Entrepreneur and model Karlie Koss, together with her husband, billionaire investor Joshua Kushner, is bringing LIFE back to life, more than two decades after the more than century-old iconic photo magazine ceased regular publication.
Kloss and Kushner’s Bedford Media on Thursday announced a deal to bring LIFE Magazine back to print and digital distribution, as part of an agreement with Dotdash Meredith to relaunch LIFE as a publication on a regular cadence and vibrant media property. IAC formed Dotdash Meredith after the it bought Meredith was acquired by for $2.7 billion coming after Meredith had acquired Time Inc. (the previous owner of LIFE).
The deal for LIFE comes after Bedford Media acquired fashion publication i-D Magazine from the ailing Vice Media Group. Kushner is the founder of venture-capital firm Thrive Capital and younger brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and former White House adviser.
Terms of the deal between Bedford Media and Dotdash Meredith were not disclosed. Bedford will manage the full operations for the new LIFE Magazine, including editorial strategy, revenue and media initiatives. Dotdash Meredith will continue to own the full rights to the LIFE photography and content archives dating back to the 1930s and will also continue to publish its single-topic special interest magazines for the LIFE brand available on newsstands.
“We see LIFE as an uplifting and unifying voice in a chaotic media landscape,” Kloss, CEO of Bedford Media, said in a statement. “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.”
Kushner, who is taking the role of publisher of LIFE Magazine, commented: “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.”
LIFE launched in 1883 and published a popular weekly magazine until previous owner Time Inc. shut it down in 1972. LIFE was resurrected in 1978 before Tim Inc. suspended regular publication in 2000.
Bedford Media describes itself as “a media holding company focused on artisanal storytelling, authenticity and shared cultural resonance. Blending iconic brands with new ways of doing business and reaching audiences, the company’s strategy banks away from ubiquity and reach toward quality and depth.”
