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Charles Gibson May Replace Peter Jennings
Highly placed sources at ABC headquarters in New York have told NewsMax that news chief David Westin has decided to hand the “World News Tonight” anchor chair to Charles Gibson if Peter Jennings doesn’t return.
Gibson, currently the anchor of “Good Morning America” along with Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts, has already agreed to take the job, say ABC sources.
The move is contingent on Jennings deciding not to return to “WNT,” which he anchored for more than 20 years.
Jennings has been under treatment for lung cancer for several months. ABC has issued no updates on his health except to say that the company expects him to resume his on-air duties at some point in the future.
Since Jennings left the broadcast, both Gibson and Elizabeth Vargas have anchored “WNT.”
Westin has said that arrangement “could not continue indefinitely.” Now it seems he has decided on a succession plan.
If Gibson takes the “WNT” slot, the question arises as to who replaces him on “Good Morning America.”
The once red-hot morning show has cooled off in recent weeks, losing more than 500,000 viewers to NBC’s “Today” show, which passed a milestone by winning the ratings war for 500 weeks in a row.
Insiders say “GMA” will likely take a new approach and go forward with no male anchor, leaving the desk to Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts - at least temporarily.
In recent weeks ABC has occasionally tested the two-women anchor format, with mixed ratings.
The “WNT” and “GMA” developments are more problems for Westin, who has to contend with the departure of Ted Koppel in December.
“Nightline,” like almost every show on the ABC News schedule, has seen a drop-off in viewers in recent months.
Not only is Koppel bailing out, but “Nightline,” at least in its current format, is not expected to survive beyond early 2006.
Just who might replace Gibson and Koppel is now the guessing game on 66th Street.
“In the old days one might have tapped Howard Cosell, but he is not around any longer,” mused one ABC staffer.
What’s David Hartman doing these days?
Newsmax.com
Highly placed sources at ABC headquarters in New York have told NewsMax that news chief David Westin has decided to hand the “World News Tonight” anchor chair to Charles Gibson if Peter Jennings doesn’t return.
Gibson, currently the anchor of “Good Morning America” along with Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts, has already agreed to take the job, say ABC sources.
The move is contingent on Jennings deciding not to return to “WNT,” which he anchored for more than 20 years.
Jennings has been under treatment for lung cancer for several months. ABC has issued no updates on his health except to say that the company expects him to resume his on-air duties at some point in the future.
Since Jennings left the broadcast, both Gibson and Elizabeth Vargas have anchored “WNT.”
Westin has said that arrangement “could not continue indefinitely.” Now it seems he has decided on a succession plan.
If Gibson takes the “WNT” slot, the question arises as to who replaces him on “Good Morning America.”
The once red-hot morning show has cooled off in recent weeks, losing more than 500,000 viewers to NBC’s “Today” show, which passed a milestone by winning the ratings war for 500 weeks in a row.
Insiders say “GMA” will likely take a new approach and go forward with no male anchor, leaving the desk to Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts - at least temporarily.
In recent weeks ABC has occasionally tested the two-women anchor format, with mixed ratings.
The “WNT” and “GMA” developments are more problems for Westin, who has to contend with the departure of Ted Koppel in December.
“Nightline,” like almost every show on the ABC News schedule, has seen a drop-off in viewers in recent months.
Not only is Koppel bailing out, but “Nightline,” at least in its current format, is not expected to survive beyond early 2006.
Just who might replace Gibson and Koppel is now the guessing game on 66th Street.
“In the old days one might have tapped Howard Cosell, but he is not around any longer,” mused one ABC staffer.
What’s David Hartman doing these days?
Newsmax.com
