Amanpour speaks to Harvard Class Day, 2010\
When the announcement was made that ABC News was placing Christiane Amanpour in the anchor's seat for their Sunday news show, This Week, I was fairly optimistic. I thought placing someone who was female and had focused primarily on global outlooks would put a fresh and interesting perspective on the news of the day.
However, I completely underestimated the power of the Village to demand conformity. Amanpour's interviews got less and less journalistic as the time wore on, her questions barely anything more than a set up to allow invited politicians to spew forth whatever talking point they wanted. And far too often, those invited politicians reflected just one side of the debate, though I don't know how much blame for that lies with Amanpour. The fact remains that Amanpour was simply a potential that was never fully realized, because her real power lay with being an outsider and that wasn't going to stand with the arbiters of the Inside the Beltway mentality.
It would appear the confines of acceptable Village speak is wearing on Amanpour and it looks like she's ready to jump ship:
Christiane Amanpour may soon be giving up the anchor chair on ABC News’ “This Week.” Sources say network honchos are mulling who might replace the award-winning journalist, who has struggled in the ratings since she jumped from CNN to take the reins of the public affairs show in August 2010. [..]
Sources said she’s been “miserable” at ABC and clashed with network executives. Other sources say the DC bureau never warmed up to Amanpour, who was seen as an outsider, commuting to Washington every week to host the show.
Jake Tapper--among others--have been named as possible replacements, including former host George Stephanopoulos pulling double duty with his Good Morning America anchor job. After six years on the job of monitoring these Sunday shows, I actually would be okay with Tapper getting the permanent seat, rather than as substitute host. Unlike other anchors, he's actually fairly approachable and was the first person to coordinate fact-checking with his show.
