As expected, ABC’s Barbara Walters announced her retirement on “The View” today. The show kicked off with Walters introducing a brief career retrospective, followed by her formal announcement:

“I have been on television–continuously–for over 50 years,” Walters said. “But in the Summer of 2014, a year from now, I plan to retire from appearing on television at all. It has been an absolutely joyful, rewarding, challenging, fascinating and occasionally bumpy ride, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I am perfectly healthy, this is my decision and I have been thinking about it for a long time. This is what I want to do.”

The audience in “The View” studio was filled with executives, including ABC News president Ben Sherwood (“Not only the best president of a news division but also the tallest,” Walters joked), ABC executive VP Vicki Dummer, ABC entertainment president Paul Lee, Disney-ABC TV group president Anne Sweeney and Disney CEO Bob Iger, who shared the story of when he first met Walters back in 1976.

He was a production assistant, and was asked to bring something to Walters’ dressing room. He wasn’t expecting her to be there, but she was, and she was very kind to him.

“From then on you called me Jim, my name is Bob,” he quipped, adding more seriously:

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The LA Times has a behind-the-scenes look at Michelle Obama‘s starring role in the Academy Awards Sunday night. The first lady did the honors, awarding Best Picture to “Argo.” ABC News played a big part in making it happens, writes Steven Zeitchik:

To reduce the risk of a leak, ABC News’ political bureau, rather than its entertainment division, was involved in the physical production. Producers and the first lady’s office also found a room that wouldn’t be needed all weekend, since technicians needed to begin set-up on Saturday. The Diplomatic Reception Room – a space that has enjoyed myriad uses over the years, including the site for FDR’s fireside chats – fit the bill. (Producers Craig and Neil) Zadan and Meron also kept all but the top executives out of the loop; Disney’s Robert Iger and Anne Sweeney were among the few not directly involved with the show who knew.

> Update: Turns out ABC News was not involved in the set-up. Rather, it was handled through ABC’s West Coast entertainment division. “We were just as surprised as everyone else when the first lady appeared on the show,” ABC News SVP Jeffrey Schneider tells TVNewser.

As they come together to launch a new network, ABC and Univision have decided on a name for their news and lifestyle channel geared toward Hispanics: Fusion. Fusión, with the same meaning and spelling, but different pronunciation, in Spanish and English, will be based in Miami. The English pronunciation is the one taking hold internally.

TVNewser first reported that “Fusion” was one of the final names being considered back in mid December. Other names under consideration included “Una,” “Powr,” “Vzta” and “Accent.”

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Univision to launch Fusion,” said Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC TV. “Our collaboration will bring unmatched reporting capabilities and understanding of issues and entertainment that resonate with the Hispanic community”

The English-language network will be available at launch in millions of households, including on five of the nation’s biggest distributors: Cablevision, Charter, Cox, AT&T U-verse and Google Fiber.

“Fusion will be the indispensable meeting place for English-speaking Latinos,” added ABC News president Ben Sherwood in an announcement of the name. “Our goal is for this young, vibrant, and media hungry audience to come to Fusion to be informed, entertained and empowered. It will be fresh, fun and optimistic and of great interest to Latinos and non-Latinos alike.”

“Fusion will bring together diverse cultures, voices and viewpoints,” said Isaac Lee, president, Univision News. “We will explore the realities shaping the world, give Latinos a voice in the American conversation and deliver personally relevant local, national and global perspectives.”

The network has hired a CFO and other staffers as it eyes a September launch.

The Hollywood Reporter is out with its annual Women in Entertainment Power 100. For the third straight year, Anne Sweeney, co-chairman of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC Television, tops the list.

Sweeney says her proudest moment this year was ABC’s Day of Giving across all the network and syndicated programming. The network raised $19 million for the Red Cross for victims of Hurricane Sandy. “She has a unique combination of professionalism and warmth,” Katie Couric — who also makes the list this year — says of Sweeney.

NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment chairman Bonnie Hammer, CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler, OWN CEO Oprah Winfrey and PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger also made the list.

Other fun facts from the THR list: Tina Fey gets starstruck by local New York City anchors and Couric’s ringtone is “I’m Sexy and I Know It,” by LMFAO. “It’s a joke,” the “Katie” host says.

On the heels of announcing a $2 million donation for Hurricane Sandy relief, Disney is designating Monday as a “Day of Giving” across ABC network and syndicated programming.

“Good Morning America” will start the “Day of Giving” by dedicating the entire 8am hour to raising money for relief efforts. ABC News anchors, reporters and employees will band together to encourage people to donate to the American Red Cross. The giving continues on “LIVE with Kelly and Michael,” and on “The View” as the ladies encourage their audience to donate to the American Red Cross relief efforts. “The Chew” will do the same as will “Katie.”

