ABC News President David Westin has
made several moves in the wake of the departure of news division EVP
Dave Davis, including putting Nightline executive producer
James Goldston in charge of This Week as well.
Davis last month was named president and general manager of WABC-TV New York.
Westin outlined the changes in a memo to staffers Thursday.
According to the memo, World News,
Good Morning America, 20/20 and Nightline executive producers will
report to Westin. "The goal is to streamline how things get decided and
done," he said in the memo, "to make sure those making
the decisions are those who will be implementing them, and to give some
of our leaders an opportunity to develop and demonstrate their capacity
to do more.
"I also want to expand our efforts to grow our business by
seeking out and reviewing proposed partnerships
and other deals internationally, in digital, and overall," he said.
Also now reporting to Westin are
executives in finance, standards, marketing/promotion, talent
development, business affairs, and communications. Westin said he will
also become more involved in "major" bookings.
While that sounds like a pretty full plate, Westin won't be shouldering the new responsibilities alone.
According to the memo,
World News EP John Banner will add special events and politics to his World News responsibilities.
Kate O'Brian, SVP, ABC News, will now head up all but the political unit, including affiliate relations.
With Phyllis McGrady transitioning out
of a full-time role, David Sloan will assume responsibility for all
long-form programming except Amanour's (which will be Goldston's
responsibility), including for cable and other distribution
platforms.
Good Morning America Senior Executive
Producer Jim Murphy will add oversight for early morning and overnight
newscasts. Bob Murphy, VP, administration, will assume plant operations
responsibility, with Chris Myers continuing
to oversee field operations, reporting to O'Brian.
This Week executive producer Ian Cameron had reported to Davis, and will now report to Goldston. Sloan and Goldston will also be working together to develop new programming.
The New York-based Goldston helped preside over the move of Nightline's production and general base of operations to New
York. Does the naming of Goldston to oversee This Week, in concert with the fact that its new host, Christiane Amanpour,
commutes to D.C., mean it is more likely This Week could also be heading to New York?
"This Week has been and continues to be based in Washington and there are no plans to move it," said an ABC News spokeswoman.
According to a source, ABC has a long-term deal with the Newseum production facilities, where This Week is produced.
