Elizabeth Vargas Named Co-Anchor of ABC’s ‘World News Tonight’

ABC News has announced that Latina journalist Elizabeth Vargas will take the helm as co-anchor for the broadcast network’s evening newscast, “World News Tonight”. Vargas will share the anchor position with fellow ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff.

Vargas and Woodruff will replace long-time anchor Peter Jennings, who passed away in August from lung cancer.

Vargas is currently co-anchor of ABC’s “20/20” and will continue to work in that position. Of Puerto Rican and Irish descent, Vargas will become the first Latina to host a network evening news program. In 2000, she won an Emmy award for her live coverage of the Elián Gonzalez story. She joined “20/20” as a co-anchor in 2004 and has been a regular substitute on “World News Tonight” since Jennings announced his sickness in April 2005. She also anchored ABC’s “World News Tonight Sunday”.

“Kudos to Ms. Vargas for all the hard work that’s gotten her this far,” said Iván Román, NAHJ’s executive director. “Talented journalists always represent us well and it’s wonderful to have a Hispanic woman in one of the most visible news positions in the country. We congratulate Elizabeth and we congratulate ABC News for recognizing her talent and taking this step.”

Vargas and Woodruff will debut in their new positions on ABC’s Tuesday, January 3 broadcast.