f Time after Time: A news magazine’s covers during the 2008 and 2016 US presidential elections

The study compares how Time magazine, one of the most established and iconic news magazines in the world, covered the US presidential elections in 2008 and 2016. The study applies framing theory and design principles to examine how the magazine presented information in general and, more specifically, on the elections through its covers. A content analysis of 95 covers total from both years was performed, comparing several aspects concerning both the content of the magazine and the design, including typography, art and colour. Results showed that Time kept an unbiased, consistent and traditional style between the two elections, despite the very contrasting elections of 2008 and 2016 which, as the study argues, may not be an ideal outcome.