Top San Francisco news exec abruptly exits ABC7 after nearly 15 years

A longtime Bay Area television news executive is out after nearly 15 years as the station’s news director.Tracey Watkowski, vice president of news at KGO-TV/ ABC7, parted ways with the network as internal emails revealed she and the station “decided to move in different directions,” the trade publication FTVLive reported.It was not immediately clear what led to her departure.KGO General Manager David Wurtzel informed employees via email that “after recent discussions, Tracey Watkowski and the station have decided to move in different directions,” according to FTLive.“As a long-time member of our team and a leading voice in the newsroom, she will be missed.Over the course of her career, Tracey has been a steady and respected leader and a thoughtful newsroom advocate.”Wurtzel added that the station was “grateful for her contributions over the years” and wished her “nothing but the very best in her next chapter.”Watkowski — who spent more than 20 years at KGO in total and more than 14 years as news director — followed up with her own note to staff just minutes after her departure was announced, according to FTLive.“As my time at KGO comes to an end, I want to express my sincere gratitude to each of you for your dedication, hard work and camaraderie,” the note read.“I take with me countless memories of ABC7’s impactful work: major breaking news, investigations and exclusives, and all the big stories over the past 14 years.”Watkowski also praised the newsroom, writing that “KGO has the best newsroom in the market” and urging staff to “stay committed to the core tenets of great journalism while covering the stories that matter to the Bay Area.”The network declined to comment to the California Post and deferred to Wurtzel, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Watkowski also did not immediately respond to a request for comment....