Diane Sawyer's debut as anchor of ABC's "World News" gave the show a ratings boost. Nearly 9 million viewers tuned in on Monday to see Sawyer's first appearance — up from an average Monday audience of about 8.4 million. But critics disagree on whether Sawyer, who was popular as host of Good Morning America, will go over well with the show's core audience, and whether she's capable of bringing in new viewers. So what are the early indications? (Watch segments from Diane Sawyer's first "World News" show)
Sawyer brings new energy to ABC: Diane Sawyer's signals that "alpha news anchors" are back, says Alessandra Stanley in The New York Times. Her predecessor, Charlie Gibson, was "unpretentious" and easy going. Sawyer's debut was notable for her "utter seriousness," and her Day 1 interview with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad showed that behind Sawyer's "twinkly warmth" is enough "high-octane drive" for big stories to match CBS' Katie Couric and NBC's Brian Williams.
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