Monday, Jun. 04, 2001
Whining At 11
By Ann Marie Bonardi, Amanda Bower, Lina Lofaro, Ellin Martens, Sora Song, Heather Won Tesoriero, Josh Tyrangiel and Rebecca Winters
NEWS MOVES ABC announced it will move 20/20 from Friday to Wednesday nights in the fall. Unhappy star Barbara Walters responded that she might bolt the show when her contract allows. Are schedule shifts worth all this fuss? In the world of ABC's rival news divas, yes.
FEBRUARY 1989 Diane Sawyer hired away from CBS by ABC, with promise of a news show, Prime Time Live. Walters expresses "concern" that PTL will be a clone of her magazine show, 20/20.
DECEMBER 1991 DS gets big interview with Patricia Bowman, woman allegedly raped by William Kennedy Smith. BW not happy.
MAY 1998 DS's show Prime Time Live is renamed 20/20 Wednesday, putting it under BW's umbrella. DS not happy.
JANUARY 1999 DS plays good network soldier, takes job as Good Morning America co-anchor. Among her duties: promoting BW's big interview with Monica Lewinsky. Poor Diane.
MAY 2000 ABC gives DS's show most of its old name back (Prime Time Thursday), makes Millionaire its blockbuster lead-in. BW, who wanted Regis as her lead-in, expresses "deep disappointment." Poor Babs.
MAY 2001 ABC says it will move 20/20 out of longtime Friday time slot. They would never do this to Hugh Downs!