Jesse Dittmar
NBC News president Deborah Turness, who recently marked one year at the helm of the organization, is unapologetic about comments she made in a New York Times piece that ignited a firestorm of internal criticism at a time when NBC News… Continue Reading
ABC News is shuffling its executive ranks in the wake of James Goldston‘s promotion in April to president of the news division.
Tom Cibrowski, who has been guiding Good Morning America as senior executive producer since 2012, has been promoted to senior vp of news programs, news gathering and special events. The post effectively makes him Goldston’s No. 2.
In an email to ABC News staffers, Goldston characterized Cibrowksi as “a true leader.”
“For many years Tom has been a true leader at ABC News,” wrote Goldston. “Tom and I served side by side in the trenches at GMA, and I have witnessed countless times his uncanny news sense, his tremendous command of breaking news and his absolute mastery in the control room.”
Michael Corn, the executive producer of World News with Diane Sawyer, will replace Cibrowski at GMA. And Almin Karamehmedovic, who has been running Nightline for several years, becomes executive producer of World News when David Muir when Muir takes over the broadcast after the Labor Day holiday. For the time being, Karamehmedovic will continue to lead Nightline.
In praising Corn, Goldston noted World News’ recent winning streak in the 25-54 demographic over NBC’s Nightly News with Brian Williams, the longtime evening news leader.
“Michael leaves World News as the program draws its biggest audience in five years and has just won back-to-back sweeps victories in [the demo] for the first time in seven years. He has steadfastly carried on its greatest traditions and unwavering commitment to breaking news while keeping the broadcast fresh and relevant for our growing audience.”
The changes have been expected for some time and were set in motion when Disney CEO Bob Iger last March tapped former ABC News president Ben Sherwood to lead the Disney/ABC Television Group. ABC News staffers threw Sherwood and his family a going away party last week in New York.
Kobe Bryant is collaborating with filmmaker Gotham Chopra on a Showtime documentary, Kobe Bryant’s Muse, about his comeback from injury. But the L.A. Lakers great said he has not put any handcuffs on the filmmakers in terms of what they can ask him or show in the documentary, which is set to bow this fall.
“If there are negative things, there are negative things,” said Bryant, addressing the media at the Television Critics Association press tour Thursday afternoon. “It won’t be the first time something negative came out about me, and it won’t be the last.”
COVER STORY RGIII Fronts Thursday Night Football Preview
Chopra added that he’s “never had a conversation where [Bryant] said, ‘You can’t ask me something.’ “
The film also explores what drives Bryant, who entered the NBA directly from high school in 1996 and has played for the Lakers his entire career. Bryant, an executive producer on the project as well, characterized the doc as “introspective — it’s more about who or what has inspired me.”
Chopra began filming Bryant nearly a year ago as he was recovering from a devastating Achilles injury that occurred in early 2013. Filmmakers followed Bryant through his comeback last season and captured his subsequent knee injury last December.
“So all of a sudden there was something to hang a narrative around,” noted Chopra.
The Lakers are in the middle of a searching for a coach after Mike D’Antoni resigned at the close of a dismal season. And Bryant, who arrived late to the Q&A session at the Beverly Hilton Hotel quipped: “Sorry I’m late. I was out looking for a coach.”
According to multiple reports, Byron Scott is the current frontrunner for the job.
