Time-ly

Folio reports that Time has planned a march on its rivals by sending its latest issue to the printer a day early. It left at 9am this morning, and will appear on newsstands tomorrow, to most people’s surprise at having a glossy magazine react so fast.

A very smart move; today, all the newspapers have been snapped up in my local grocery store. This issue’s a keeper.

Though I wonder how much planning they did ahead of, ahem, time? I’m sure covers for both possible results were ready, short only of a cover line from the acceptance speech. But did they ask columnists to write two versions of their opinions? Did they have a third, “It’s 2000 all over again”, cover planned too? Will last night’s events fill the first 8 pages of an issue that otherwise would have worked for a McCain win too? (“The Election: A Review”, etc)

Either way, looking forward to it. What a night.

Bonus link: Folio’s Covers of the Campaign, complete with four rather silly fakes. My favourite: L’Optimum, for being so distinctive, so unlike any of the others, so… French.

And… if you think that’s impressive, South Park had a full episode broadcast about Obama’s victory, including quotes from the speeches, last night. Watch “About Last Night” here.