Christiane Amanpour Exits CNN for ABC Politics Show

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Mar 19th 2010 09:55AM

ABC News has hired Christiane Amanpour, one of CNN's best-known personalities for her hard-nosed reporting from war zones over the past two decades, to host its Sunday morning political talk show starting this summer. She replaces George Stephanopoulos, who left 'This Week' in December to take over as co-host of ABC's 'Good Morning America.'

Amanpour was chosen over some internal ABC candidates, including Jake Tapper and Terry Moran. Former ABC 'Nightline' host Ted Koppel was even in the mix at one point, and there was chatter of trying to bring over another CNN star, Anderson Cooper, for the job.

"With Christiane, we have the opportunity to provide our audiences with something different on Sunday mornings," ABC News President David Westin said.

Amanpour, 52, said she was exhilarated by the challenge. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime and a unique opportunity," she said.

She had a high profile as CNN's top international correspondent in the days when there was only one cable news network, reporting from conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, the Balkans and elsewhere.

Since moving to New York three years ago to be with her husband, former U.S. State Department spokesman James Rubin, Amanpour has been seen much less frequently. She hosts a daily program for the CNN International network. Highlights of those are shown for a half hour each Sunday afternoon on CNN's domestic network.

"I leave CNN with the utmost respect, love and admiration for the company and everyone who works here," said Amanpour. "This has been my family and shared endeavor for the past 27 years and I am forever grateful and proud of all that we have accomplished."

ABC has been courting her for a job since back when Roone Arledge was head of the news division more than a decade ago. She and Westin both said the time was right now.

"Of all the people I know in this business, Christiane knows herself and she knows the news," said Frank Sesno, former CNN Washington bureau chief. "I think it's a very interesting and wise move for her and I think it will be a very different kind of program. George was the consummate insider, a former White House staffer turned interviewer. Christiane is the exact opposite."

She's already a non-Washington insider, who will commute to her new job from a home in New York.

That could be a risk for ABC, whose Sunday morning program has generally run a strong second to NBC's 'Meet the Press,' with the competition closer since the death of NBC's Tim Russert.

Amanpour downplayed the idea that 'This Week' will dramatically change. "This is something that people have come to really know and depend on," she said. "The creative DNA of the show will remain. What we want to do is broaden it even more."

Tags: christiane amanpour

Comments

(30)

Friday 19 March

By d

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Wrong choice in my opinion for a sit down daytime tv desk job interviewing people. Ted Coppel would have been perfect for that job. She is better at traveling and doing news stories around the world. Also, she has a very forceful personality and very opinionated and likes to steel the limelight, observing and listening to her on tv when she covered a vatican news program. She kept going on and on when everyone wanted to watch what was going on at the time. I cant remember what the program was about but remember I had to turn the channel to watch what was happening instead of her. Other than that, she does a good job traveling around the world doing news stories.

By Kasey

I'd rather see Ted Koppel. Frankly, I'd rather see an American in that slot. Amanpour is too sympathetic to Al_Jazeera which kind of makes her Anti-American and we have far more than enough of the antiamericanism on the air now.

By sharon

I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO COKIE ROBERTS FIRST. SHE WAS GREAT. THEN CANCER STRUCK. SHE SHOULD HAVE HAD FIRST CHOICE TO ACCEPT OR NOT. SURE DO MISS SEEING HER ON A REGULAR BASIS. SMART LADY!!

By Fred Oliveri

I like her, she is fantastic and honest, not like the democrats. I had hope she would move to FOX, the only honest news channel.

By dtruckdrivinfool

She and Jane Fonda must share notes. She's anti American, anti Military and aids the enemy. If I were a soldier in Iraq I would have shot her point blank and left here and her cameraman for the buzzards.

By Joseph McGaffigan

CNN,I will consider an offer to fill the opening Chistianne leaves. Please contact me. JM.

By Cat

Big part of the "I hate America" crowd. Won't miss her.

By Chris

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I have always loved Christiane's no nonsense reporting style. I guess I will follow her to ABC. Congratulations Christiane!

By my98xlclassic

When she was young she was called a liar,now that she is older she is called a reporter.!

By Joe

ABC, NBC, like CNN all suck. They have idiots reporting news for them. Now, FOX, there's your news channel. Everyone watch Fox, if you want the truth in media.

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