Kim Godwin has stepped down as president of ABC News. Debra OConnell, president, News Group and Networks, Disney Entertainment, will oversee ABC News “for the time being,” she said in a memo to staff.
Godwin took over in May 2021. She said in a memo she is retiring from broadcast journalism.
“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,” said OConnell in the memo.
In February, OConnell was promoted from president, Networks and Television Business Operations, adding oversight of ABC News.
Godwin was executive VP of news at CBS News before moving to ABC News. Her status atop ABC News came into question in recent weeks.
In her note to staff, Godwin shared about starting out as a producer at WTXL Tallahassee, where she also was a reporter. “Little did I know then what extraordinary opportunities lay before me as I began to chart a path through a profession where very few women — and even fewer women of color — were in leadership roles,” she said. “So, 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. 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.”
Her memo mentioned working at 10 stations and three broadcast networks. “After matriculating through j-school at my beloved Florida A&M University, I have been fortunate and blessed enough to have done almost every job there is in this business, including anchor, investigative reporter, news director, field producer, network/special events executive producer and more before moving on to the executive ranks,” 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. 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.”
Godwin thanked Dana Walden and OConnell “for always ensuring we had the resources and support to do our jobs,” and thanked ABC News “for the love, support and inspiration.”
