Former CBS News Producer Taking Charge of 'GMA'
Thursday, July 27, 2006; Page C07
ABC's "Good Morning America" is under new leadership.
Jim Murphy has been named senior executive producer of "GMA," after five years as executive producer of "CBS Evening News." He replaces Ben Sherwood, who announced last month he was resigning after two years in the job.
Murphy left CBS late last year, after launching Bob Schieffer as the main anchor in the wake of Dan Rather's tumultuous departure. Murphy said yesterday that after five years at the third-place "Evening News," "it will be nice to be in a full-fledged competition fighting for first place."
"GMA," hosted by Robin Roberts and Diane Sawyer, has been stuck in second place behind NBC's "Today" for 11 years. This season, "Today" is averaging nearly 6 million viewers, almost 900,000 more than "GMA."
Murphy said that morning television "is the most competitive landscape in the world," a landscape that will change more in the fall when Meredith Vieira signs on as a new "Today" host, replacing Katie Couric, who replaces Schieffer on Sept. 5 as CBS anchor.
Last month, Charlie Gibson left "GMA" to become sole anchor of ABC's "World News Tonight."
ABC also announced yesterday that "GMA" senior broadcast producer Tom Cibrowski has been promoted to executive producer, serving as second-in-command to Murphy.
-- John Maynard
