ABC Turns to Sawyer, Gibson

NEW YORK (Washington Post) – ABC News is drafting two of its biggest stars to fill in on "World News Tonight" while Bob Woodruff recovers from the severe injuries he suffered from a roadside bomb in Iraq. Diane Sawyer and Charlie Gibson, the co-anchors of "Good Morning America," will take turns sharing the broadcast with Elizabeth Vargas for the next month or two and possibly longer, a network executive said. Under the tentative plan, Sawyer and Gibson might each co-anchor two nights a week, with Vargas flying solo one night. Sawyer and Gibson would also try to maintain their schedules at "Good Morning America," which is trying to catch NBC's "Today" in the ratings, but might take off occasional mornings now that Robin Roberts has been made a co-anchor. The plan brings Gibson back to "World News Tonight," where he and Vargas originally filled in after the illness and death of Peter Jennings last year. Gibson was in Washington last night to share anchor duties with Vargas at President Bush's State of the Union address. It is not clear how long Sawyer and Gibson would remain part of the evening news, just as it is not clear how long Woodruff will be sidelined by his injuries or whether he can return to an on-air role at all.