to resign if the promised cuts do not result in their promises?
Again, time will tell what the future holds. As of now;
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) acknowledged that the Republican drive to cut taxes for the wealthy is the prelude to a larger attack on Social Security and Medicare. On Wednesday, he told a group of lobbyists that hiking the deficit with the GOP tax bill is the first step in dismantling the programs.
Responding to a question from Politico interviewers about how to address the federal deficit, he replied, “We have to do two things. We have to generate economic growth which generates revenue, while reducing spending. That will mean instituting structural changes to Social Security and Medicare for the future.” This idea seems to be pervasive with Republicans. Again, who has our present ecomonic growth itself benefited?
Again time will tell what happens. Cuts to medicare, medicaid, colleges etc etc? Without revenue many beneficial investments in the future cannot happen. There is no free lunch.
Interesting as in the Chinese curse: may you live in interesting times.
Time is a multi-platform operation. The print publications are losing money. The content, if politically nudged for KOCH approval will be reaching a huge and diverse population.
The print publications are losing money. Almost all of the print publications are migrating to digital formats. Targeting Latinos is expected to help grow the company.
Notice the value placed on “unique first party data” and how those data-sets could, with not much effort, target large segments of people by gender, consumer habits, interests, and so on.
Begin quote from website.
Time Inc. (NYSE:TIME) is a leading multi-platform consumer media company that engages over 230 million consumers globally every month. The Company’s influential brands include PEOPLE, TIME, FORTUNE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, INSTYLE, REAL SIMPLE, SOUTHERN LIVING and TRAVEL + LEISURE, as well as approximately 60 diverse international brands.
Time Inc. offers marketers a differentiated proposition in the marketplace by combining its powerful brands, trusted content, audience scale, direct relationships with consumers and unique first-party data.
The Company is home to growing media platforms and extensions, including digital video, OTT, television, licensing, international markets, paid products and services and celebrated live events, such as the TIME 100, FORTUNE Most Powerful Women, PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’s Sportsperson of the Year, the ESSENCE Festival and the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen.
The Kock brothers are likely to be as interested in getting access to the data on subscribers as in pushing their political agendas through their ownership.
Koch not Kock…
Po-tay-toe, Po-tah-toe.
You forgot the suffix “suckers”.
Not to underestimate the awfulness of the Koch’s and what they’ll do with this publication, but since when has Time ever published “tough, independent journalism?”
Time has always been the poster child for homogenized, tightly-controlled conventional wisdom, with the lies of officialdom always taken at face value with grave solemnity and passed along as fact, so much so that Allan Ginsburg was satirizing it over half a century ago.
“I’m addressing you.
Are you going to let your emotional life be run by Time Magazine?
I’m obsessed by Time Magazine.
I read it every week.
Its covers stare out at me every time I slink past the corner candy store.
I read it in the basement of the Berkeley Public Library.
It’s always telling me about responsibility. Businessmen are serious. Movie producers are serious.
Everybody’s serious but me.
It occurs to me that I am America.
– Allen Gisnburg, “America”
The Koch’s probably made a lousy investment on this one…
“…since when has Time ever published “tough, independent journalism?” YES. TIME sells out many by predictably adopting and promoting the views attached to Big Money.
Diane The thing is this: the general rule for those who have no constraints in view is this:
If I can, I will. Constraints can be inner or outer–inner: having an inner moral compass, first being brought up with one, and then reflectively trying to live in terms of it. OR outer constraints–through limiting life circumstances, then government, or even social-control kinds of powers, like group awards or shaming.
But now the oligarch-donors, whose inner controls are really suspect, are fastly dispensing with outer controls (Congress’ and other political powers); and an ideology of selfishness (Me-First-and-Only, too bad for you, God must hate you, winner-takes-all) seems to be pervading the minds and hearts of way-too-many. If that’s the case, then they will not stop until forced to do so, or if circumstances don’t allow them to run roughshod over the democracy, that they live in and depend on, any more–like North Korea.
But as far as Time Magazine is concerned, I agree with Michael F. (above)–it’s pretty-much the political version of Readers’ Digest. That’s not to say that Time cannot be wrongly influential, hiding its new poisonous propaganda under a long-term general readership assumption and “brand” of being “moderate journalism,” by both omission and commission. If they can, . . . that is, if they have the power to do so undisciplined by outer forces, . . .eventually, they will.
TIME is not just the one magazine. It is a media empire. The Koch’s invested for a reason.
They along with DeVos and family are ruthless, controlling and greedy individuals.
In a word: nope.