Myler: already has his Green Card
Former Sunday Mirror editor Colin Myler is off to New York as managing editor of the New York Post. He is to start his new job as soon as possible and probably before Christmas.
Myler, who left the Sunday Mirror in April after an article printed in the paper derailed the trial of the Leeds footballers, has been in contact with the Post’s new editor-in-chief, Col Allan, throughout the summer about future plans for the paper.
Two weeks ago, News Corporation boss Rupert Murdoch telephoned Myler and invited him to fly to New York for further talks with himself and deputy chief executive Lachlan Murdoch.
"I went out to see Col in the summer after Les Hinton put me in touch with him. I had a look at the newspaper and wrote a paper for him on what I thought needed to be done. Many of the things I suggested, Col had already identified," said Myler.
"Then I got a call from Rupert and flew out to have lunch with him and Lachlan at the offices of the New York Post. We talked about the paper and the war. As always, Rupert is a man with a million ideas."
Myler had already secured his green card during the months after he parted company with Trinity Mirror, as a New York job has always been a possibility. "I have always wanted to work in the US and, particularly, New York but never did it. It’s an exciting time to be there to say the least.
"When I was there I went down to see the site of the twin towers. I felt a bit of a ghoul but I wanted to see it for myself. The sheer size and volume you are met with are overwhelming."
He and his wife, Carol, will fly out to New York in the next few weeks to start looking for a place to live. Their daughters – Katy works at GMTV and Sarah at Bell Pottinger – will remain in London.
Myler said he was not worried about the possible dangers: "I’ve lived and worked through the IRA terror attacks on London in the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties. You have got to go on with your life and be positive. The whole family is very excited about the new job."
Apart from being editor of the Sunday Mirror (twice) and the Daily Mirror, Myler has a great deal of experience in management and was managing director of both news-papers before leaving in 1996 to become chief executive of Rugby League Europe.
He will work closely with Allan, the man credited with turning Murdoch’s Daily Telegraph into Sydney’s most successful daily newspaper.
By Philippa Kennedy
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