Time, however, is of the essence at Newsweek. The acting co-editors, former managing editor Dan Klaidman and former foreign editor Nisid Hajari, have contracts that expire at the end of the year.  

The 92-year-old audio magnate, who purchased the struggling publication in September, chalks up the delay to the attempts to hash out a deal involving a merger of sorts with Tina Brown, Barry Diller and The Daily Beast.

Harman admits to Kelly that the back-and-forth flirtation was an "unfortunate dalliance." He still expects to find someone by the end of November, but the state of the search isn't exactly promising. 

"We are not at a point where I have a final candidate or two," Harman told the Post. "But hopefully it will come to a conclusion before the end of the month."

So, young scribes with ink-stained fingers — you still want to be Newsweek editor? Here's your chance! If you recall, Newsweek's active social media arm posted this video to its Tumblr last week, asking you — yes, you! — to put your hat in the ring for its editor search. But you'll have to beat all of our potential candidates to the punch. Good luck!

nfreeman [at] observer.com | @nfreeman1234