Diane Sawyer Showing It’s More Than Just About 6:30 (5:30 CT)

Like her competitors on NBC and CBS, Diane Sawyer is going the way of the Web to report on the days news long before “World News” goes to air. ABC sent us a series of photos of Sawyer has she anchored the afternoon briefing for affiliates:

But ahead of tonight’s broadcast, Sawyer sat down for “The Conversation” on ABCNews.com. It’s a Web chat with ABC Newsers — today’s with Capitol Hill correspondent Jonathan Karl — about the news of the day. Set in the confines of the not so well-lit ABC Newsroom, Sawyer dons reading glasses, her hair is not broadcast-approved and she’s wearing a hoodie. But the content of the discussion, including a question from a viewer related to the the healthcare reform bill, was given far much more time and depth than a half hour broadcast will allow. And that’s good news for the ABC consumer, mussed-up hair or not.

&bull Related: “Any transition is difficult on an audience,” World News EP Jon Banner tells the AP‘s David Bauder. “We have had more than our fair share. Thankfully, this one we have been able to do some planning around.”

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