Magazines have been published since the 1700s and grew rapidly in the 1800s due to increased literacy and lower postal rates. Major developments include the first weekly newsmagazine Time in 1922 and the first picture magazine Life in 1936, which launched photojournalism. Today there are thousands of niche magazines covering specialized topics, and magazines are also published online and by individuals. Magazines fall into categories like consumer, trade, and news magazines and can be general interest or special interest focused.
