Diane Sawyer is leaving the World News anchor desk for a new role with a different set of objectives, according to ABC News president James Goldston. David Muir will become the anchor and managing editor of World News in September.
George Stephanopolous was named chief anchor of ABC News.
happy day @DavidMuir @GStephanopoulos @jamesgoldston pic.twitter.com/hCmtYYeNPP
— Diane Sawyer (@DianeSawyer) June 25, 2014
Congrats to my friends @DavidMuir & @GStephanopoulos – big days and stories ahead for all at @ABC !
— Diane Sawyer (@DianeSawyer) June 25, 2014
Sawyer has led World News since 2009, and will start her new role on Sept. 2. Goldston added that she will, “lead a team which will create and commission original reporting, big ideas and interviews.”
In a note to ABC staff made public, Goldston said: “For many years to come, Diane will be a driving force at ABC News with her exceptional storytelling genius. She will create innovative television specials and events, and, of course, continue to conduct the biggest interviews with the most important and extraordinary people in the world.”
Sawyer’s extensive list of accolades could only be matched by her long-time colleague and friend, Barbara Walters. In 1970, she worked for President Nixon’s administration. Sawyer served in the White House press office, and when President Nixon resigned, she helped him complete his memoirs. She co-anchored on the CBS Morning News with Charles Kuralt from 1982 to 1984.
In 1984, she made history as the first female to work as a correspondent on 60 Minutes.The accomplished journalist parted ways with CBS five years later to co-anchor ‘Primetime Live’ on ABC with Sam Donaldson. While working there, she covered the attacks on September 11th. She returned to morning news with ‘Good Morning America’ in 1999 and co-anchored with Charles Gibson. In 2009, she announced her move to World News.
Sawyer interviewed numerous politicians, entertainers and actors, including Saddam Hussein, Michael Jackson, Meryl Streep, Fidel Castro, Whitney Houston and Michael J. Fox.
