After three tumultuous years as ABC News president, Kim Godwin, ABC News’ first-ever black president, has stepped down on 5 May 2024. Godwin announced her retirement on Sunday. For the time being, the news division of Walt Disney and Co. has been appointed by one of Disney’s executives, Debra O’Connell, who will oversee the ABC news division for the foreseeable future.
When Godwin was appointed president of the new network, two of its best segments were “World News Today” and “Good Morning America.” These segments led rivals like CBS and NBC in ratings. They are still ahead in terms of ratings. However, “Good Morning America” has seen some decline in ratings after T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach departed the network, and Cecilia Vega jumped ships to CBS News.
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Kim Godwin was appointed as an outsider from CBS Network to become the first black president of the news network. Godwin said she appreciates and understands the significance of being the first black woman to lead a news network like ABC News. She said, “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.” Upon leaving the news network, Kim said, “I leave with my head held high and wish the entire team continued success,”
