ABC News will elevate Derek Medina to executive vice president, giving him oversight of many of the Walt Disney unit’s business operations and freeing president James Goldston to devote some of his time to broader strategies.
“He will be a key partner for me in running our business who will manage our operational efforts and growth strategies and work with me and all our leaders on advancing the culture,” said Goldston in a prepared statement. The heads of marketing, global newsgathering operations, news administration, news practices and non-fiction production will report to Medina.
HIs ascension reflects the absence of a designated second-in-command executive at ABC News in recent years. Some of those duties had been taken up by Barbara Fedida, a former senior vice president who left ABC News earlier this year, and Tom Cibrowski, a former senior vice president who left in 2018 to run Disney-owned ABC station KGO in San Francisco.
Median is a 22-year-veteran of ABC News who has been overseeing a team of 20. He began at ABC News in 1998 as a director for business affairs, and has managed negotiations for a wide range of network news deals, including talent, licensing, acquisitions, production, distribution, all third-party rights negotiations and partnerships,
“Working closely with colleagues across ABC News and Walt Disney Television, Derek will help ensure ABC News is a diverse, inclusive and world-class organization built for the future and that we continue to adhere to the very highest journalistic standards. Plus, he will be integral in our work to make the ABC News culture fair, just and welcoming to all,” Goldston said Friday.
The following executives continue to report to Goldstson: Eric Avram, who oversees booking; Marc Burstein, who oversees special events; Michael Corn, who runs “Good Morning America”; Justin Dial, who supervises ABC News Live; Wendy Fisher, who oversees newsgathering; Beth Hoppe, who supervises long-form efforts; Terry Hurlbutt, who oversees digital; Almin Karamehmedovic, who runs “World News Tonight”; Hilary Estey McLoughlin, who runs “The View”; , Marie Nelson, who oversees integrated content strategy; Mary Noonan, who oversees talent strategy and development; Julie Townsend, who supervises communications; and Chris Vlasto, head of ABC News’ investigative unit.
Before joining ABC News, Medina spent two years as an investment banking associate at JP Morgan and two years as a corporate associate at the aw firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton. He holds a J.D. and an MBA (from Columbia University and graduated from Brown University.