ABC News has promoted a pair of executives charged with wrangling tough interviews. Eric Avram has been promoted to Senior EP of division-wide interviews, reporting to ABC News president Ben Sherwood. In that role Avram will be in charge of interviews for ABC’s Medical, Business and Law & Justice teams as well as the Woodruff unit and the investigative units.

Santina Leuci, “Good Morning America’”s chief booker, will become executive editorial producer, while retaining her “GMA” duties. She will continue to report to “GMA” senior EP Tom Cibrowski.

Avram has been the man charged with booking big guests for many of ABC’s primetime specials. As the network moved away from paying for interviews via license fees, it has been able to book big guests by promising maximum exposure on multiple platforms and shows. Leuci has been at the forefront of “GMA’”s revival, particularly during Robin Roberts‘ absence from the program, when a number of big names stepped in to help fill her shoes.

Sherwood’s note to staff, after the jump.
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In the new Marie Claire, five of TV news’ top female producers get profiled. From NBC News, “Meet the Press” EP Betsy Fischer and “NBC nightly News” senior producer Subrata De get featured. From ABC News, “Good Morning America” senior editorial producer Santina Leuci is profiled, along with CBS “48 Hours Mystery” field producer Kristin Whiting and CNN “Piers Morgan Tonight” senior broadcast producer Katie Nelson Thomson.

The article has interesting anecdotes from each of the women, including an interesting backstory on Whiting’s part. Before joining CBS, Whiting worked in Baghdad, where she helped set up Iraq’s new public TV network following the fall of Saddam Hussein. That is where her featured picture (above) was taken.

The Hollywood Reporter‘s Marisa Guthrie profiles some of the most important people in news that you have probably never heard of: bookers.

Bookers spend their days trying to secure guests for network morning shows, daytime talk shows or late night comedy programs. Celebrities, people in the news, guests with unusual talents, all are fair game.

Among those profiled: NBC “Today” booker Marc Victor, “The View” talent executive Donald Berman, CBS “Early Show” senior broadcast producer Tom Mazzarelli and the ABC “Good Morning America” team of Patty Neger and Santina Leuci.

Check out the entire THR item, here.