ABC's World News Tonight

ABC's World News Tonight has 2 presenters, Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff. Looks like it will be our version of the BBC's 6 O'Clock News. A short press release is at the bottom.

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Courtesy of ABC News.

I hope it gets a new look at the same time. I've never seen such a bland set in my life; it's just so dull. One enormous, randomly-placed slab of a screen behind what I would loosely term a newsdesk, a couple of workstations attached to the front edge of it, a lecturn, and a few screens at mezzanine level do not make for a particularly interesting broadcast space.

The press release is a bit vague, but I'm presuming the use of the term "co-anchoring" means they'll host the show together, not alternating hosting duties.

Also, they both seems to be under 70!

I notice last nights WNT was co-anchored by Bob and Elizabeth both in the studio. I don't think it worked very well, it was a bit mish-mashed. Bob seemed to do the first few stories, then it switched to Elizabeth, then back to Bob at the end.

They could have done it in a Channel 4 News style, with Bob doing the first part of the show, and Elizabeth with the 'other news'

They could, but I think a solo format suits American network news more. Or they could just have done it the obvious way, like on the Six or the ITV Evening News.

Instead it started off with Bob at the desk for the first few stories, then Liz was at the 'podium' standing up at a plasma, they made no use of their 'huge' screen!!! Then, back to Bob at the desk. It finished with them both sitting at the desk - I don't see why they couldn't have done that for the whole broadcast! It would have looked a lot more consistent.

From the clip on TV Ark from last week it suggests the main intention of two anchors is to have one on the road, one in the studio.


Are many US network news programmes duel anchored - and from what I've seen of US news programmes it's nice to see some ahchors under 70. I guess that's why they've had two - so at least their combined age rivals their rivals!

Really just the network breakfast programmes that are dual-anchored. But apart from ABC WNT the main evening programmes are all solo-anchored.

I don't know which I prefer, but I don't think ABC's idea of them both in the studio worked very well last night.

American news programmes seem to be more 'presenter/personality' led than what it is here in the UK.

It did not work well with Connie Chung and Dan Rather a decade ago. CBS ditched Chung, and Rather became America's Trevor McDonald (or McDonald perhaps became the UK's Dan Rather)

Perhaps Liz and Bob may pull it off. I think that Liz is the stronger of the two. They also for some bizarre reason remind me of Shereen Nanjiani and John Mackay after Viv Lumsden left in the late nineties. Yet they have a great chemistry now.

I think that ABC World News Tonight will go down a Mark Austin and Mary Nightingale route. However, if the ratings don't do well, there will be presenter reshuffling. Although - I HOPE NOT; I like the two of them!

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I agree that Liz is certainly the stronger of the two, she is very confident. I think if it were to revert back to a solo-presented broadcast, she would defo be the stronger candidate.