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After weeks of hypothesis, Kim Godwin is leaving her put up as president of ABC Information.
Debra OConnell, who added ABC Information to her portfolio in February, will run the division within the interim. She made the announcement internally, with Godwin additionally addressing her employees. You possibly can learn the memos under.
On the time of OConnell’s February promotion when ABC Information was put underneath her purview, Disney countered hypothesis about Godwin’s future by revealing that she had prolonged her contract to proceed as ABC Information president. However she was now reporting to OConnell, including a further layer between her and Dana Walden, the co-chairman of Disney Leisure.
The exit follows CNN reviews final week about frustration amongst ABC Information staffers about Godwin’s administration type that had been reportedly articulated to OConnell in her overview of the division and its management.
Godwin joined ABC Information in 2021. Though the community’s Good Morning America and World Information Tonight nonetheless high in whole viewers, CBS Mornings has been topping its ABC rival in the important thing adults 25-54 demo on a number of events.
Godwin has presided over some tumult throughout her tenure. That has included the departure of T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach final yr from GMA3, amid a tabloid scandal over their off-screen romantic relationship, in addition to a sequence of layoffs final yr, when she realigned her management group. In keeping with a supply, that left some lingering resentments and a way within the firm that the layoffs have been mishandled. The layoffs included the exit of excessive profile figures within the information division together with Galen Gordon, senior VP of expertise technique and improvement; Chris Vlasto, senior govt producer and head of the investigative unit; and Wendy Fisher, senior vice chairman of newsgathering.
Extra just lately, different executives have exited. Jonathan Greenberger, Washington, D.C. bureau chief over the previous decade, departed for a brand new place at Politico.
Final weekend, OConnell and Godwin have been each current for the White Home Correspondents’ Affiliation dinner, showing at occasions collectively through the weekend.
Some staffers expressed shock at Godwin’s departure, although there was hypothesis about her future for a while. Regardless of a few of her missteps, one longtime staffer mentioned that quite a lot of adverse protection was unwarranted and that she was nicely preferred as an individual. That mentioned, the brand new management construction was considered as not notably tenable, the supply mentioned.
Godwin mentioned in a observe to staffers that she had determined to retire from broadcast journalism.
“Anybody who’s enthusiastic about what we do is aware of there’s no different enterprise prefer it, so this was not a simple or fast determination,” she wrote. “However after appreciable reflection, I’m sure it’s the proper one for me as I look to the longer term and prioritize what’s most necessary for me and my household.”
She added, “I depart with my head held excessive and want your entire group continued success.”
OConnell wrote in a observe to staffers that, as she is going to oversee ABC Information in the meanwhile, “I’m wanting ahead to working with the management group as we forge a brand new path ahead collectively.”
Though there had for a while been hypothesis about Godwin’s future on the community, over the weekend the Nationwide Affiliation of Black Journalists launched a press release expressing concern “over current media reviews that appear to be written with the intention of undermining the management of the primary Black lady to take the helm of a worldwide information group.”
“Lots of the newest articles surrounding her management fail to show primary journalism by offering different viewpoints.
“There appears to be an intentionality to quote nameless sources as Godwin’s detractors, coupled with the usage of derogatory or stereotypical phrases to explain her. In the meantime, these reviews are completely ignoring sources and information that talk to Godwin having important assist contained in the group.”
Godwin joined ABC Information from CBS Information, the place she had risen within the ranks by the years to turn into govt vice chairman of reports for the community, with oversight of the nationwide desks, international desks and bureaus.
She succeeded James Goldston, who presided over the community at a time when World Information Tonight expanded its viewers lead. However he, too, had his share of turbulence, together with the fallout from a high expertise govt, Barbara Fedida, who was accused of constructing racially insensitive remarks.
Godwin’s exit is the most recent shakeup in community information division govt ranks. CBS Information restructured its management group final August, with Neeraj Khemlani stepping down as president and co-head of CBS Information and stations and Wendy McMahon taking up the title solo. Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews was named president of the community. Earlier within the yr, Noah Oppenheim departed NBC Information, with Rebecca Blumenstein becoming a member of as president of editorial for NBC Information, a brand new function, and one other govt, Libby Leist, overseeing As we speak and Janelle Rodriguez overseeing NBC Nightly Information, NBC Information Now and particular report programming. Amongst main information networks, CNN noticed the exit of Chris Licht after simply over a yr as CEO, with Mark Thompson filling the job.
NOTE FROM DEBRA OCONNELL TO HER TEAM:
Group,
I needed to share Kim’s observe under. Dana and I wish to take this chance to specific our deepest gratitude to Kim for her service as president of ABC Information. Kim has navigated this group by consequential instances in our world, and he or she did so with respect for the model and career – and for that and extra, we thank her.
Our fame and credibility are hard-earned, and we might additionally prefer to acknowledge the extraordinary work you ship every day. Because the No. 1 information community for 12 consecutive seasons and counting, ABC Information is house to the most effective within the enterprise. From morning by daytime, night and past, this group stands prepared 24/7 to serve our nation with the information, individuals and occasions that form our world.
