Piers Morgan Joins Daily Mail As Editor-At-Large, First Gig Since Failed CNN Stint

Former CNN anchor Piers Morgan has been named editor-at-large for the British tabloid Daily Mail Online. He will write commentary “several times each week” on “the big stories that matter in America,” the Daily Mail said. In a statement, Morgan, who divides his time between Los Angeles and London, said: "As editor-at-large I plan on breaking down the biggest stories that matter to Americans and analyzing them in a way that will generate discussion and create debate.”

In 2011, Morgan replaced Larry King on CNN to host "Piers Morgan Live," but it was canceled earlier this year due to poor ratings. In an interview with David Carr of the New York Times, Morgan accounted for his failure to connect with the audience by saying he was "a British guy debating American cultural issues, including guns, which has been very polarizing, and there is no doubt that there are many in the audience who are tired of me banging on about it.” For Carr, Morgan’s tenure with CNN was “an unhappy collision between a British television personality who refuses to assimilate … and a CNN audience that is intrinsically provincial.”

The popular Daily Mail -- whose success even former New York Times editor Jill Abramson acknowledged she was trying to figure out -- is known for its tabloid mix of world news, celebrity gossip, and lurid crime and sex scandal stories.

Martin Clarke, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Mail Online, said in a statement published in the Daily Mail, Morgan "has vast experience as an editor and presenter and certainly knows how to generate conversation and create debate so we’re delighted that he will be joining us as our first ever editor-at-large in the U.S.” Morgan added: "News should never be boring, and Mail Online tells the stories of the day in a compelling, informative and entertaining way that grabs the interest of its readers."

Social media reaction to the announcement was mixed. “Very excited @piersmorgan joining Daily Mail as Editor At Large for US!” Jon Steinberg tweeted. Others were less celebratory: