Current:Home > MarketsKim Godwin out as ABC News president after 3 years as first Black woman as network news chief-LoTradeCoin
Kim Godwin out as ABC News president after 3 years as first Black woman as network news chief
View Date:2024-12-24 10:40:59
NEW YORK (AP) — Kim Godwin is out after three tumultuous years as ABC News president, a move presaged earlier this year when network parent Walt Disney Co. installed one of its executives, Debra O’Connell, to oversee the news division.
Godwin, the first Black woman to lead a network news division, said Sunday she was retiring from the business. O’Connell said she will be in charge “for the time being” as it looks ahead.
Godwin inherited a news division where its two most important programs, “World News Tonight” and “Good Morning America,” led rivals at CBS and NBC in the ratings. They’re still ahead, although “Good Morning America” has seen some slippage amid the messy departures of anchors T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach, and Cecilia Vega’s jump to CBS News.
Godwin was recruited as an outsider from CBS News and was beset by grumbling about her management style that made it into print.
In a note to staff members, Godwin said she understood and appreciated the significance of being the first Black woman to hold such a prominent broadcast news role.
“It’s both a privilege and a debt to those who chipped away at the ceiling before me to lead a team whose brand is synonymous with trust, integrity and a dogged determination to be the best in the business,” she wrote.
After working at ABC, CBS, NBC and at 10 local news stations in nine cities, Godwin said she’s quitting the business.
“I leave with my head held high and wish the entire team continued success,” she wrote.
___
David Bauder writes about media for The Associated Press. Follow him at http://twitter.com/dbauder.
veryGood! (7)
Related
- Prosecutors say some erroneous evidence was given jurors at ex-Sen. Bob Menendez’s bribery trial
- Anti-abortion groups shrug off election losses, look to courts, statehouses for path forward
- Kate Middleton Reigns Supreme in Dramatic Red Caped Dress
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Make Surprise Appearance at Vancouver Hockey Game
- In bizarro world, Tennessee plays better defense, and Georgia's Kirby Smart comes unglued
- Michigan woman starts lottery club after her husband dies, buys $1 million Powerball ticket
- 8 years ago a grandma accidentally texted young man she didn't know about Thanksgiving. They've gone from strangers to family to business partners
- NFL fans are rooting for Taylor and Travis, but mostly they're rooting for football
- Crews battle 'rapid spread' conditions against Jennings Creek fire in Northeast
- Luckiest store in Michigan? Gas station sells top-prize lottery tickets in consecutive months
Ranking
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Good Try (Freestyle)
- Analysis: Iran-backed Yemen rebels’ helicopter-borne attack on ship raises risks in crucial Red Sea
- A vehicle rams into a victory celebration for Liberia’s president-elect, killing 2 and injuring 18
- Pakistan court rules the prison trial of former Prime Minister Imran Khan is illegal
- Black women notch historic Senate wins in an election year defined by potential firsts
- Summer House's Lindsay Hubbard Steps Out With Johnny Bananas During Weekend of Canceled Wedding
- Germany’s defense minister is the latest foreign official to visit Kyiv and vow more aid for Ukraine
- Facing murder charges, this grandma bought a ticket to Vietnam. Would she be extradited?
Recommendation
-
Trump hammered Democrats on transgender issues. Now the party is at odds on a response
-
California can share gun owners’ personal information with researchers, appeals court rules
-
How do you get rid of cold sores? Here's what doctors recommend.
-
A baby dies and a Florida mom is found stabbed to death, as firefighters rescue 2 kids from blaze
-
Judith Jamison, a dancer both eloquent and elegant, led Ailey troupe to success over two decades
-
Democratic division blocks effort to end Michigan’s 24-hour wait for an abortion
-
Mysterious respiratory dog illness detected in several states: What to know
-
Father of Taylor Swift Fan Who Died in Brazil Speaks Out on Tragedy