*Last year, Black staffers at ABC News spoke to Disney CEO Bob Iger about the company’s treatment of network president Kim Godwin.
Several employees reportedly expressed frustration over the network’s lack of support for Godwin, the first Black person to run a network news division.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Iger aimed to reassure the Black staffers that he and Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden were committed to Kim Godwin’s success. After Disney announced last week that they would be restructuring, she was effectively demoted.
We reported previously that Godwin was demoted despite getting her contract renewed, the New York Post reports. In an article titled “Staffers cheer ABC News shakeup as President Kim Godwin’s days could be numbered: sources,” Alexandra Steigrad writes: “The Disney-owned network elevated veteran exec Debra OConnell on Wednesday to helm a new division that would encompass ABC News — putting Godwin under her — amid softening ratings at top-ranked shows ‘Good Morning America’ and ‘World News Tonight with David Muir.’”
Godwin was appointed president of ABC News almost three years ago, but her “tenure at the network has been a bumpy one, filled with missteps, legal threats from laid-off staffers and softening ratings at “GMA” and “World News Tonight,” ” The Post writes.
Per journal-isms.com, Joe Flint and Isabella Simonetti wrote for The Wall Street Journal, “Godwin’s supporters counter that as the first Black person to run a broadcast network news division, she is the target of constant second-guessing by a cadre of longtime ABC News staffers who set out to undermine her from day one.”
Critics also pointed to her insufficient day-to-day involvement, but Godwin’s supporters claim this is not true, The Post reported. A source told the outlet, “Everyone here knows that Kim Godwin is on email at 4:30 morning, in the building working nonstop 24 hours a day and available 24/7.”
“ ‘I’ve been at ABC News for 20 years now under four different presidents and I’ve never had a stronger relationship than with Kim,’ said Jonathan Karl, chief White House correspondent and co-anchor of the Sunday morning political show ‘This Week,’ ” per journal-isms.
“Since joining ABC News, Godwin has tried to create a gentler office culture. She ends her emails with ‘People Are Our Priority’ and is known for leading happy birthday singalongs for employees.”
Meanwhile, many ABC News staffers cheered when they learned Godwin would now report to veteran executive Debra OConnell.
One source told The Post, “The mood after the announcement was very light and happy. People are relieved. They feel the network can get back to its glory days with Debra coming in.”