In the intervening time, I’ll oversee ABC Information and I’m wanting ahead to working with the management group as we forge a brand new path ahead collectively. Thanks to your endurance and understanding by this era of transition. Since assuming this function in February, my objective has been – and can proceed to be – to supply this group with the means mandatory to construct on our success and stick with it the proud custom of ABC Information right into a future stuffed with alternative and innovation.
When you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to succeed in out to me or your senior leaders.
Thanks,
Debra
KIM GODWIN NOTE TO ABC NEWS:
Good night ABC Information,
Forty years in the past, I started my profession contemporary out of school as an keen and enthusiastic govt producer at WTXL in Tallahassee, the place I used to be chargeable for the 6 and 11 p.m. information. The employees was so small, on busy information days, I needed to exit and report too. Little did I do know then what extraordinary alternatives lay earlier than me as I started to chart a path by a career the place only a few girls – and even fewer girls of coloration – have been in management roles. So, I understood and appreciated the profound significance of being the primary Black lady to guide a nationwide broadcast information community after I accepted the function as president of ABC Information somewhat over three years in the past. It’s each a privilege and a debt to those that chipped away on the ceiling earlier than me to guide a group whose model is synonymous with belief, integrity and a dogged dedication to be the most effective within the enterprise.
Now, 4 many years and numerous miles later, having labored in any respect three broadcast information networks and 10 native stations in 9 cities, I’ve come full circle from that small however mighty ABC affiliate in Florida’s panhandle. I’ve determined to retire from broadcast journalism. After matriculating by j-school at my beloved Florida A&M College, I’ve been lucky and blessed sufficient to have carried out nearly each job there’s on this enterprise, together with anchor, investigative reporter, information director, subject producer, community/particular occasions govt producer and extra earlier than transferring on to the chief ranks. Anybody who’s enthusiastic about what we do is aware of there’s no different enterprise prefer it, so this was not a simple or fast determination. However after appreciable reflection, I’m sure it’s the proper one for me as I look to the longer term and prioritize what’s most necessary for me and my household.
ABC Information was No. 1 after I joined the group and I’m proud to say we’re nonetheless No. 1 – an achievement that’s been punctuated in current months with the best honors our career has to supply, from the Edward R. Murrow Award for Total Excellence in Tv, to the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award for our groundbreaking “Energy of Water” sequence, to our first-ever Primetime Emmy Award nominations for “Fairly Child: Brooke Shields” and “Aftershock.” And simply final week, our Uvalde documentary, “Print It Black,” gained Finest Characteristic Documentary on the Dallas Worldwide Movie Competition, the place it premiered. I’m notably pleased with our unprecedented Uvalde 365 undertaking, an unparalleled yearlong dedication to documenting the emotional journey of a group after a mass taking pictures.
In 2022, we have been all overjoyed to obtain 41 Emmy nominations, essentially the most in 53 years. We have now the highest morning information present, daytime community present, night newscast and Friday information journal. We’re constantly No. 1 in all main stay TV occasions, together with, most just lately, “Eclipse Throughout America,” in partnership with Nat Geo. And our applications can repeatedly be discovered within the High 10 on Hulu.
Past awards and scores, our success is probably finest measured within the individuals of ABC Information. That is an distinctive group doing distinctive work – collectively. You might be finest in school in each class, and it’s been nothing in need of superior to see you deal with project after project, delivering complete protection from world wide to our viewers at a time when truthful reporting is crucial to the way forward for our nice nation.
We take delight in overlaying all communities and assembly our audiences the place and once they want us, and no enterprise higher exemplifies this than ABC Information Dwell. Once I began, it was the little streaming prepare that might; now, due to your exhausting work and dedication, it’s a giant prepare that may – and does, day by day. Collectively, on Hulu final season, we launched “Affect X Nightline,” a weekly information journal whose episodes are repeatedly among the many most watched content material on the platform.
We ought to be particularly pleased with our success with ABC Information Studios, which we constructed from the bottom as much as turn into what’s now a premiere nonfiction and documentary studio, making greater than 120 hours of award-winning content material a yr. We additionally established the primary local weather unit among the many broadcast information networks. So many inventions and initiatives in what feels just like the blink of a watch. Collectively, we dedicated to a cultural shift, the place individuals could possibly be their genuine selves, feeling seen and heard, whereas doing their finest work. For all these causes and extra, I depart ABC Information and this career with the sincerest sense of delight, accomplishment and gratitude. My coronary heart is crammed.
I wish to thank Dana Walden and Debra OConnell for all the time making certain we had the sources and assist to do our jobs. And at last, thanks ABC Information for the love, assist and inspiration. Through the years, lots of of you’ve despatched emails, texts, and made cellphone calls which have lifted my coronary heart. On this consequential election yr, as we glance to the months forward, the significance of what we do can’t be overstated. Keep in mind, there’s pleasure in journalism.
I depart with my head held excessive and want your entire group continued success.
#oneabcnews
In religion and favor,
Kim
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