Heather Riley Named to Develop Political Programming, Series at ABC News

variety.com:

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorHeather Riley was named executive editorial producer of political programming and affairs at ABC News, and has been assigned to help develop political-news programming for both the Walt Disney Co.

unit’s linear programming as well as for Hulu and the streaming-video outlet ABC News Live.She will report to Wendy Fisher, ABC News, senior vice president of newsgathering.“Heather will oversee the development of new political series on Hulu and ABC News Live plus special political projects across television, audio and digital as we gear up for the midterms and beyond,” Fisher said in a memo on Thursday. “In addition, she’ll collaborate with our Special Events, Political Unit, and ABC News Live teams and our local stations to help produce big political events, news making debates and town halls. ” Riley has been a senior member of the ABC News communications team for more than ten years, but has in recent months moved more into political coverage, helping “in our negotiations with both parties and the campaigns during the primary debates and was a key member of the editorial teams for our biggest nights of political programming,” Fisher said.Before joining ABC News in 2011, Riley spent five years at CNN in editorial roles on the assignment desk, in the political unit and on Capitol Hill.