Kim Godwin, the embattled president of ABC News, abruptly announced Sunday evening that she will exit the network, capping a tumultuous three-year run at the outlet after staffers said her polarizing leadership led to plummeting employee morale.
“I have decided to retire from broadcast journalism,” Godwin told staffers in a memo that rocked the ABC News newsroom.
“I have been fortunate and blessed enough to have done almost every job there is in this business,” Godwin added. “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’s sudden exit came after CNN reported earlier this week that Debra OConnell, the Disney (DIS) veteran who was tapped in February to oversee ABC News as part of her portfolio, was conducting a review of her performance and had voiced dissatisfaction in private conversations with the state of affairs at the network.
Morale at ABC News has suffered significantly since Godwin took the helm in 2021, with employees frustrated with her leadership, more