George Stephanopoulos Begins "GMA" Career With Hint To Program's Hard-News Shift

[jefferson_dem]

George Stephanopoulos Begins "GMA" Career With Hint To Program's Hard-News Shift
FRAZIER MOORE | 12/14/09 09:08 AM



NEW YORK — George Stephanopoulos began tackling an early shift Monday in his new job co-hosting ABC's "Good Morning America."

Robin Roberts termed it "the dawn of a new day" as she welcomed Stephanopoulos beside her at the "GMA" anchor desk.

He began the program in strong form with a lengthy segment on President Barack Obama's tough calls to bankers to lend more money to homeowners and small businesses to help fix the economy.

In his interview with senior presidential adviser David Axelrod at the White House he also pressed for the current status of health-care legislation.

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The appointment of Stephanopoulos, the network's chief political correspondent, was announced only Thursday. But his selection coincides with a mission by "GMA" to shift more toward harder news, particularly in the show's first 45 minutes, and add reports on health, consumer and legal issues,

Beyond that Stephanopoulos' challenge is even clearer: Bring more viewers to "GMA." NBC's rival morning show, "Today," recently marked 14 years of winning each week in the ratings, and its victory margin of 1.5 million viewers was its largest in more than three years, according to the Nielsen Co.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/14/george-stephanopoulos-beg_n_390814.html

[BeyondGeography]

1. So Steph is in the hard news biz now?

Riiiiiight.

[undeterred]

2. This seems like a step down for him

but maybe ratings were really bad for his show. I don't see how this is going to help GMA. I stopped watching when they kicked Joan Lunden off for no good reason.

[CTyankee]

3. I'll have to catch the show at the top of the first hour...missed it today.

I look forward to more of a hard news edge. All those screaming people waiting for some country or rock star just totally drove me away, plus the stupid "newsy" stuff...Diane and Robin were just as capable to do that but I guess their marching orders was to entertain screaming people...

[AngryOldDem]

4. It won't work.

People don't want "This Week" at 7 a.m. I am a little puzzled by this change -- I don't think this will catch up GMA to Today.

[goclark]

5. Please George ~ take a vacation and let Robin fill in for you

Robin is a classy lady and adds so much to the show.

I watched this morning and he is boring to me.

[undeterred]

6. I wonder if they brought his highchair over from the other studio.

[bigwillq]

7. Is that in reference to his height

or his baby-like whining? :shrug:

[undeterred]

8. They did have a special chair for him to look taller

but it didn't fix the whining.

[bigwillq]

9. The whining he can control.

The height he can't. The magic of television.