Amanpour leaving ABC's "This Week," heading back to CNN

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Christiane Amanpour is leaving the anchor chair of ABC’s “This Week” and returning to her old network home, CNN, as the anchor of an evening newscast on CNN International. The changes come a year and a half after Amanpour left  CNN anchor “This Week,” the Sunday morning public affairs program on ABC.
There, she replaced George Stephanopoulos, who had moved to ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Stephanopoulos will return to anchor “This Week” while remaining on GMA.


Moderating “This Week,” with its focus on domestic politics, was a bit of a surprise to observers because Amanpour is known globally for her coverage of foreign conflicts. Effective sometime next year, she’ll be back at CNN to anchor a new program on CNN International, the version of CNN that’s also seen outside the US.

“In a unique arrangement with ABC News, Christiane will continue to report for their news programs, as well,” Jim Walton, CNN’s Worldwide president said in a memo. “We could not be happier than to welcome back to the CNN organization the leading international journalist working in television news, who also happens to be our longtime colleague and friend.”

Her biggest scoop at ABC came in February, when she interviewed President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt shortly before he stepped down. Her time on “This Week” coincided with a decline in ABC’s competitive position on Sunday mornings. For years, “This Week” had been the No. 2 Sunday AM talker, behind NBC’s “Meet the Press,” long at No. 1. Lately, though, CBS’s “Face the Nation” has moved into the No. 2 position, challenging “Meet the Press” and making “This Week” No. 3.