NEW YORK, June 25 (UPI) -- ABC News announced Wednesday that World News anchor Diane Sawyer will be "stepping aside" from anchoring to work on investigative reports and interviews.
"After wonderful years at World News I decided it is time to move to a new full time role at ABC News," Sawyer announced. She added that she is "dedicated to enterprise reporting, innovative approaches to breaking news and new ways of thinking about big issues and events around the world."
ABC said Sawyer will be working on "new programming, tackling big issues and extraordinary interviews."
David Muir will serve as Sawyer's successor starting September 2.
The network also announced that Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos has been promoted to chief anchor and will be responsible for covering breaking news, special reports and election coverage beginning in November.
ABC said it was Sawyer's choice to step down and she was in no way forced to change positions.
