Our Timeline

1944: Founded by Helen Valentine, Seventeen was first published in September 1944 by Walter Annenberg’s Triangle Publications.

1940

1946: For its first few decades, “Seventeen” covers didn’t showcase celebrities. It made sure to keep editorial virginal. Also, Annenberg wanted the magazine to be one that American parents actively wanted their teenaged daughters to read.

1957: Pivoting from the 50s into the 60s, Seventeen grew more candid about sex.

1971: Joyce Walker became the first black model to be featured on the cover of Seventeen.

1950 1960

1950: Seventeen goes meta. Estelle Ellis, promotion director, designed a way to pitch to businessmen who might want to advertise their own products in its pages.

1970

1945: Valentine wanted Seventeen to address the teenage girl as a “whole human being” —one that wasn’t only interested in fashion and boys, but who had also a political and social conscience.

1965: In the mid 60s, Seventeen consistently included politicallyslanted pieces, such as these: “What You Can Do For Human Rights in Your Own Home Town.”

1991: News Corporation sold Seventeen to K-III Communications (later Primedia).

1990

1988: News Corporation bought Walter Annenberg’s Triangle Publications.

2000

2010: Writer Jamie Keiles conducted “The Seventeen Magazine Project”, an experiment in which she followed the advice of Seventeen magazine for 30 days.

2019: It was announced that Seventeen’s print editions would be reduced to only four special stand-alone issues.

2010 2020

2012: In response to the reader protests against the magazine’s airbrushing its models’ photos, Seventeen ended its practice of using digital photo manipulation to enhance photographs.

2003: Primedia sold the magazine to Hearst.

Present: Through our work we inspire teen girls to be the confident voices and role models that the community needs.

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THE NEW SEVENTEEN

Our New Mission Re-branding Objective Keywords Past & Future 22 24 26 34