Back in 1968, Tony Elliot used the £70 that his aunt gave him to create Time Out magazine on his mother's kitchen table. Almost half a century later, the magazine is a global media brand with a presence in 108 cities and 39 countries, reaching 137 million people across the world—an enormous achievement that Elliot is now being recognized for.
On May 3, Time Out's founder will receive the award for Outstanding Contribution to British Media at the British Media Awards. The annual ceremony, held in London, recognizes the country's most influential personalities within the media industry.
“I feel very honored to receive the Outstanding Contribution Award," said Elliot. "It’s something I certainly didn’t have in mind when handing out Time Out for the first time in 1968. All over the world I now come across people who say that Time Out is their bible. At the very beginning I wanted to connect people in the city to places, people and events not covered by anyone else. The drive always to cover the best coupled with a wider mission to be comprehensive built the worldwide Time Out brand. I am so happy it is so strong, consistent and still independent, 50 years later."
The honoree is selected by theMediaBriefing.com alongside an executive committee. Following this year's announcement, Neil Thackray, founder and chief executive of theMediaBriefing, commented on the choice: "Tony Elliott is an icon in British media and so is Time Out, a brand that became nothing less than part of the cultural DNA of the cities it serves. Tony’s work, passion, curiosity and enthusiasm are a unique and outstanding contribution to British media and we are privileged to honor him at the British Media Awards with the Outstanding Contribution Award."
“Tony created one of the best-known and trusted media and entertainment brands in the world. It continues to be the most authoritative resource on city living. He has also always been an active supporter of the arts in a voluntary capacity and as a trustee—for example of The Roundhouse, Somerset House and Create London. Add to this his incredible influence on the media industry: it was Time Out that challenged the long-standing duopoly over TV listings. He has consistently come up with out-of-the-box ideas to weather the challenges facing the media industry.”
Congratulations, Tony!