“The effects of Hurricane Sandy have impacted millions of people across the entire North East, including many of our co-workers, friends and families,” said Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president, Disney-ABC Television Group, said.

Fortune magazine released its annual list of the 50 most powerful women in business, and a number of media executives are present.

Disney/ABC Television Group president Anne Sweeney was number 12 overall, while USA and Syfy chief Bonnie Hammer was number 33. NBCUniversal News Group chairman Patricia Fili-Krushel was number 41, while Oprah Winfrey barely stayed on the list at number 50. Oprah appeared on “CBS This Morning,” today, where she discussed her drop in the rankings.

WATCH:

Other media execs on the list: Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg was number eight, Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer was number 14, A&E Networks CEO Abbe Raven was number 37, Gannet CEO Gracia Martore was number 45, Time Inc. CEO Laura Lang was 46 and NBCUniversal Bravo and Telemundo chief Lauren Zalaznick was number 48.

The full list is here.

Forbes released this year’s list of the “100 Most Powerful Women,” and women in media are very well-represented. Among TV news personalities, “ABC World News” anchor Diane Sawyer placed 23rd, right behind her bosses’ boss, Disney/ABC entertainment group president Anne Sweeney.

ABC News and CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour placed 53rd overall, while Fox News Channel’s Greta Van Susteren was 94th.

Other media types on the list included New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson at number five, Oprah Winfrey at 11 and Arianna Huffington at 29.

You can check out the full list from Forbes, here.

Left: Skipper, Right: Bodenheimer

In a major development at sports juggernaut ESPN, Disney has announced that ESPN president George Bodenheimer will step down and become executive chairman of the channel in January, 2012. Meanwhile, John Skipper will become the new president of ESPN, as well as co-chairman of the Disney Media Networks alongside Anne Sweeney.

Bodenheimer has been president of ESPN for 13 years, and has worked at the network for 31 years. Skipper has been with ESPN since 1997, and is currently executive VP of content. The news comes just a month after Disney announced that it would transition Disney CEO Bob Iger out of his role and into an executive chairman role in 2015.

2011 has seen a number of sports media executives leave their posts. In May longtime NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol resigned, and in July HBO lost its sports chief Ross Greenburg.

More information below.

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Forbes released its 2011 “Most Powerful Women” list, and a number of prominent TV news personalities and executives made the cut.

ABC “This Week” anchor Christiane Amanpour placed at #44, with her colleague Diane Sawyer right behind her at #47. Their boss, Disney-ABC Television Group chief Anne Sweeney, ranked #25.

The BBC’s Helen Boaden placed #51, while NBC “Today” co-anchor Ann Curry (who was interviewed by Forbes to accompany the list) came in at #66.

Fox News Channel’s Greta Van Susteren–the only cable news anchor on the list–came in at #75.

You can check out the full list here.

Update: A video interview with Greta Van Susteren, after the jump.
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After months of negotiation and speculation, Katie Couric‘s next stop will be ABC, where she got her start as a desk assistant in 1979. ABC announced that Couric, the former CNN and NBC reporter, “Today” show co-anchor and the first woman to solo anchor a network evening newscast — at CBS News — is moving to the world of syndication in a deal with Disney/ABC that also calls for contributions to ABC News beginning this summer.

Couric’s as-yet untitled syndicated show — which already has late afternoon clearance on the 8 ABC O&O’s — will begin in the fall of 2012 and will be executive produced by former NBCU CEO Jeff Zucker.

“It is tremendously exciting to have the creative freedom to develop my own show with Anne Sweeney and Jeff, and to contribute to such a vibrant, innovative news division,” said Couric.

In a note to staff, ABC News president Ben Sherwood writes, “While her primary mission will be to create and launch the new show, Katie is also joining our team at ABC News this summer, bringing her many talents to some of the most important and interesting stories of the day.”

Couric is in Los Angeles this morning — and will be on “The Tonight Show” tonight — as the deal was announced by Anne Sweeney, president of the Disney-ABC Television Group and Co-Chair of Disney Media Networks.

In her statement, Sweeney acknowledged Couric’s role with the news division: “Katie Couric is one of television’s iconic figures and we are thrilled to have forged such an exciting partnership with her. We look forward to having Katie join the best News team in the business, and to working with her to create a dynamic and successful talk show franchise.”

“I’ve known Katie for 14 years,” Sherwood writes, “and even with all of her success, I’m confident that her best days, biggest scoops and most powerful journalism lie directly ahead.”

Sherwood’s memo, and the news release from ABC, after the jump…

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