Two veteran ABC News producers are departing the network as the news division’s Lincoln Square Productions continues to see a programming shift, staff shakeout, and an internal review.
Danielle Rossen (right, with John Quiñones), was vp of Unscripted Production at Lincoln Square.
Erica Butler, the senior production manager, who reported to Rossen, is also departing.
They follow the departures of two other LSP executives. Morgan Hertzan, who was SVP of the unit, left late last year. That was followed by the departure of Terence Wrong who spent more than 30 years at ABC News, lastly as ep of special series. He was the creative force behind more than a dozen long-form prime time specials. After he left ABC, Wrong was tapped by FOX to produce O.J. Simpson: The Lost Confession, hosted by Soledad O’Brien, which aired opposite the return of American Idol, on ABC, last month.
Rossen, who has been with ABC News for more than two decades, created the concept for the hidden camera series What Would You Do? She has also overseen productions for other networks. When we interviewed her in 2015, she was balancing four series on four networks. She is married to NBC News correspondent Jeff Rossen.
Earlier this year, Beth Hoppe was brought in as SVP of ABC News long form, overseeing Lincoln Square. The former PBS and Discovery Channel executive will bring a different tone to ABC’s long form stories and shows, we hear.