Time evolves to keep pace with changes

<p>Time Asia is moving to strengthen its editorial product in an </p><p>attempt to keep pace with the changing needs and tastes of its readers, </p><p>particularly amid a changing mindset resulting from the advent of the </p><p>Internet age. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This isn't a relaunch and neither is it a makeover, although the changes </p><p>are the biggest since a dedicated Asian edition was rolled out for the </p><p>first time in 1996. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It's more a bid to beef up the content and style, be opinionated and a </p><p>tad more controversial. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We don't want to reinvent Time, especially because we have done so well </p><p>in past years and because this has been a sensational year for the </p><p>magazine, both editorially and financially," said Mr Adi Ignatius, the </p><p>publication's new editor who took over following the departure of Don </p><p>Morrison, now at Time London. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He told MEDIA that the changes, which will come into effect from </p><p>January, were aimed at injecting some attitude into the magazine. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Time checks facts closely, edits closely. There's a reliability to Time </p><p>and we don't want to lose that. But the risk is that we are too </p><p>safe. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>We're doing too much for the record. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We can fit our week into a template. That in itself is interesting </p><p>anyway because the world is interesting but discerning readers want more </p><p>than that," Mr Ignatius said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He added that the strategy of the future was not to just report on the </p><p>news but to also anticipate tomorrow's questions. Time - the largest </p><p>regional publication with a circulation of more than 315,000 per issue, </p><p>according to ABC - is also moving to be personality-driven and more </p><p>interactive. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It's a move inspired by its website timeasia.com, whose success in the </p><p>marketplace was described as surprising. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We know that people like Time; they renew their subscription and they </p><p>write letters to the editor. Online is different. People respond </p><p>immediately and we're not used to that but that is the reality of now </p><p>and that appears to be the way of the future. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The website has given us a little more room to be controversial, </p><p>opinionated and even funny. Part of our goal now is to capture that </p><p>energy and bring it into the magazine," Mr Ignatius said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>To move towards its goals, Time will relaunch the front news section of </p><p>the magazine in January with a new look and a new attitude. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We want to make it more fun, edgier, and to play up the news in </p><p>creative and surprising ways. It's kind of establishing our identity and </p><p>we want to send across the message that we are hipper, edgier and funny </p><p>but no less reliable and we hope that attitude infects the rest of the </p><p>magazine," Mr Ignatius said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Some of the changes include a "person of the week" section, an extension </p><p>of its "person of the year" specials. There will also be more coverage </p><p>on lifestyle and health issues in Asia. In addition, Time is also </p><p>creating an editorial team of four people, which will focus on </p><p>technology with coverage in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore and </p><p>Bangalore. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This is on top of other plans to hire more writers and editors, </p><p>including a Southeast Asia business correspondent, a roving features </p><p>writer and staffing for Time's first South Korea bureau. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>There will also be a greater emphasis on a greater integration of news </p><p>not only between Time and its website, but also with its news affiliate </p><p>CNN. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>