As expected, NBC News on Monday officially named Deborah
Turness president, beginning Aug. 5.
Turness, formerly the editor of the U.K.'s ITV News, fills
the position vacated by Steve Capus, who left in February. With the appointment, she becomes the
first female network news division president in the U.S.
Turness has led ITV News since 2004, and worked at Britain's
ITN for 25 years. NBC News and ITV have had a content-sharing agreement since
2011, allowing them to share correspondents and resources in Africa and the
Middle East.
Turness will be charged with revitalizing NBC's news
division, which has been languishing of late, most notably with Today.
The morning program has been stuck behind ABC's Good Morning America for
more than a year and undergone several changes in front of and behind the
cameras. Sunday morning public affairs show Meet the Press has also
fallen behind CBS' Face the Nation. Nightly News with Brian Williams
remains in first place, but Williams' primetime newsmagazine Rock Center
was recently canceled after multiple schedule changes and low ratings.
"It is quite simply the greatest imaginable honor to be
named as the next president of NBC News," said Turness. "I am hugely
excited by the opportunities that lie ahead and look forward to working with
the talented journalists and technicians who make it one of the great global
news operations."
She will report to Pat Fili-Krushel, chairman of
NBCUniversal News Group, rounding out the leadership team that includes CNBC
president Mark Hoffman and MSNBC president Phil Griffin.
"Deborah has built an outstanding
reputation as both a journalist and business executive with a proven track
record for innovation and collaboration," said Fili-Krushel. "She is
a leader with a global perspective, who is also very familiar with NBC News,
having worked closely with us through our partnership with ITN. Her passion for
the news business, combined with her creativity and vision, will be a
tremendous asset to NBC News, and I'm very pleased to welcome her to the
team."
