Kim Godwin, a 1984 graduate of the FAMU School of Journalism and a CBS News executive since 2007, is on track to become the first Black woman to run a broadcast network news operation, as she has been offered the top job at ABC News, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times newspaper.
Godwin will fill the position vacated by James Goldston, who last month. CBS has agreed to let Godwin out of her contract so that she can make the historic move.
ABC, nor representative from its parent company Disney, did not comment on its discussions. A CBS News representative also declined to comment. NBC News reported that Godwin is currently in negotiations for the job as ABC News president.
At CBS, Godwin had editorial oversight of the network's news gathering operation, including the national desks, foreign desks and bureaus.
Godwin's appointment would put women in lead roles at four national TV news operations. Suzanne Scott has headed Fox News Media since 2018. Susan Zirinsky has served as president of CBS News since 2019. Rashida Jones became president of NBCUniversal's MSNBC cable channel earlier this year, making her the first Black woman to lead a major national TV news network.
Before joining CBS in 2007, the Panama City, FL, native served in a variety of positions at local TV stations. She was the acting news director and assistant news director at WCBS-TV in New York, vice president and news director at KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, vice president of news operations for NBC Television Stations and vice president, news director at KXAS-TV in Dallas, and Director of the Division of Journalism at FAMU.