of her failure to boost ratings and move “This Week” out of third place.
But ABC isn’t firing her. Instead, ABC and her old employer, CNN, have reached an unusual deal to share her talents. Amanpour, 53, will become ABC’s global affairs specialist, contributing to prime time news shows and any other ABC productions where she is relevant. At the same time, she will become the full-time host of a daily CNN program. But her CNN show will be broadcast on CNN International and will not be seen inside the United States.
In August 2010, Amanpour replaced George Stephanopoulos Sunday mornings at ABC News. Now Stephanopoulos will replace Amanpour as host of “This Week.”
ABC said Stephanopoulos, who returns January 8, will remain as host of “Good Morning America,” although likely on a four-day rather than five-day schedule. Amanpour was hired for “This Week” when Stephanopoulos was moved to “Good Morning America,” ABC’s early morning program.
Amanpour insisted she was delighted with the change. “This role is groundbreaking, bold and very different,” Amanpour said. “I am thrilled and honored.”
Critics wondered from the start whether the Iranian-born Amanpour, a veteran foreign correspondent for CNN, was a good fit for a panel show dominated by American political issues. The show with her is still in third place in the ratings behind NBC’s “Meet the Press” and a resurgent “Face the Nation” on CBS. This Week is down 1 percent in ratings from last year.
The dawning of an American election year seemed to boost her competitors, old Washington hands Bob Schieffer at CBS and David Gregory at NBC. She will be replaced by Stephanopoulos the week that all the shows will likely be reviewing the outcome of the Iowa GOP caucuses. Stephanopoulos is also a US politics geek. He used to work for the House of Representatives and was a spokesman for President Bill Clinton.
Amanpour said she was looking forward to getting back out to do more international reporting and speaking to a worldwide audience on CNN, where she worked for more than two decades.
Amanpour will be making occasional appearances on CNN’s U.S. channel, spokeswoman Christa Robinson said.
“Meet the Press” is averaging 2.92 million viewers this season, but that’s down 5 percent from last year. “Face the Nation,” at 2.86 million viewers, is up 6 percent. “This Week” is averaging 2.26 million viewers this season, down 1 percent.