• Baylor alum named editor of ‘People’ magazine

    Jess CagleIn 1974, Time Inc. launched a new magazine called People Weekly. Among the founding editors who helped create the new magazine’s format was Baylor graduate Hal Wingo, BA ’57, formerly a senior editor at LIFE Magazine, who then served as People Weekly‘s first news editor.

    Wingo (the father of ESPN anchor Trey Wingo, BA ’85, another Baylor alum) would go on to spend the next two decades helping steer the publication (which eventually shortened its name to just People). Today, it claims the largest readership of any American magazine.

    Now, another Baylor alum is guiding People. Jess Cagle, BA ’87, was named the magazine’s new editor earlier this month. Cagle (pictured) has been at Time Inc. since just a few months after he graduated from Baylor in 1987, working his way up through the ranks at People and most recently at Entertainment Weekly, where he had been editor since 2009.

    Entertainment news fans might also recognize Cagle as a co-host of ABC’s Academy Awards red carpet pre-show and as a regular contributor to CBS News. In his new role at People, Cagle will also oversee People.com and continue to have a hand at EW as editorial director.

    Sic ’em, Jess!