ABC News named World News Tonight With David Muir senior executive producer Almin Karamehmedovic as its next president, capping a three-month search that began after ex-president Kim Godwin was pushed out.
Karamehmedovic will manage the network’s daily operations and report to Disney’s News Group and Networks president Debra OConnell, who announced the promotion on Monday.
“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,” OConnell said in a 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.”
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Karamehmedovic has overseen World News Tonight since 2014 after a stint as Nightline executive producer, turning the David Muir-led broadcast into a ratings powerhouse and flagship brand. He became a senior executive producer in 2022, where he added news content development to his responsibility repertoire.
He joined ABC News as a freelance video editor in 1998, covering wars, natural disasters, and climate change throughout his 26 years at the network. He moved to New York in 2008 for Nightline, and he has racked up 16 Emmy Awards, a Peabody, and a DuPont Award, among other accolades. He also, famously, hit his head and went unconscious after a rambunctious World News Tonight holiday party in 2015, prompting conflicted reports about the gravity of his injuries.
“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,” Karamehmedovic said in the statement.
OConnell's continued control of the network outlines the turmoil ABC News faced in recent years under Godwin’s leadership. She assumed the role in February following years of scandals and missteps throughout Godwin’s tenure, including the bangled management of GMA3 hosts T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach’s affair, non-essential travel, and Godwin’s reported comments on Black people’s news habits.
The appointment, less than three months before the election, also comes as ABC News faces reported budget cuts. The New York Post reported that the network demanded millions in cost slashes before Disney’s fiscal year ends next month, prompting fears of layoffs. It came after Disney cut 150 jobs across National Geographic and Freeform.
