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Charles (not Charlie) Gibson bows Wednesday on “Good Morning America”
Wednesday morning is ABC’s official farewell, chock full of fuzzy tributes and well-wishes, for Charles Gibson. He’s not actually leaving, however; he’s merely moving from mornings to evenings.
And it’s not even his first going-away party. He said goodbye to “Good Morning America” in 1998, only to return less than a year later.
It’s safe to say, however, that Gibson won’t return to the crack-of-dawn detail again now that he’s got the top gig anchoring “World News Tonight.” This is the job everyone in TV news wants, and now, finally, he’s got it.
By the way, you may have noticed that he’s Charlie Gibson in the informal morning news and Charles Gibson on the evening news.
Altogether, Gibson has toiled in morning news for nearly two decades, paired with an assortment of partners, from Joan Lunden to Diane Sawyer. He’s a serious news guy and a comfy presence, which is why he’s perfect for the evening news slot. The word “anchor” implies strength and stability, and Gibson’s got both.
With Gibson leaving “GMA” and Katie Couric already departed NBC’s top-rated “Today” for the prime anchor job at CBS (which she begins Sept. 5), the morning news programs are likely to be in a state of flux for a while. Meredith Vieira is expected to segue nicely into “Today,” but big questions remain about “GMA.”
For one thing, nobody is certain pairing Sawyer with Robin Roberts is the answer to the hole left by Gibson. And nobody is certain how long Sawyer will be willing to trudge on in what was always intended to be a temporary assignment when she took it in ‘99.
“GMA” also must find a news anchor to replace Roberts, and the weather job once held by Tony Perkins is still open. To say “GMA” is in transition is to put it mildly. The morning wars are going to be an interesting competition.
Remembering Spelling
Hit-maker Aaron Spelling’s death on Friday prompted reminiscences and tributes around Hollywood over the weekend. The 83-year-old producer, whose programs (“Charlie’s Angels,” “Fantasy Island,” etc.) were dubbed “cotton candy for the brain,” suffered a stroke and died at his humongous home.
Texas born and Southern Methodist University educated, Spelling was remembered by Dallas’s CBS TV station, USA Today and the Associated Press, just to name a few.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: News coverage
Comments
By austinights
June 26, 2006 01:34 PM | Link to this
I for one mourn the death of Aaron Spelling. The man did it right. He went to Hollywood with little or no money, tried his bit at acting, then delved into producing and ultimately became a huge player in the industry. Though his shows might be considered "fluff" by industry standards....they had one thing most these days doesn't.....longevity. Most of his shows lasted more than a few seasons with the longer ones going up to ten seasons. Tremendous inspiration! Beats reality TV any day of the week.