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Edward Kosner (born 1937) is an American journalist and author who served as the top editor of Newsweek, New York and Esquire magazines and the New York Daily News. He is the author of a memoir, It's News to Me, published in 2006,"It's News to Me," New York, Thunder's Mouth Press, 2006 and is a frequent book reviewer for The Wall Street Journal.
In 1963, he was hired by Newsweek as a writer in the National Affairs section. His first cover story was on Jacqueline Kennedy's new life after the assassination of her husband."Jacqueline Kennedy—Looking Ahead," Newsweek, January 6, 1964 Over the next fifteen years, Kosner wrote more than a score of cover stories, started a section on urban problems, and held all the top editorial positions on the magazine under Osborn Elliott. He directed the magazine's extensive coverage of the Watergate scandal.
In 1975, at 37, he was named editor of Newsweek."Kosner Appointed Newsweek Editor," The New York Times, July 31, 1975 During his editorship, the magazine set records for advertising and circulation. But he was dismissed by the magazine's owner, Katharine Graham in 1979,"Newsweek Names New Editor," The New York Times, June 28, 1979 one of five editors of Newsweek Graham sacked between 1970 and 1984.
Early in 1980, Rupert Murdoch hired Kosner to edit New York magazine, which he had taken over from founder Clay Felker three years earlier."Kosner, Former Editor of Newsweek, Chosen as Editor of New York," The New York Times, March 1, 1980 Kosner ran New York for thirteen years, being responsible for the business side of the publication as well as the editorial side for the second half of his tenure. During his time at New York, the magazine set records for advertising sales and profits and won several National Magazine Awards. While at New York, Kosner served a two-year term as president of the American Society of Magazine Editors. In 1991, Murdoch sold New York and other magazines to a group headed by financier Henry Kravis. Two years later, Kosner left to take the editorship of Esquire, the men's magazine, which he ran until 1997."Three Editors Go to Esquire", The New York Times, Dec.6, 1993"Hearst Names New Top Editor to Turn Esquire Around", The New York Times, May 30, 1997
The next year, Kosner joined the New York Daily News, the largest tabloid in the U.S., to create and edit a new Sunday edition."Sunday News Gets Bigger", The New York Times, Feb. 22, 1999 In 2000, Mortimer B. Zuckerman, the News's owner, promoted him to editor-in-chief of the daily paper.Jacques Steinburg, "Editor of Daily News to Retire in March", The New York Times. July 23, 2003 Over the next four years, Kosner oversaw the tabloid's coverage of a run of major stories, including the "tied" 2000 Presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, on page one for forty consecutive days, the September 11 attacks and their aftermath, and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Kosner retired from the News in 2004 after a falling out with Zuckerman. In 2006, he published his journalistic memoir, It's News to Me. He began reviewing books for The Wall Street Journal in 2007."Celebrity Society's Secret History," The Wall Street Journal, April 12. 2007
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