History of ABC News in Timeline
ABC News is the news division of the American television network ABC. Its most well-known program is the daily evening newscast ABC World News Tonight with David Muir. Other notable programs include the morning show Good Morning America, late-night news program Nightline, investigative journalism shows Primetime and 20/20, and the Sunday morning political affairs program This Week with George Stephanopoulos.
1942: FCC Orders NBC Blue Network Spin-off
In 1942, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ordered NBC to spin off its Blue Network to expand competition in radio broadcasting, especially in news and political broadcasting, aiming to broaden the viewpoints presented to the public.
1943: Birth of ABC as NBC Blue Network
In 1943, the NBC Blue Network, spun off from NBC as mandated by the FCC, was established. This move was driven by the need to increase competition and diversify perspectives in the radio broadcasting landscape, which was dominated by a few major players like NBC and CBS.
August 1948: ABC Launches Regular Television News Broadcasts
Following the launch of its first owned-and-operated TV station, WJZ-TV (now WABC-TV) in New York City in August 1948, ABC commenced regular television news broadcasts. These broadcasts continued to expand as the ABC network grew nationally.
1977: Roone Arledge Revolutionizes ABC News
In 1977, Roone Arledge, known for his innovative approach in sports broadcasting, was appointed as the president of ABC News. With his leadership, ABC News invested heavily in becoming a prominent source of news content. Arledge's experimental approach led to the creation of iconic ABC News programs such as 20/20, World News Tonight, This Week, Nightline, and Primetime Live.
1985: Controversy Over Marilyn Monroe Report Suppression
In 1985, a major controversy erupted at ABC News when Roone Arledge, then president of ABC News and Sports, chose to suppress a 13-minute report focused on Marilyn Monroe. Speculation arose that his close relationship with Ethel Kennedy played a role in the decision. This action sparked strong criticism from 20/20 co-anchors Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters, as well as the show's executive producer, Av Westin, who believed the report was thoroughly researched and journalistically sound. While Arledge defended his decision, claiming the piece lacked substance and relied on unsubstantiated rumors, others within ABC News believed the report contained significant evidence regarding Monroe's alleged relationships with John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. The decision to kill the report is believed to have contributed to Geraldo Rivera's decision to depart from ABC.
1995: Starwave Launches ESPNet SportsZone
In 1995, Starwave owned and operated ESPNet SportsZone, which would later be known as ESPN.com.
June 1998: ABC News Divests from Worldwide Television News
In June 1998, ABC News, which held an 80% stake in Worldwide Television News, sold its share to the Associated Press. This move also involved Nine Network and ITN selling their respective interests in Worldwide Television News. In a related move, ABC News established a multi-year content partnership with AP for its affiliate video service, Associated Press Television News (APTV). As part of the agreement, ABC News would provide content from its own video service, ABC News One, to APTV.
July 26, 2004: ABC News Now Launched
On July 26, 2004, ABC News Now, a 24-hour cable news network, launched as a digital subchannel by ABC News.
2005: ABC News Now's Experimental Phase Ends
ABC News Now's experimental phase ended with the Presidential inauguration in 2005 and was shut down as a digital subchannel.
2011: ABC News Partners with Yahoo News
In 2011, ABC News and Yahoo News announced a strategic partnership to share ABC's online reporting on Yahoo's website.
May 2, 2012: ABC and Univision Announce Fusion
On May 2, 2012, ABC and Univision formally announced their launch of Fusion.
June 30, 2012: TVNZ 7 Ceases Operations
TVNZ 7, which had broadcasted ABC World News daily, ceased operations on June 30, 2012.
October 28, 2013: ABC News Now Replaced with Fusion
ABC News Now was replaced with Fusion on October 28, 2013.
August 7, 2014: ABC Announces Relaunch of ABC Radio
On August 7, 2014, ABC announced its plan to relaunch its radio network division, ABC Radio, on January 1, 2015. The decision came after Cumulus declared its intention to replace its existing ABC News radio service with Westwood One News (sourced from CNN).
December 2015: Disney in Talks to Sell Stake in Fusion
In December 2015, Disney was reportedly in talks to sell its stake in Fusion to Univision.
2015: Partnership Between ABC News and Yahoo News Expanded
In 2015, the deal between ABC News and Yahoo News was expanded to include the Disney/ABC Television Group.
April 21, 2016: Disney Sells Stake in Fusion to Univision
On April 21, 2016, Disney completed its sale of its stake in Fusion to Univision. Univision would continue to operate Fusion alone.
March 2018: Reorganization of The Walt Disney Company Impacts ABC News Digital
In March 2018, The Walt Disney Company implemented a significant structural reorganization, leading to the creation of the Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International segment. As a result of this restructuring, ABC News Digital and Live Streaming, including ABC News Live and FiveThirtyEight, were shifted under the umbrella of this newly formed segment.
April 2018: FiveThirtyEight Moves to ABC News
In April 2018, it was announced that FiveThirtyEight, a website known for its data-driven journalism and statistical analysis, would be transferred from ESPN, Inc. to ABC News. Both ESPN and ABC News are majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, making this an internal shift within the company.
September 10, 2018: Launch of GMA3: What You Need To Know
On September 10, 2018, ABC News initiated its second endeavor to expand the Good Morning America brand into the afternoon time slot with the launch of GMA3: What You Need To Know.
October 2018: ABC News Ranked Second Most Trusted News Organization
In October 2018, a Simmons Research survey ranked ABC News the second most trusted news organization by Americans.
2018: ABC News Live Launches
ABC News Live, a 24/7 streaming video news channel, was launched in 2018.
2018: ABC News and Good Morning America End Hosting Partnership with Yahoo
In 2018, ABC News and Good Morning America specifically ended their hosting partnership with Yahoo and continued with their own separate web presences.
September 20, 2019: ABC Radio Rebranded as ABC Audio
Reflecting its expanded offerings beyond traditional radio, ABC Radio was rebranded as ABC Audio on September 20, 2019. This change signified the network's broadened focus, encompassing a diverse portfolio of podcasts, on-demand content, and linear programming.
December 31, 2021: Fusion Shut Down
Univision shut down the Fusion network on December 31, 2021.
