English Eye

Harold Evans scans U.S. News

As the editor of the Sunday Times of London for 14 years, Harold Evans was known for his emphasis on crusading reporting and crisp graphics. In 1981 he brought his lively talents to the paper's staid daily sister, the Times, which he edited for a year before being ousted in a dispute with Rupert Murdoch. Now Evans' English eye will be tested at a very American publication: Mortimer Zuckerman, who last month paid $176.3 million for U.S. News and World Report (circ. 2,050,000), has announced that he is giving Evans, 56, the nebulous job of "editorial director."

Though longtime Editor Marvin Stone still exercises day-to-day control, Evans has begun attending editorial and marketing meetings. Says he: "My job is to assess the New presence magazine and the role it plays. We want to come up with ways for the magazine to evolve organically. I'm more likely to emphasize reporting rather than soft features."

One source of uncertainty is the profits made by the employee-owners when Zuckerman bought U.S. News. Zuckerman and his staff are on different sides of a key aspect of a complex suit brought by former employees, who feel entitled to some of the proceeds. Evans says he has nonetheless met with a warm reception. "The staff is going through the agonizing process of becoming millionaires," he quips, "but actually they have been very welcoming."