Both CBS News and ABC News announced key staffing appointments for their political teams today, as the 2012 election cycle looms.
CBS News president David Rhodes announced in an email to staffers that Caroline Horn, who currently coordinates political coverage on “CBS Evening News,” has been promoted to senior producer for politics. The CBS political unit will also depend on senior political producers for the major broadcasts, including Ward Sloane for “Evening News” and former Fox News political producer Mosheh Oinounou for “The Early Show.”
ABC News also announced a new hire: Ron Brownstein, editorial director for The National Journal, will join the network’s political team, according to an email from ABC News president Ben Sherwood. Brownstein will contribute political analysis across all ABC’s platforms. He will also contribute to CNN as a senior political analyst.
The National Journal also has a partnership with CBS News, which Rhodes mentions in his full memo to CBS staffers. Both memos are after the jump.
From: Rhodes, David
To: @CND News
Sent: Sun Jul 24 23:30:10 2011
Subject: Campaign 2012
We’ve made some announcements about our on-air assignments for the coming political season. Today, Jeff Fager and I want to let you know how the off-air assignments will be organized– we have a great political unit going into the primaries.
Caroline Horn has done a terrific job coordinating politics on Evening News and will become Senior Producer for Politics, working between Washington and New York. Congratulations Caroline.
As you know we have a partnership with National Journal which will manage reporters on every primary campaign– if you’re interested in participating, please make sure you’ve talked with Caroline or with Rob Hendin by the end of this week. These reporters will leverage the work of our top correspondents on the beat.
Washington Bureau Chief Chris Isham is overseeing the National Journal partnership and will work with Rob, Caroline, and the Digital Newsgathering team to get everyone deployed. Some reporters from the joint CBS-NJ effort will be in the field as soon as the Iowa Straw Poll.
The political unit will include Senior Producers in key positions on our major broadcasts, especially Mosheh Oinounou, Ward Sloane, and the Face the Nation staff in Washington.
From early on in the planning for 2012, Ward has had good ideas about how to organize our coverage. Ward was first involved in these issues when he managed all the logistics of our ’88 coverage from New York.
Mosheh is just now starting with CBS as the Early Show’s senior in Washington. His last campaign was with Fox News where he covered Giuliani and later McCain in 2008 for multiple platforms.
Sr Vice President Linda Mason will be Senior Story Editor for Politics, looking after standards and practices, resolving conflicts, and continuing to direct the decision team and polling efforts. Linda as you know has run the decision desk since its reorganization in 2002 – and has been involved in political coverage here for more than 30 years.
Between new hires, CBS veterans, and some who have returned for this campaign, CBS News is going to be more competitive than ever for 2012. Good luck!
From: Sherwood, Ben
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2011 12:58 PM
To: ABC TV News ALL
Subject: Ron Brownstein
Please join me in welcoming National Journal Editorial Director Ron Brownstein to the ABC News political team. As one of the country’s preeminent political journalists, Ron will provide in-depth analysis and perspective across all ABC News platforms on the issues and candidates driving the 2012 election.
Many of you remember Ron’s incisive contributions to our Emmy-nominated 2010 election night coverage and his penetrating work as a columnist for the National Journal and Los Angeles Times.
Ron is a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of presidential campaigns and is the author or editor of six books on politics and policy. As National Journal Group’s Editorial Director, Ron is in charge of long-term editorial strategy and contributes regular features on policy and politics to National Journal. In addition to his appearances on ABC News, he will continue to write his weekly column published jointly in National Journal and the Los Angeles Times.
As we strive to give our audience a deeper understanding of 2012 election, Ron’s many talents and abilities will give ABC News a decisive advantage.