Diane Sawyer Does 'Fine' in Debut

Diane Sawyer slid easily into the "ABC World News" anchor chair tonight, and really, were you expecting anything different? The second woman at the solo helm of an evening newscast "made a strong, if a bit over-animated, debut," writes Robert Bianco. She interviewed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, offered a shout-out to predecessor Charlie Gibson, and generally confirmed that she has what it takes.

Nevertheless, "f you don't like Diane Sawyer, that won't much matter," observes Bianco, the USA Today TV critic. And the same is true of her counterparts at NBC and, especially, CBS. "With all three broadcasts fundamentally equal in terms of approach, philosophy, budget and talent, the dividing line is the anchor, and the choice is really more a matter of personal preference than anchor ability."
(More Diane Sawyer stories.)