Wilson Back at N.Y. Magazine Amidst Change

James Q. Wilson, Shattuck Professor of Government, said yesterday that although he has "no particular desire to remain" on the board of directors of the New York Magazine Company, he is waiting for official word that he has been reinstated on that board.

Alan Patricof, the chairman of the board of directors of the company, said last night he was planning to call Wilson to tell him he is officially reinstated.

Patricof said Wilson was removed from the board last Monday because of a "procedural technicality," and that "there was absolutely no intention to get him off in the first place."

Wilson and two other members had lost their positions on the board in a move to make room for Rupert Murdoch, the Australian publisher.

On Friday, Clay S. Felker, New York Magazine Company president, resigned, after Murdoch consolidated his financial control of the company last week.

The board of directors then made Murdoch the chief executive officer, and reinstated Wilson and the two others.

Wilson said he has never met Murdoch and does not know whether he will be able to work with him.

Wilson originally joined the board after being invited four years ago by Felker, who is a personal friend.

Murdoch has offered to buy all outstanding stock in the company at $8.25 a share--several times higher than the recent selling price.

Wilson said he will decide on selling his shares when he receives Murdoch's offer in the mail, but that he thought most people would sell at Murdoch's price. Wilson owns about $200 of the company's stock.

Wilson said that if most stockholders sell their shares, Murdoch would have enough control to dissolve the board of directors and run the company by himself.