Charles Gibson
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- This article refers to the TV journalist. For other people with the same name, see Charles Gibson (disambiguation).
| Charles Gibson | ||
|---|---|---|
 Charles Gibson, 2008-01-07 |
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| Birth name | Charles deWolf Gibson | |
| Born | March 9, 1943 | |
| Birth place |  Evanston, Illinois |
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| Circumstances | ||
| Occupation | Television journalist | |
| Spouse | Arlene Gibson | |
| Children | Jessica Katherine |
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| Salary | $8 Million | |
| Notable credit(s) | ABC World News anchor (2006–present) Good Morning America co-anchor (1987–1998; 1999–2006) ABC World News correspondent (1981–present) |
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Charles "Charlie" deWolf Gibson (born March 9, 1943) is anchor of ABC World News with Charles Gibson, the network's flagship evening newscast. He became anchor on May 29, 2006, when the program was known as ABC World News Tonight. He also anchors the 5PM EST Information Network weekday newscast on ABC News Radio. Under Gibson's leadership, ABC World News beat NBC Nightly News for the first time in several years. The two programs have now been in a dead heat, taking turns at the top among household viewers and the 25-54 age group prized by advertisers.
Gibson previously co-anchored ABC's Good Morning America for a span of 19 years; first from February 1987 to May 1998, then again from January 1999 to June 2006.
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[edit] Education and early career
Born in Evanston, Illinois, Gibson moved to Washington, D.C., when he was 12. He attended the prestigious Sidwell Friends School, a well-known private college-preparatory school in the city. Gibson graduated from Princeton University where he was news director for the university radio station, WPRB-FM and a member of Princeton Tower Club. He now serves on Princeton's Board of Trustees. Originally, Gibson planned to go into law, but reconsidered when he determined his grades were not sufficient for top tier law schools. Gibson joined the RKO Radio Network in 1966 as a producer, but then switched gears and joined the Coast Guard and worked as a reporter/anchor for WLVA (now WSET) in Lynchburg, Virginia as one of five employees. He then moved to WMAL-TV (now WJLA) in 1970, and took a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1973 before joining ABC in 1975.
[edit] ABC News
During the 1970s and 1980s, Gibson covered the House of Representatives and the White House for ABC News. Prior to anchoring ABC's morning show, Gibson worked as a reporter for World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. He sometimes co-anchored World News when Peter Jennings was reporting on location. He also occasionally substituted for Ted Koppel on Nightline. In 1998-1999, he was a co-anchor on the Monday edition of 20/20 with Connie Chung. On October 8, 2004, he moderated the second presidential debate between George W. Bush and John Kerry.
[edit] World News with Charles Gibson
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Charles Gibson began anchoring ABC World News Tonight regularly after long-time anchor Peter Jennings’ treatment for lung cancer forced him off the set in April 2005. On August 7, 2005, Gibson announced Peter Jennings' death and the following day anchored World News Tonight, eventually being offered the job. Even though he was a leading choice to replace Jennings, Gibson couldn't agree with ABC News president David Westin over how long he would stay in the chair [1]. Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff were then chosen to be Jennings' permanent replacements on December 5, 2005, when they were actually both interim reporters.
Two events gave ABC another opportunity to consider Gibson as its signature news anchor. Bob Woodruff's severe injury in Iraq on January 29, 2006 and the announcement by Elizabeth Vargas that she was pregnant. With Woodruff's absence, some critics questioned whether Vargas could sustain the program on her own, pointing to falling ratings. In March 2006, The New York Post's Cindy Adams reported that Gibson would become Bob Woodruff's "Temporary Permanent Replacement" on WNT. [2] On May 23, 2006, Gibson was named sole anchor of WNT, effective May 29, 2006, after Vargas announced her resignation from the show; she cited her doctors' recommendation to considerably reduce her workload due to her upcoming maternity leave, and her wish to spend more time with her new baby. [3] She would return to anchor 20/20. During the summer of 2006, the show's title was changed to World News with Charles Gibson. According to the New York Times, he had been scheduled to leave ABC News on June 22, 2007, but stayed on to anchor the newscast.[1]
[edit] Personal
Gibson's wife Arlene is an educator who recently retired as Head of School at the Spence School in New York. She has also held positions at other schools in New York and New Jersey and was the head of the middle school at the Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore in the 1980s.
