Almin Karamehmedovic, who has overseen “World News Tonight” for a decade, has been named president of ABC News, a move that puts a veteran producer of hard-news coverage and overseas reporting at the top of the Disney unit, albeit one with a lack of experience in some key operations, including the critical “Good Morning America” daytime franchise.
Staffers inside ABC News were taken aback by the announcement, according to two people familiar with the matter, which was made at the unit’s Monday news meeting. Some praised the hire, noting Karamehmedovic’s facility with newsgathering and close ties to “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir, one of ABC’s most-watched figures. Others were puzzled by the maneuver, noting Karamehmedovic’s minimal exposure to key ABC News properties, including “GMA,” “The View” and “The Tamron Hall Show.”
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Many ABC News staffers and talent executives who deal regularly with the unit had thought Disney might bring back Tom Cibrowski, a former senior ABC News producers who is currently the general manager of KGO, a San Francisco station that is owned by ABC. In the recent past, ABC News has been led by executives who proved their mettle in the morning. Two recent former leaders, Ben Sherwood and James Goldston both gained traction at ABC News by helping “GMA” win more viewership overall than NBC rival “Today.”
“Almin has devoted his career to ABC News, mastering every role and elevating excellence in journalism by connecting with viewers in a very meaningful and profound way that resonates with them,” said OConnell, in a prepared statement. “He is a widely respected, seasoned journalist of the highest order who has worked his way up to senior executive producer of ‘World News Tonight with David Muir,’ earning the trust of colleagues and industry peers along the way. I have no doubt ABC News will reach new heights under his leadership.”
The hire of Karamehmedovic may spotlight a new managing philosophy being put in place by OConnell, a Disney veteran who in February was placed atop both the company’s national newsgathering unit and its local-stations business. One person familiar with ABC News suggests that OConnell will take more oversight of the business areas with which Karamehmedovic may be less familiar. “Good Morning America” and other daytime shows often thrive on product integration deals, for example, that weave advertisers into content, such as weather sponsorships or story segments.
Others have mapped out similar terrain. At Paramount Global, which has put its CBS News and local stations operations under the purview of executive Wendy McMahon, the executive producers of many flagship CBS News programs, which include “60 Minutes” and “CBS Sunday Morning,” report to the business executive, not a chief editorial operative.
The broadcast-network news divisions are all being managed more closely by their media-conglomerate owners, all of them under pressure in an era when more of their viewers are moving to streaming video. Both Paramount and Disney have combined their large news units with the business of their local stations, part of a bid to eke out new synergies with the news forces at regional TV stations. Meanwhile, NBCUniversal has put local stations, NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC and Telemundo’s news assets under the aegis of a single executive.
Karamehmedovic will take up a role previously given to Kim Godwin, a former CBS News executive who maintained a “hands-off” policy that many felt left ABC News without a strong sense of who was in charge. Karamehmedovic is known for a roll-up-your-sleeves demeanor that often had him in the field with correspondents he produced.
Before taking the reins of “World News Tonight,” Karamehmedovic was executive producer of “Nightline.” He initially joined ABC News in 1988 as a freelance video editor based in London. During his tenure, he has traveled to Tora Bora in Afghanistan and embedded with the U.S. Army during the invasion of Iraq. He joined “Nightline” in 2008. He graduated from the University of Greenwich in London.
“I approach this role with great respect and humility, not only for the hundreds of colleagues around the world whose tireless contributions fuel the unflinching and unbiased reporting of ABC News but also for the viewers we serve,” said Karamehmedovic, in a statement. “Our team represents the best in journalism. We are grateful to have Debra OConnell, who sets the bar for all of us in a meaningful and supportive way that enables us to thrive in a profession we revere and love.”
