Founded in 1974 as part of the Time-Life publishing empire, People magazine, a mass-circulation weekly magazine, helped define the way journalists and television (see entry under 1940s—TV and Radio in volume 3) talk shows covered celebrities and other prominent figures. It has successfully occupied a position above the more sensational gossip tabloids while maintaining a lively, graphic image that makes ample use of photographs and exclusive interviews. The magazine has sometimes been criticized for blurring the distinction between hard news and entertainment, but it has established itself as one of the most widely read U.S. magazines.

Mia Farrow, as Daisy from the movie The Great Gatsby, graced the first cover of People magazine on March 4, 1974. AP/Wide World Photos. Reproduced by permission.

Time, Inc. originally conceived People as a replacement for Life (see entry under 1930s—Print Culture in volume 2), which had ceased weekly publication in 1972. Instead of...