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Deborah Turness will bring ambition and flattery to NBC, say colleagues Deborah Turness will bring ambition and flattery to NBC, say colleagues
(5 months later)
Deborah Turness, the ITV News editor set to be named the new president of NBC News, is not one for half measures – as her energetic Lady Gaga turn at a UK TV industry event three years ago shows.Deborah Turness, the ITV News editor set to be named the new president of NBC News, is not one for half measures – as her energetic Lady Gaga turn at a UK TV industry event three years ago shows.
When five British-born terrorists were jailed in 2007 for plotting to blow up 600kg of fertiliser, she wanted to know the same as every viewer: what would that explosion look like? So she sent a group of ITV News reporters out to the Arizona desert to try it out.When five British-born terrorists were jailed in 2007 for plotting to blow up 600kg of fertiliser, she wanted to know the same as every viewer: what would that explosion look like? So she sent a group of ITV News reporters out to the Arizona desert to try it out.
The stunt went down a storm – and underlined Turness's reputation as the bombproof news executive known for ripping up the rulebook.The stunt went down a storm – and underlined Turness's reputation as the bombproof news executive known for ripping up the rulebook.
Two years earlier, she bagged a world exclusive when the ITN-produced ITV News showed the exclusive pictures of the capture of the London bombers. According to an apocryphal tale, that coup was secured by an enterprising ITV staffer crawling through hedges to get the tapes safely back to the newsroom.Two years earlier, she bagged a world exclusive when the ITN-produced ITV News showed the exclusive pictures of the capture of the London bombers. According to an apocryphal tale, that coup was secured by an enterprising ITV staffer crawling through hedges to get the tapes safely back to the newsroom.
What colleagues describe as her "maverick streak" sometimes shows itself in more cosmetic ways: Turness is credited with introducing so-called "perching presenters" to UK television news by taking away the 5 News presenting desk when she was launch programme editor in 1997.What colleagues describe as her "maverick streak" sometimes shows itself in more cosmetic ways: Turness is credited with introducing so-called "perching presenters" to UK television news by taking away the 5 News presenting desk when she was launch programme editor in 1997.
"She's got a real strong anarchic streak and can never accept things the way they are," says one colleague. "If you are in a meeting with Deborah she will throw out 10 ideas and nine will be absolutely crazy but one will be genius.""She's got a real strong anarchic streak and can never accept things the way they are," says one colleague. "If you are in a meeting with Deborah she will throw out 10 ideas and nine will be absolutely crazy but one will be genius."
In the conservative world of TV news, colleagues say Turness will always challenge accepted wisdom. "If she was in the first world war she would be going over the top before they had even blown the whistle," says another insider, who described her as "undoubtedly the best boss I've ever worked with".In the conservative world of TV news, colleagues say Turness will always challenge accepted wisdom. "If she was in the first world war she would be going over the top before they had even blown the whistle," says another insider, who described her as "undoubtedly the best boss I've ever worked with".
She will bring glamour, ambition and "not a little flattery" with her to New York if, as expected, she takes up the top job at NBC News. Her new colleagues can also expect a personal touch. Colleagues in London say she will send texts, phone messages and even hand-written letters of appreciation to reporters and editors.She will bring glamour, ambition and "not a little flattery" with her to New York if, as expected, she takes up the top job at NBC News. Her new colleagues can also expect a personal touch. Colleagues in London say she will send texts, phone messages and even hand-written letters of appreciation to reporters and editors.
And Turness is not afraid to roll up her sleeves: she was a war zone producer in the former Yugoslavia at the height of the conflict. Eighteen years later she was the only journalist invited as a guest to the Buckingham palace state banquet for president Obama.And Turness is not afraid to roll up her sleeves: she was a war zone producer in the former Yugoslavia at the height of the conflict. Eighteen years later she was the only journalist invited as a guest to the Buckingham palace state banquet for president Obama.
She is a newswoman through and through, but away from the studio Turness is devoted to her two young children and husband John Toker, the UK government's former director of communications for security and intelligence who handled PR for last year's Leveson inquiry into the practices and ethics of the UK press in the wake of the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.She is a newswoman through and through, but away from the studio Turness is devoted to her two young children and husband John Toker, the UK government's former director of communications for security and intelligence who handled PR for last year's Leveson inquiry into the practices and ethics of the UK press in the wake of the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.
"Universally people are saying she will be absolutely great for NBC but it's bad for us," says one ITN colleague. "She exhaustively wants the best interviews and the best exclusives. And that's why they want her.""Universally people are saying she will be absolutely great for NBC but it's bad for us," says one ITN colleague. "She exhaustively wants the best interviews and the best exclusives. And that's why they want her."
Network shakeupNetwork shakeup
Turness arrives amid a network shakeup at NBC, which was acquired by cable giant Comcast in a $30bn deal that went through in January 2011.Turness arrives amid a network shakeup at NBC, which was acquired by cable giant Comcast in a $30bn deal that went through in January 2011.
The merger set in motion tectonic shifts in upper management that would lead to the ejection of Turness's predecessor, Steve Capus, as news division president.The merger set in motion tectonic shifts in upper management that would lead to the ejection of Turness's predecessor, Steve Capus, as news division president.
Capus had led the news division for seven years when suddenly, last July, he got a new boss, Pat Fili-Krushel. Fili-Krushel, a former Time Warner executive with no news background, was placed in charge of a newly formed group that would oversee not only Capus's news division but the station's cable channels, CNBC and MSNBC, as well.Capus had led the news division for seven years when suddenly, last July, he got a new boss, Pat Fili-Krushel. Fili-Krushel, a former Time Warner executive with no news background, was placed in charge of a newly formed group that would oversee not only Capus's news division but the station's cable channels, CNBC and MSNBC, as well.
Meanwhile, the news division was in disarray. Its flagship morning show, Today, was about to squander its top spot in the ratings for the first time in 16 years. The collapse at Today was widely blamed on audience whiplash from the abrupt removal of co-anchor Ann Curry, but in fact the programme had been losing ground to its main competition, ABC's Good Morning America, for months.Meanwhile, the news division was in disarray. Its flagship morning show, Today, was about to squander its top spot in the ratings for the first time in 16 years. The collapse at Today was widely blamed on audience whiplash from the abrupt removal of co-anchor Ann Curry, but in fact the programme had been losing ground to its main competition, ABC's Good Morning America, for months.
One of Turness's challenges as president of NBC News will be to find a way to beat Good Morning America. In this sense the world of American network news has now become a competition between British news executives.One of Turness's challenges as president of NBC News will be to find a way to beat Good Morning America. In this sense the world of American network news has now become a competition between British news executives.
The producer credited with Good Morning America's aggressive push to the top, James Goldston, is also British and also came from ITV, in 2004, when ABC News hired him to run its late-night show Nightline. Goldston is now senior vice-president for content and development at ABC News.The producer credited with Good Morning America's aggressive push to the top, James Goldston, is also British and also came from ITV, in 2004, when ABC News hired him to run its late-night show Nightline. Goldston is now senior vice-president for content and development at ABC News.
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