20/20
(Fridays, 10:00-11:00 p.m., ET)
The ABC News primetime news magazine "20/20" has distinguished itself as one of the most esteemed programs in broadcast journalism. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this season, "20/20" continues to combine hard-hitting investigative reports, newsmaker interviews and compelling human interest and feature stories. The program features the award-winning legend of broadcast journalism, anchor Barbara Walters. Award-winning correspondnet John Stossel joined Walters on the anchor desk in May 2003. For over two decades "20/20" has offered viewers reports and stories that have changes lives.
Featured contributors to the program include ABC News correspondents Bob Brown, Juju Chang, Chris Cuomo, Jami Floyd, Dr. Timothy Johnson, Bill Ritter, Deborah Roberts, Brian Ross, Lynn Sherr and Elizabeth Vargas.
Amid the heated, competitive environment of primetime entertainment, "20/20" has demonstrated its ability to consistently attract a significant segment of the viewing audience by offering viewers more choices and more chances to learn about the world around them.
This past season, "20/20" brought viewers such newsmakers as President and Mrs. Bush, Senator Hillary Clinton?s first interview discussing her highly-anticipated autobiography, Cuban President Fidel Castro, Former Vice Presidnet Al Gore in his first formal interview since the controversial 2000 Presidential election, and a candid conversation with media phenoms The Osbournes. "20/20" also tackled tough issues surrounding the war with Iraq, including reports on Iraqi women and children who lived throught the first Persian Gulf war.
"20/20" has been honored by numerous organizations and societies and has received more than 300 awards to date. Included in this list are several dozen Emmy Awards, two Alfred I. duPont Awards, 18 National Headliner Awards, eight awards from the American Women in Radio and Television, four Clarion Awards, four CINE Golden Eagle Awards, a Gabriel Award with a Certificate of Merit, four George Foster Peabody Awards, an Amnesty International Media Spotlight Award, an RFK Journalism Award, a Front Page Award from the Newswomen?s Club of New York, Inc., an award for Best National News Broadcast on a Psychiatric Subject from the Southern California Psychiatric Society, the Aviation and Space Writers Association Award of Excellence, and the Howard Blakeslee Award of the American Heart Association, among others.
"20/20" premiered Tuesday, June 6, 1978, at 10:00 p.m., ET, with co-anchors Harold Hayes and Robert Hughes. A week later, on June 13, Hugh Downs was named the sole host of the show. In September, 1984, Barbara Walters was formally named co-host.
"20/20" began its first regularly scheduled season in the Thursday, 10:00-11:00 p.m., ET, time slot on May 31, 1979, and moved to Friday nights on September 18, 1987.
David Sloan is executive producer of "20/20."