mediabistro.com: TVNewser

2005: ABC Replaces Two With Five

For the rest of this year's news about ABC News check the ABC category.

> Dec. 16: Ex-ABC reporter Richard Gizbert wins a U.K. unfair-dismissal suit

> Dec. 5: GMA announces an XM satellite radio show

> Dec. 14: Michael Clemente takes charge of "ABC Digital News"

> Dec. 12: The skeptics weigh in on ABC's West Coast WNT plan

> Dec. 7: V&W will be "a real partnership," Vargas says

> Dec. 6: Charlie Gibson wanted the job, but not on ABC's terms

> Dec. 5: Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff become anchors of World News Tonight; ABC announces webcast and Web site expansion; V&W tell viewers

> Dec. 3: Nightline tries to hold a town hall in Baghdad

> Nov. 30: A bunch of negative Nightline reviews

> Nov. 29: In the wee hours, ABC launches the new, LIVE Nightline

> Nov. 23: Ted Koppel signs off: "Give this new Nightline anchor team a fair break. If you don't, I promise you the network will just put another comedy show in this time slot. Then you'll be sorry"

> Nov. 21: Nightline's "primary correspondents:" Vicki Mabrey, Chris Bury and John Donvan

> Nov. 17: At Koppel's farewell party, he tells the new Nightliners: "I don't know if everyone will give you a fair amount of time, but I promise you I will"

> Nov. 8: WNT launches "Quit to Live" stop-smoking campaign

> Nov. 7: Koppel warns ABC not to tweak Nightline to appeal to a younger demo

> Nov. 3: GMA celebrates its 30th anniversary; It looks great in HDTV

> Oct. 24: B&C floats Diane Sawyer's name for the WNT anchor chair; ABC quickly denies it

> Oct. 18: Goldston says "no one has presented any evidence that we're softening Nightline"

> Oct. 17: ABC officially names Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran and Martin Bashir co-anchors of Nightline; The program will move to a multi-topic format and air live at 11:35 p.m.

> Oct. 12: Tony Perkins says he is leaving GMA for WTTG in D.C.

> Oct. 5: Koppel and Tom Bettag are rumored to be working on a deal with HBO

> Sept. 24: WNT beats NN two quarters in a row in the 25-54 demo

> Sept. 24: ABC airs a six hour edition of GMA Weekend for Rita

> Sept. 9: Nightline is #1 in its timeslot the week of Katrina

> Remembering Peter Jennings

> Aug. 1: Nightline broadcasts an interview with the mastermind of the Beslan school massacre; Russia condemns the program and declares ABC to be "persona non grata"

> July 28: James Goldston will take over for Bettag as Nightline EP at the end of the year

> July 14: Nightline's first HDTV broadcast airs

> June 7: Woodruff begins reporting exclusively from North Korea

> May 23: ABC News is preparing to podcast

> May 23: ABC names Kathy O'Hearn EP of This Week

> May 9: Robin Roberts is promoted to GMA anchor

> Apr. 18: The NYT says ABC's corporate parents are committed to news at 11:35pm, post-Koppel

> Apr. 4: ABC News Now turns into a "multimedia news initiative"

> Mar. 31: Koppel says he is leaving ABC; Also, his note to viewers and speculation about his future; he says he wants to "go on making great television"

> Mar. 14: 20/20 EP David Sloan is named interim EP of Primetime Live