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| Diane Sawyer |
Yahoo USA Top Latest News - By the time she announced yesterday that she was stepping down as ABC’s evening news anchor, Diane Sawyer had become the queen of the big flashy interview.
George Stephanopoulos, long thought to be in the running as Sawyer’s successor, becomes the network’s “chief news anchor” for breaking news and political coverage—crucial duties that ordinarily would be handled by Muir. (Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff still co-anchor PBS’s “NewsHour.”) There was some chatter that the new ABC News president, James Goldston, wanted his own person in the anchor chair. Diane Sawyer is stepping down as anchor of ABC World News but will stay with ABC, the network announced on Wednesday. She'll be replaced by David Muir on Sept. 2.
Sawyer, who has been anchor of "World News" since late 2009, will work on specials and events, appearing across all ABC News platforms.
Muir, who has often substitute-anchored for Sawyer, will also continue his work on "20/20." With Sawyer's role changing, the network announced that George Stephanopoulos will take on a new role with the network as chief anchor, taking the lead on special events and breaking news, in addition to his duties with "Good Morning America" and "This Week."
Traditionally, the evening news anchor of a network would take on breaking news events, a role Sawyer and Stephanopoulos shared.
"In this position, George will be our lead anchor for major special events and breaking news at ABC, driving our live network coverage for the biggest stories," ABC News president James Goldston said in a memo. George is adept at balancing both complex global and public policy questions and deeply personal stories in interviews with numerous luminaries from Vladimir Putin to Angelina Jolie."
Diane Sawyer is stepping down as anchor of ABC's "World News" but will stay with ABC, the network announced on Wednesday. Sawyer, who has been anchor of "World News" since late 2009, will work on specials and events, appearing across all ABC News platforms.
Muir, who has often substitute-anchored for Sawyer, will also continue his work on "20/20."
With Sawyer's role changing, the network announced that George Stephanopoulos will take on a new role with the network as chief anchor, taking the lead on special events and breaking news, in addition to his duties with "Good Morning America" and "This Week." Traditionally, the evening news anchor of a network would take on breaking news events, a role Sawyer and Stephanopoulos shared.
"In this position, George will be our lead anchor for major special events and breaking news at ABC, driving our live network coverage for the biggest stories," ABC News president James Goldston said in a memo.