Gibson has two daughters, Jessica and Katherine. On March 14, 2006, Jessica gave birth to Gibson's first grandchild.
On May 17, 2006, Gibson delivered the commencement address at Monmouth University's Class of 2006 graduation ceremony held at the PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey. He was also presented with an honorary doctorate in humane letters.
Gibson is widely perceived as friendly and approachable, yet highly professional. In an interview on Fox News Channel, Gibson's elevation to WNT was praised by Brit Hume, anchor of the cable network's Special Report and Gibson's former colleague at ABC News.
On June 17, 2007, Charles Gibson delivered the commencement address to the class of 2007 at Union College's 213th graduation ceremonies. Gibson received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the ceremony, as well as a framed copy of his father's 1923 College yearbook entry. His father, Burdett, grew up in Schenectady, NY and graduated from the College in 1923. Gibson contributed an estimated $75,000 to Union College to help create the Burdett Gibson Class of 1923 Scholarship, which will be awarded annually to a deserving student in need.
Gibson donated $85,000 to Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA to establish the Lang Gibson II Music Scholarship Fund in memory of his late brother who died in early 2006.
[edit] Trivia
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- Gibson was identified as Charlie Gibson for Good Morning America, but is called Charles Gibson for World News, field reports, and the presidential debates. Correspondents appearing on the broadcast always refer to him as "Charlie", however.
- Gibson appears in the Disney film The Rookie anchoring World News Tonight and introduces a package about Jim Morris, the main character of the film.
- Gibson states that when it comes to cable news, he normally watches CNN Headline News to get a quick fix on news. He also watches Fox News Channel's Special Report with Brit Hume, which is anchored by former ABC News correspondent and colleague Brit Hume, for whom Gibson has tremendous respect (see [4], [5]).
- Gibson is a huge Washington Redskins and Baltimore Orioles fan.
- After assuming the permanent role as WNT anchor, Gibson soon began to close each WNT broadcast by telling viewers, "I hope you had a good day. And from all of us at ABC News, I hope you have a good night." A noticeable departure from this closing took place on April 16, 2007 when Gibson, in light of the mass shootings on the Virginia Tech campus, sadly closed the broadcast with "I wish I could say this has been a good day -- it hasn't." [6]
- WNT salary is $8,000,000 per year, the same as his GMA salary
- On April 30, 2008, for the first time since Gibson left the GMA, he came as a guest anchor, filling in for old partner Diane Sawyer.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Steinberg, Jacques. "Charles Gibson Enjoys a Second Wind on ABC", New York Times, May 17, 2007.
[edit] External links
- ABC News Bio
- Charles Gibson's Official Facebook Page
- Charlie Gibson's Goodbye Speech on GMA
- Charlie Gibson Tribute Videos
- Photos: Celebrating Charlie's 19 years
- Gibson to Union College graduates: "Know what you stand for"
- Washington Post media critic's summary of media coverage of Gibson's moderating '08 Democratic Debate on April 16, 2008.[7]
[edit] Network "Successions"
| Preceded by David Hartman and Joan Lunden |
Good Morning America co-anchor February 23, 1987–1998 with Joan Lunden from February 23, 1987 to May 23, 1997, and with Lisa McRee from 1997 to 1998 |
Succeeded by Lisa McRee and Kevin Newman |
| Preceded by Lisa McRee and Kevin Newman |
Good Morning America co-anchor January 18, 1999–June 28, 2006 with Diane Sawyer from 1999 to 2006, and Robin Roberts starting in 2005 |
Succeeded by Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts |
| Preceded by Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff |
ABC World News Tonight anchor May 29, 2006–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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