ABC News President Kim Godwin resigns after three tumultuous years in the role as Disney tightens its control of the news division amid Good Morning America’s ratings decline and network staff unrest .
The move was widely predicted after ABC’s parent company, Walt Disney Co., appointed one of its executives, Debra O’Connell, to oversee the news division, effectively stripping Godwin of much of his management autonomy.
Godwin was the first Black woman to run a network news division and said Sunday she was retiring from the business.
O’Connell is a company veteran and said she will be in charge “for the time being” after recently examining operations at Disney’s networks as part of a corporate review.
Since taking an overview of the news division, O’Connell had been very hands-on, leading editorial meetings, often seen in the newsroom in a sure indication that Godwin had effectively been demoted in all but name, according to the report. Wall Street Journal.
ABC News President Kim Godwin (left) resigned after Disney hired a supervisor, Debra O’Connell (right), signaling a change in management dynamics.
Godwin’s tenure was successful in the ratings, but he received internal criticism over his remote leadership and management style. Pictured is Robin Roberts, the host of ABC’s Good Morning America.
Godwin inherited a news division where its two biggest shows, World News Tonight and Good Morning America, outranked rivals CBS and NBC.
Despite being a ratings leader, the culture within ABC News was said to be toxic and ruthless.
Although both news shows are still in the lead, Good Morning America has seen some slippage amid the messy departures of anchors TJ Holmes and Amy Robach, and Cecilia Vega’s jump to CBS News.
In recent months, GMA has seen its ratings among viewers aged 25 to 54, the demographic most coveted by advertisers, decline noticeably.
For the five days beginning April 22, for example, GMA averaged 497,000 viewers in that age range, just 49,000 ahead of CBS Mornings, which used to lag behind in third place.
NBC’s Today drew an average of 659,000 in that demographic.
O’Connell is a company veteran and said she will be in charge “for the time being” after recently examining operations at Disney’s networks as part of a corporate review.
Although both news shows are still in the lead, Good Morning America has seen some slippage amid the messy departures of hosts TJ Holmes and Amy Robach, and Cecilia Vega’s jump to CBS News.
Godwin became a polarizing figure within the network. She was hired as an outsider at CBS News, where she served as executive vice president, senior broadcast producer and executive director of development and diversity.
Godwin’s arrival at the ABC was plagued by complaints about his management style that left him in print.
Some current and former ABC News employees criticized her for not being as present in daily operations compared to her predecessors, noting that she seemed more focused on raising her profile than managing daily news operations, it reports. WSJ.
She was accused of remaining too distant from staff at several ABC News brands, which also include daytime shows like The View and The Tamron Hall Show.
ABC’s flagship morning news program will move to a new Walt Disney building in Hudson Square in 2025.
Godwin announced his departure in an email to staff.
“I have decided to retire from broadcast journalism,” Godwin wrote.
‘Anyone who is passionate about what we do knows that there is no other business like it, so this was not an easy or quick decision. But after considerable reflection, I am confident that it is the right choice for me as I look to the future and prioritize what is most important to me and my family.’
In the note to staff members, Godwin said she understood and appreciated the importance of being the first Black woman to serve in such a prominent role in the news.
“It is both a privilege and a debt to those who worked hard before me to lead a team whose brand is synonymous with trust, integrity and a dogged determination to be the best in the business,” he wrote.
“ABC News was number one when I joined the team and I’m proud to say we’re still number one.”
Good Morning America will soon leave its iconic studio in New York’s Times Square
After working at ABC, CBS, NBC and 10 local news stations in nine cities, Godwin said he is leaving the business.
“I leave with my head held high and I wish the entire team continued success,” he wrote.
In his own email to staff, O’Connell wrote how Godwin “has guided this team through momentous times in our world, and he did so with respect for the brand and the profession, and for that and more, we thank him.” .