After weeks of speculation, Kim Godwin is resigning as president of ABC News. Debra O’Connell, who added ABC News to her portfolio in February, will lead the department in the interim. She made the announcement internally, with Godwin also reaching out to her employees. You can read the memos below.
At the time of O’Connell’s promotion in February, when ABC News fell under her purview, Disney countered speculation about Godwin’s future by revealing that she had extended her contract and was now reporting to O’Connell.
NOTE FROM DEBRA OCONNELL TO YOUR TEAM:
Team,
I wanted to share Kim’s note below. 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 led this team through significant times in our world, and she has done so with respect for the brand and the profession – and we thank her for that and more.
Our reputation and credibility are hard-won and we also want to recognize the exceptional work you do every day. As the #1 news network for 12 consecutive seasons, ABC News is home to the best in the business. From morning to day, evening and beyond, this team stands ready 24/7 to provide our nation with the news, people and events that shape our world.
For now, I will lead ABC News and look forward to working with the leadership team as we chart a new path forward together. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this transitional period. Since assuming this role in February, my goal has been and continues to be to provide this team with the tools necessary to build on our success and continue ABC News’ proud tradition into a future of opportunity and innovation.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or your managers.
Thank you very much,
Debra
KIM GODWIN NOTE TO ABC NEWS:
Good evening ABC News,
Forty years ago, I began my career straight out of college as an eager and enthusiastic executive producer at WTXL in Tallahassee, where I was responsible for the 6 and 11 p.m. news. The staff was so small that I had to go out and report even on busy news days. Little did I know then about the extraordinary opportunities that would open up to me as I began to pursue a career in a profession where very few women—and even fewer women of color—held leadership positions. When I accepted the role as president of ABC News just over three years ago, I understood and appreciated the significance of being the first Black woman to lead a national news network. It is both a privilege and a debt to those who have worked 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.
Now, four decades and countless miles later, after working at all three news networks and ten local stations in nine cities, I have come full circle from this small but mighty ABC affiliate in Florida’s poor district. I have decided to retire from broadcast journalism. After enrolling in J-School at my beloved Florida A&M University, I have been fortunate and fortunate to have held almost every job in the business, including anchor, investigative reporter, news director, field producer, and network executive producer/ Special events and more before moving up to management level. Anyone who is passionate about what we do knows that there is no company like it. Therefore, this was not an easy or quick decision. But after careful consideration, I am sure it is the right thing for me as I look to the future and prioritize what is most important for me and my family.
ABC News was No. 1 when I joined the team, and I’m proud to say we’re still No. 1 – an accomplishment that in recent months has been recognized with the highest accolades our profession has to offer , underlined by Edward R. Murrow for Overall Excellence in Television, an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award for our groundbreaking series “Power of Water,” and our first-ever Primetime Emmy Award nominations for “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields.” and Aftershock. And just last week, our Uvalde documentary “Print It Black” won Best Documentary at the Dallas International Film Festival, where it premiered. I’m particularly proud of our unprecedented Uvalde 365 project, an unprecedented year-long commitment to documenting a community’s emotional journey following a mass shooting.
In 2022, we were all thrilled to receive 41 Emmy nominations, the most in 53 years. We have the top morning news show, daytime network show, evening news show and Friday newsmagazine. We are consistently #1 at all major live TV events, including most recently “Eclipse Across America” in collaboration with Nat Geo. And our programs are consistently in the top 10 on Hulu.
Beyond awards and ratings, our success is perhaps best measured by the people at ABC News. This is an exceptional team doing exceptional work together. You’re the best in class in every category, and it’s been great to see you tackle one job at a time, bringing our viewers comprehensive coverage from around the world at a time when truthful reporting is essential to the future of ours great nation is crucial.
We pride ourselves on covering all communities and meeting our audiences where and when they need us, and no company exemplifies this better than ABC News Live. When I started, it was the little streaming bandwagon that could do it; Thanks to your hard work and dedication, it’s now a big train that can do it – and does it every day. Together last season, we launched Impact X Nightline on Hulu, a weekly news magazine whose episodes are consistently among the most-watched content on the platform.
We are particularly proud of our success with ABC News Studios, which we have built from the ground up into a premier nonfiction and documentary studio that produces more than 120 hours of award-winning content per year. We also created the first climate unit among broadcast news networks. So many innovations and initiatives in the blink of an eye. Together, we are committed to creating a cultural shift where people can be their authentic selves and feel seen and heard while doing their best work. For all of these reasons and more, I leave ABC News and this profession with sincere pride, success and gratitude. My heart is full.
I want to thank Dana Walden and Debra O’Connell for always ensuring we had the resources and support to do our work. And finally, thank you to ABC News for the love, support and inspiration. Over the years, hundreds of you have sent emails, text messages and phone calls that have touched my heart. As we look to the coming months in this important election year, the importance of our work cannot be overstated. Remember: Journalism is fun.
I leave with my head held high and wish the entire team continued success.
Kim