Three operations moves this afternoon at ABC News: Todd Donovan has been named VP of News Technology; Chris Myers is named executive director for Newsgathering Operations; and Renu Thomas is the new executive director of News Program Operations.
Donovan will work with ABC News’ management to identify and acquire new technologies and integrate them across all ABC News platforms. Myers will be responsible for operations and logistics for ABC’s newsgathering efforts while Thomas will direct technical and operational resources across the broadcasts.
Two of the execs are from inside ABC, one is not. More on that after the jump in the email from ABC News president David Westin…
From: Westin, David L.
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 4:40 PM
To: #ABCTV News ALL
Cc: Sweeney, Anne X.
Subject: Operations Leadership
I am very pleased to announce three new operations positions: Todd Donovan is joining ABC News as Vice President, News Technology; Chris Myers has been named Executive Director for Newsgathering Operations; and Renu Thomas has been named Executive Director of News Program Operations.
This puts in place the first part of the new operations structure I described to you in my email of March 26. As I said in the earlier email, Todd will report to me and, working closely with BO&E, be responsible for developing and executing the overall strategy for how we find, acquire, and implement technology throughout the division. He will also be responsible for the Digital Bullpen and for our Business Continuity operations.
Chris will report to Kate O’Brian and be responsible for operations issues directly related to newsgathering (including the Logistics Desk, the News Acquisition Center, and the Transport Desk). Renu will report to Dave Davis and have a similar role for all of the programs, Special Events, and the Long Form Unit. Together with their digital counterpart, they will form the operations team that supports each part of ABC News and ensures that all of us have the best tools available to help us do our jobs.
Before joining ABC News, Todd was Director of Digital Media Systems for NBC Universal. There he led a team that designed, built and supported all New York based editing, intake/playback, and archive solutions for NBC News, MSNBC, WNBC-TV, Olympics/Sports, and Entertainment productions and their digital endeavors. Over the past five years, he has directed non-linear conversions for Nightly News, Today, and MSNBC and overseen the HD edit technology launches for Nightly News, Today, Football Night In America, Late Night, and Saturday Night Live. He worked with the Operations department and NBC News programs on extensive training efforts, putting new technological tools in the hands of the editorial staff. Before that role, Todd was the Director of Broadcast Facility Projects for NBC Universal, in charge of technology and project management for a multi-year editing and graphics digitization effort. Todd joined NBC Universal in 1992 and has held a variety of other production positions, advancing to the corporate level in Engineering and Media Technology for the company. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in applied science.
Chris was previously the Director of Operations at NewsOne. In that role, he helped create the News Acquisition Center, which now encompasses both ABC’s Satellite Desk and ABSAT. From 2002 to 2005, Chris was the Operations Manager at ABSAT, overseeing day-to-day operations of the division and also traveling to major breaking stories to implement the latest technologies for their remote coverage.
Renu was the Executive Director of Production and Operations at ABC News prior to taking this new job. In this role, she supported daily operations across ABC News’ broadcasts, including World News and its weekend broadcasts, Nightline, This Week, World News Now, America This Morning, and the Special Events Unit, working with the programs’ executive producers and the finance department. Among her recent projects, Renu helped develop the timeline and workflow for ABC News’ broadcasts as they transition to digital/HD in the coming months.
Please join me in congratulating Todd, Chris and Renu on their new roles.