Paul Dacre Makes Surprise Return to Daily Mail in Executive Role

(Bloomberg) --

Paul Dacre, the former outspoken editor of the U.K.’s Daily Mail, has returned to the publication as editor-in-chief of holding company DMG Media. 

Dacre, who previously helmed the U.K.’s second-largest daily newspaper for 26 years, will not be involved in day-to-day editing, but will take an “active role” advising Lord Rothermere, chairman of Daily Mail & General Trust Plc, and its editors, according to an emailed statement on Monday.

The return comes after a contentious appointment process for the chair of internet regulator Ofcom, which was scrapped after claims the process was undermined by lobbying, an insufficient number of applicants, and issues with Dacre, the government’s favored candidate.

Dacre is an outspoken critic of the BBC and technology companies, and returns after the departure of the Daily Mail’s editor Geordie Greig, who stepped down last week among a flurry of executive resignations.

Rothermere is taking the British newspaper publisher private in a complex 2.6 billion-pound ($3.5 billion) breakup that involves selling off a range of other businesses. 

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