Christiane Amanpour: Wrong for 'This Week'?

After nearly two decades as an international correspondent for CNN, British-born journalist Christiane Amanpour has decided to join ABC news as host of Sunday political talk show "This Week." But despite her credentials as a widely respected, objective reporter, some have questioned whether Amanpour was the right choice for a genre of program given more to discussion (and the exchange of talking points) than to breaking hard news. Should ABC have gone with someone better grounded in the dynamics of the D.C. punditry? (Watch a CNN promo for Christiane Amanpour's world news coverage)

Bad move by ABC: "From many angles," Amanpour is "a bad choice," says Tom Shales in The Washington Post. Despite her "expertise on foreign affairs," Amanpour "is widely considered to be deficient" on domestic matters and "inside-the-Beltway palaver." And regardless of her vows of objectivity, some consider her too biased, especially against Israel. ABC should have chosen "White House correspondent Jake Tapper."

"ABC's choice of Amanpour for 'This Week' has critics inside the network and beyond"

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The change could be healthy: "It’s true that Amanpour is not, to my knowledge, an expert on health policy or financial reform," says Paul Krugman in The New York Times. "But which TV host is?" Maybe the point "is to do a bit less 'inside-the-Beltway palaver.'" Perhaps a host "who’s knowledgeable about the world rather than the D.C. party circuit might be just the right choice?"

"Hating on Christiane Amanpour"

This could go either way: Amanpour could help "This Week" break away "from the Sunday shows' myopic obsessions," says James Poniewozik in Time. Or, she could become "another Sunday host" with "just a taste of international flair, a little je ne sais quoi. In which case je ne sais what the point is." Let's hope she remakes the show instead of letting it remake her.

"Amanpour to ABC's 'This Week;' a good change, or a waste of talent?'