'Daily News' EIC on Contract Talks: 'Stay Tuned'

Is New York Daily News editor Martin Dunn hoping to flee from Mort Zuckerman straight into the arms of Rupert Murdoch?

In June, Murdoch's New York Post reported that editor in chief Martin Dunn's contract would be up in October -- which makes sense, as Dunn started in October 2003 and re-upped two years later.

Dunn never confirmed that, however, and he remains in charge of the Zuckerman-owned paper, which recently reclaimed its circulation advantage over the Post.

"They said I was leaving in October, which was totally wrong," Dunn told me, via email. "They said I was leaving in November, which was wrong. It's [now] December. Stay tuned."

He declined, however, to reveal the status of his contract talks. Meanwhile, Ed Hayes, the lawyer who handled Dunn's negotiations last time around, said he is unaware of any recent discussions. And it's worth noting that Dunn has never moved his family to New York from England.

So when Dunn offered this primer in the British Journalism Review on "How to survive Rupert Murdoch," it raised some eyebrows. (Well, mine, anyway.) Beginning with its flattering premise, the article is filled with praise for the News Corp. mogul and his "aggressive, take-no-prisoners approach." For instance: "Reacting instinctively is one of Murdoch's great strengths -- and his instincts about business decisions and people normally have an uncanny habit of being correct." Also: "While it is hard for many journalists to understand how a man with his hands on levers of power in so many countries can pay such attention to detail, that's one of the defining parts of his genius."

Dunn has also been known to pull the occasional punch in the News's coverage of Murdoch, personally deleting anything he finds excessively harsh. (While Zuckerman and Murdoch are said to have a gentleman's agreement not to cover each other's personal lives, I'm told Dunn's courtesy extends to Murdoch's professional activities.)

But why would Dunn want to butter up Murdoch? One theory: He's angling for the job that will come open when Times of London editor Robert Thompson moves to the U.S. in some as-yet-unspecified capacity involving The Wall Street Journal.

Dunn shot that theory down when I asked him about it. "Quite frankly, Rupert ain't going to be my employer." He also insisted his article about Murdoch bore no ulterior motive: "I don't do love letters."

As for Zuckerman, he, too, declined to say whether Dunn's contract had been renewed, offering only this somewhat equivocal endorsement: "Martin Dunn will be continuing at the Daily News."