Under a new structure, David Muir will lead breaking-news duties at ABC News, according to Variety.
- ABC News’ special reports and news of national importance will largely be handled by Muir, while George Stephanopoulos, the Good Morning America and This Week anchor, could handle similar efforts in the morning.
- The new structure comes as ABC News tries to rework an arrangement involving the two top anchors.
- Stephanopoulos has been the network’s “Chief Anchor” since Diane Sawyer stepped down in 2014.
- In that time, he has also led coverage of events of critical importance, presidential debates and elections.
- Under his newly-extended contract, Stephanopoulos will also get new production duties on a new program on politics for Hulu and devising four hour-long specials for primetime.
- Muir took over World News Tonight in 2014 and the show has surged in ratings since.
- The news of the new anchor arrangement comes after we learned in January that James Goldston, ABC News’ president, would be departing by the end of this month.
- Disney has not yet named Goldston’s successor.