Former Murdoch Editor Hired by Rival NY Tabloid

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Daily News of New York has hired Colin Myler as its editor-in-chief, an appointment that is certain to add spice to the newspaper's long and heated rivalry with the New York Post and its owner, Rupert Murdoch.

Myler, who replaces Kevin Convey, had long been a close lieutenant of Murdoch, serving as managing editor of the New York Post before he was brought to London to clean up the scandal-plagued News of The World in 2007. Myler oversaw the News of the World until the 168-year-old tabloid was closed this summer.

Since then Myler's relationship with the Murdoch family, and Rupert's son James in particular, has deteriorated into finger-pointing and accusations.

The Daily News, New York's largest-circulation daily newspaper, said Myler, 59, would take over as its top editor on January 10.

"The New York Daily News is a great institution of American journalism which will only get better under the leadership of Colin," publisher Mort Zuckerman said in a memo distributed on Wednesday.

After four decades in journalism, Myler may be best known outside of media circles for his association with the News of the World, a tabloid wrecked by a phone-hacking scandal involving celebrities, politicians and a murdered schoolgirl.

Myler was brought in to set straight the tabloid, but eventually saw it shut by the Murdoch family as the scandal worsened. In the months that have followed, Myler has become a central figure in questions over how much James Murdoch knew about the hacking.

(Reporting By Paul Thomasch; editing by Carol Bishopric)