Fox News Adds Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as Contributor

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorJulie Townsend, longtime head of communications for ABC News, will leave the Disney unit as it prepares to welcome a new president.Townsend, a VP who has supervised outreach on behalf of flagship news programs ranging from “Good Morning America” to “World News Tonight,” will leave May 14 “to lead global consumer communications at an iconic American company” that she said in a memo to staffers would be revealed at a later date.“This was not an easy decision to

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorTom Llamas, the popular former ABC News anchor, has joined NBC News as a primetime anchor for its NBC News Now live-streaming service.Llamas will work as a senior national correspondent and will also contribute reporting to the network’s flagship shows and breaking news and special events coverage.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorABC News will offer a portrait of the life of George Floyd in a two-hour “20/20” slated to air April 23 at 9 p.m.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorABC is looking for a new producer to open the network for business each morning.The abrupt departure of Michael Corn, the seasoned news producer who has managed the network’s flagship A.M. franchise, “Good Morning America,” since 2014, means ABC News is suddenly working a little harder to keep the program on its current path.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorNeeraj Khemlani and Wendy McMahon have been named to lead a new unit that combines CBS News and CBS local stations.Khemlani, a senior executive at Hearst Newspapers, will be the next president of CBS News, charged with raising the competitive level of a news organization that is associated with giants of the format such as Edward R.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAfter a tough year, NBCUniversal’s news operations aim to honor people who provide inspiration.NBCU News Group will launch a new content franchise designed to call attention to influential individuals. “Inspiring America” includes an annual primetime TV event.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorThe recent procession of top news executives shifting positions at ABC News, MSNBC and CBS News gives many in the close-knit world of TV journalism cause for hand-wringing.In recent months, NBCUniversal named a new executive, Cesar Conde, to head all its news operations, replacing Andy Lack. Conde in turn named a new president at MSNBC, Rashida Jones.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorKimberly Godwin, a veteran of local and national TV-news operations, will be the next president of ABC News  — and the first Black executive to run a broadcast-network news operation.Disney on Wednesday confirmed that Godwin, who has been with CBS News since 2007, will take over the role most recently held by James Goldston.

Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch responded to the Anti Defamation League’s call for the ouster of Tucker Carlson, concluding that the Fox News host was not advocating for “white replacement theory” in a segment last week.

The Anti-Defamation League’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt condemned Tucker Carlson for defending “replacement theory” on his show on Thursday and said that it was time for the Fox News host to be taken off the network.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorCBS News veteran Kim Godwin is expected to become the next president of ABC News, a move that would make her the first Black executive to lead a broadcast-network news division.Godwin has had an offer from Disney’s ABC for several weeks, according to a person familiar with the matter, but only in the last few days did CBS CEO George Cheeks agree to let the executive out of her contract.

Daniel D'Addario Chief TV CriticMost late night talk shows nowadays aim to serve an audience that is, late at night, not watching their TV set.

Fox News has hired former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to a contributor role. Pompeo, who will make his first appearance in his new role on the channel on Friday's Fox & Friends, will appear across Fox News and Fox Business programming.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has joined Fox News as a contributor, the latest former Trump administration official to join the network.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorJim Acosta’s mother recently sent him a text about his first stint as a weekend anchor for CNN. She loved his expression, perhaps with good reason.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorDisney’s search for a new leader for ABC News continues weeks after the company unexpectedly disclosed the former president, James Goldston, would leave the post.Goldston’s last day came at the end of March and the company has yet to hone in on a candidate to replace him, according to four people familiar with parts of the search process. When ABC News heads like David Westin or Ben Sherwood left in years past, Disney identified a successor.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorMorgan Radford will join Aaron Gilchrist as a co-anchor at live-streaming outlet NBC News Now, the latest example of NBC News adding resources to its streaming-video operations.Radford and Gilchrist will co-anchor the service between noon to 2 p.m. Her first appearance as co-anchor on the outlet came on Monday.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorEach weeknight, Fox News Channel’s primetime opinion hosts seek to own the libs. Greg Gutfeld says he wants to own some laughs.In an unorthodox maneuver, executives at the Fox Corp.-owned cable-news outlet will explore whether jokes and satire can capture a crowd after 11 p.m.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorAnchor Bret Baier has renewed his contract with Fox News Channel, extending a pact that was last negotiated in 2019.The deal will keep Baier at the network for the next few years, and will maintain his roles as anchor and executive editor of the Fox Corp. network’s “Special Report” and as the outlet’s chief political anchor.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorFox Nation seems eager to expand its chief export.The streaming service, originally conceived as a place for “super fans” of Fox News Channel, has in recent months been filling its digital shelves with a show led by Nancy Grace; faith-based shows tied to Easter; and vintage movies and TV series.