On Sunday night, Kim Godwin, President of ABC news, announced her departure from the network after an intensive tenure of three years.
“I understood and appreciated the profound significance of being the first Black woman to lead a national broadcast news network when I accepted the role as president of ABC News a little over three years ago,” Godwin said in a note to staff that was shared with The Times.
“It’s both a privilege and a debt to those who chipped away before me to lead a team whose brand is synonymous with trust, integrity and a dogged determination to be the best in the business.”
Further expressing her overwhelm, she said, “Anyone who’s passionate about what we do knows there’s no other business like it, so this was not an easy or quick decision. I’m certain it’s the right one for me as I look to the future and prioritize what’s most important for me and my family,” she added.
Amidst this fallout in the ABC world, Debra O’Connell, Disney Networks President, will reportedly continue to oversee the division in the interim “as we forge a new path forward together.”
In her statement she wrote, “Dana and I would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to Kim for her service as president of ABC News. Kim has navigated this team through consequential times in our world, and she did so with respect for the brand and profession – and for that and more, we thank her.”
ABC Newsroom Politics
Just three months ago, Ms. Godwin had been demoted by ABC’s parent company, Disney, diminishing her influence in the worksphere. Instead, a former Disney executive, Debra O’Connell was brought in to the leadership team to oversee a new division that included all of ABC News as well as local stations.
At the time, she retained her Presidential title and had signed a contract extension deal. But was losing support in the newsroom, her leadership being jeopardized by the additional executive. Ms O’Connell had become the wall between the ABC news President and top leadership.
Read More: www.urgetimes.com
Ms Godwin’s Critics
When Godwin took the reins of the news department from James Goldston, former ABC news President, she was expected to “improve the culture” at the division. But unfortunately, her management style failed to accord with the cut-throat workspace norm.
Her unconventional working style included “Happy Birthday” singalongs at morning meetings and an emphasis on work-life balance. Her employees described her as “detached” from day-to-day divisions.
Several veteran executives under her division were laid off last year, upsetting the staffers at such treatment.
Of late “Good Morning America,” the most watched morning program and the source of most of the news division’s profit, has been losing ground. Its archrival NBC’s “Today” has been successively gaining higher ratings demographic, adults below 54.
Additionally, “CBS Mornings”, which usually has lower ratings than ABC’s GMA, has surpassed “GMA” in viewership on many occasions.
Under her watch, two co-hosts of GMA-3, also frequent substitutes for the morning edition, were fired last year after tabloids exposed their illicit relationship. This reduction in talent drastically impacted GMA’s viewership.
Comments 1