Hoge Venture

The News gets a publisher

For 25 years, as he rose through the ranks of the Chicago Sun-Times from police reporter to editor and then publisher, James Hoge regarded the city's Tribune as the enemy camp in a chivalrous newspaper war. Hoge, 48, sought to increase his stake in the rivalry last year when the Sun-Times (circ. 639,000) was offered for sale, and he led an investor group that bid $63 million. The price was topped, however, by Australian Press Lord Rupert Murdoch, and a disheartened Hoge quit the paper in January. Last week he crossed his former battle lines: in April he will become publisher of the New York Daily News (circ. 1.4 million), which is owned by the Chicago-based Tribune Co. The paper is locked in its own war, this one with the New York Post, which is owned by Murdoch. Said Hoge: "The fact that Murdoch was in New York played no part in my decision--but, of course, we will have to cock an eye at the competition."