Name: ABC News boss Kim Godwin quits after three years as network news chief
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ABC News boss Kim Godwin quits after three years as network news chief

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ABC News president Kim Godwin has quit after three tumultuous years in her role as&nbsp;Disney tighten its control of the news division amid falling ratings for Good Morning America and staff unease at the network.The move was widely predicted after ABCs parent company Walt Disney Co. installed one of its executives, Debra O'Connell, to oversee the news division,&nbsp;effectively stripping away much of Godwin's management autonomy.&nbsp;Godwin was the first black woman to lead a network news division and said on Sunday she was retiring from the business.&nbsp;O'Connell is a company veteran and said she will be in charge 'for the time being' having recently&nbsp;scrutinized operations across Disney's networks as part of a corporate review.Since taking an overview of the news division, O'Connell had been very hands-on,&nbsp; leading editorial meetings, often spotted in the newsroom in a sure indication that&nbsp; Godwin had effectively been demoted in all but name, according to the Wall Street Journal.&nbsp;         ABC News president Kim Godwin (left) resigned after Disney brought in an overseer, Debra O'Connell (right) signaling a shift in management dynamics         Godwin's tenure saw ratings success but internal criticisms about her leadership style and distant management. Pictured,&nbsp;Robin Roberts the anchor of ABC's Good Morning AmericaGodwin 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.&nbsp;Despite being a ratings leader, the culture within ABC News was said to be both toxic and cutthroat.Although both news programs are still in the lead, 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.&nbsp;In recent months, GMA has seen its ratings among viewers between 25 and 54 - the demographic most coveted by advertisers - shrink noticeably.&nbsp;For the five days starting April 22, for example, GMA had an average of 497,000 viewers in that age range - only 49,000 ahead of CBS Mornings which used to lag in third place.NBC’s Today, drew an average of 659,000 in that demographic.&nbsp;         O'Connell is a company veteran and said she will be in charge 'for the time being' having recently scrutinized operations across Disney's networks as part of a corporate review         Although both news programs are still in the lead, 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&nbsp;Godwin became a polarizing figure inside the network. She was recruited as an outsider from CBS News where she had served as executive vice president, senior broadcast producer and executive director for development and diversity.&nbsp;Godwin's arrival at ABC was beset by grumbling about her management style that made it into print.&nbsp;Some current and former ABC News staffers criticized her for not being as present in the day-to-day running operations compared with her predecessors noting how she seemed more focused on boosting her profile than running the daily news operation, reports WSJ.She was accused of remaining too distant from the staff at ABC News various brands, which also include daytime shows such as The View and The Tamron Hall Show.         The flagship ABC morning news show is moving to a new Walt Disney building in Hudson Square in 2025Godwin announced her leaving in an email to staff.&nbsp;'I have decided to retire from broadcast journalism,' Godwin wrote.'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. But after considerable reflection, 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.'In the 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.&nbsp;'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.'ABC News was No. 1 when I joined the team and I'm proud to say we're still No. 1.'&nbsp;         Good Morning America will soon be leaving its iconic studio in New York's Times SquareAfter 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.In her own email to staff, O'Connell wrote how&nbsp;Godwin '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 News president Kim Godwin has quit after three tumultuous years in her role as&nbsp;Disney tighten its control of the news division amid falling ratings for Good Morning America and staff unease at the network.The move was widely predicted after ABCs parent company Walt Disney Co. installed one of its executives, Debra O'Connell, to oversee the news division,&nbsp;effectively stripping away much of Godwin's management autonomy.&nbsp;Godwin was the first black woman to lead a network news division and said on Sunday she was retiring from the business.&nbsp;O'Connell is a company veteran...

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ABC News boss Kim Godwin quits after three years as network news chief

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