Jesse Angelo, editor in chief of The Daily, was pretty much destined to helm a News Corp. newspaper, according to a profile in WWD today.
The very private editor seems like a classic an example of the “Nepotism But” genre of person. He’s extremely well connected in media but also smart, hard working, and nuts about newspapers. WWD’s John Koblin dutifully lists all of Angelo’s privileges and advantages and then everyone interviewed says how legitimately deserving and hard working he is.
Angelo’s father is a wealthy hedge fund manager who is close with former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, his best friend from Harvard is James Murdoch, son of Rupert, and Angelo has only worked at Rupert Murdoch papers. Right after college he moved to Sydney to work for The Daily Telegraph under Col Allan. When Col Allan came to the Post, where Angelo had fought desperately to be reporter, Angelo quickly shot up the ranks. But he wrote his college thesis on an obscure bit of New York City journalism history, worked crazy hours at the Post, and is said to have newspaper ink in his veins.
“Given his relationship with the Murdochs, given that his father is a very successful hedge fund manager and his family is close to Michael Eisner, he was the hardest working guy on the staff,” said former Post editor Jon Elsen. “I admired his skill and talent.”
The piece has other Post staffers describing Angelo as the “disciple” of Col Allan and saying Angelo embraced Allan’s unpopular fear-based management style. Somehow we can’t imagine that translating at the super secret Harry Potter iPad newspaper. There’s got to be much less cutthroat scooping than at the Post, which has so many direct competitors beating the same pavement. There’s not even that much writing to fight over. We’re pretty sure they just giggle at their own pop-up graphics and punny headlines all day.
kstoeffel@observer.com :: @kstoeffel
