Portfolio, New York Preparing Write-Around Profiles on Arthur Sulzberger Jr.

Two magazines are preparing profiles of The New York Times' Arthur Sulzberger, Jr.

New York magazine has assigned Joe Hagan to write a profile, and David Margolick is preparing a piece for Portfolio. Both articles are write-arounds, and neither author has scored an on-the-record interview with Mr. Sulzberger, according to a source familiar with the situation, who also says that Mr. Sulzberger has no plans to talk to either of the writers.

Mr. Margolick's story was scheduled to run in the October issue of Portfolio hitting newsstands on Sept. 23, but it was dropped at the last minute, sources said. The story may need to be recast. The magazine is still hopeful that Mr. Sulzberger may change his mind about an interview.

Both profiles are timed well. It's been an enormously eventful year for The Times, and Mr. Sulzberger personally. For the first time, the paper has resorted to newsroom layoffs; its stock price dropped to a decade low; the company allowed two hedge directors seats on its board (the first time since the paper went public that it has let outsiders take such positions); and after 33 years, Mr. Sulzberger and his wife, Gail Gregg, have separated.

According to sources, Mr. Hagan's piece is about the Sulzberger family and Mr. Margolick's original piece was a straight write-around on Mr. Sulzberger that did not probe his personal life. Mr. Margolick and Mr. Sulzberger have a previous relationship; they worked together on the Metro desk at the Times in the 1980s.