In a move some may view as a structural change similar to that seen at Paramount unit CBS News & Stations, The Walt Disney Company on Wednesday moved ahead with the formation of a business unit that aligns ABC News with ABC Owned Stations and the ABC networks.
Leading the new group for Disney is Debra OConnell.
She’ll hold the title of President/News Group and Networks under Disney Entertainment.
ABC News President Kim Godwin and ABC Owned Television Stations President Chad Matthews will report to OConnell.
The move means OConnell is adding ABC News to a purview that includes WABC-7 in New York; KABC-7 in Los Angeles; WLS-7 in Chicago; WPVI-6 in Philadelphia; KGO-7 in San Francisco; KTRK-13 in Houston; WTVD-11 in Raleigh-Durham; and KFSN-30 in Fresno-Merced.
Furthermore, OConnell is gaining P&L responsibilities for the ABC broadcast network, Disney Channels, FX Networks, Freeform and National Geographic Channels.
Since November 2020, OConnell has served as President of Networks in the Disney Media Media & Entertainment Distribution segment of the company. Before that, she spent 3 years until March 2021 as President/GM of WABC-7 in New York and as the Disney company lead on the syndicated “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” a program born as “The Morning Show” at WABC some 40 years ago.
“The newly formed News Group and Networks unit places key businesses and operations in a single vertical under OConnell to better enable synergy and collaboration,” Disney said in a late Wednesday announcement.
“I consider it a privilege to advocate for the best networks, the best news organization and the best stations in the world, and thank Dana for her leadership and trust,” OConnell said. “I’m excited to work with Kim, Chad and these exceptional teams on strategies to superserve our viewers for years to come.”
Longtime radio industry professionals will also recall that OConnell shifted to television within ABC in September 1999 with her acceptance of an Account Executive role at WABC-7. For nearly 2 1/2 years before that, she was in sales for WABC-AM and WPLJ-FM in New York under ABC ownership. OConnell earned that role in June 1997 after two years as an AE and Executive Producer for WBAB-FM and WBLI-FM in Nassau-Suffolk under Chancellor Broadcasting ownership.
Furthermore, OConnell took a leap into broadcast media sales in 1995 after four years as a Marketing Director and sales rep for DiCarlo Food Service.
“Debra is an excellent executive who has succeeded in a wide range of leadership roles around our company and knows very well the extraordinary power of ABC News and its world-class journalists,” said Dana Walden, co-chairman, Disney Entertainment, to whom OConnell will continue to report. “This new role gives her oversight across all our linear operations, where she will be able to optimize our iconic brands and shepherd them into the future. I look forward to having her lead these incredibly talented teams as we build on our success.”
Debra OConnell is on the board of directors for A&E Networks, National Geographic Partners and TVB, a not-for-profit trade association representing America’s local broadcast television industry. She also serves on advisory boards for the Ryan Seacrest Foundation and League of Women Voters of New York City.
