NBC News is expected to name Deborah Turness as its new president, a source tells TVNewser. News of her likely appointment was reported this morning in The New York Times and The Guardian.
TVNewser hears an official announcement from NBC News could come as early as next week.
Turness, 45, is the editor of ITV News, the news arm of UK broadcaster ITV. Turness drew acclaim at ITV for keeping it competitive, even against the well-funded and iconic BBC News. Her appointment will end a three-month search for Steve Capus’ successor.
She was the first female to hold the editor position, equivalent to a network news division president here in the U.S. She assumed that role in 2004, and before that served as deputy editor at both ITV News and Five News. She also served as a producer in ITV News’ Washington DC bureau earlier in her career.
ITV News and NBC News actually have a business relationship, sharing facilities and even correspondents with the British broadcaster.
Capus–an NBC News lifer–announced that he would leave NBC News in February. His last day was in early March.
Since that time NBCUniversal News Group chairman Pat Fili-Krushel has been overseeing the search for a replacement. Turness’ name first came up as a possibility last month in an article from the Los Angeles Times.