ABC News

==History==
===20th-century origins===
ABC began in 1943 as the [[Blue Network|NBC Blue Network]], a [[radio network]] that was [[Corporate spin-off|spun off]] from [[NBC]], as ordered by the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) in 1942.<ref>{{cite news|author=Thomas P. Swift|date=January 9, 1942|title=Red and Blue Networks of NBC To Be Split; WJZ May Be Sold|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> The reason for the order was to expand competition in radio broadcasting in the [[United States]], specifically news and political broadcasting, and broaden the projected [[point of view (philosophy)|points of view]]. Only a few companies, such as NBC and [[CBS]], dominated the radio market. NBC conducted the split voluntarily in case its appeal of the ruling was denied, and it was forced to split its two networks into separate companies.

Regular [[News broadcasting|television news broadcasts]] on ABC began soon after the network signed on its initial [[owned-and-operated station|owned-and-operated television station]] (WJZ-TV, now [[WABC-TV]]) and production center in [[New York City]] in August 1948. Broadcasts continued as the ABC network expanded nationwide. Until the early 1970s, ABC News programs and ABC in general consistently ranked third in viewership behind [[CBS News|CBS]] and [[NBC News|NBC]] news programs. ABC had fewer [[network affiliate|affiliate stations]] and a weaker prime-time programming slate to support the network's news operations compared to the two larger networks, each of which had established their radio news operations during the 1930s.

===Roone Arledge===
By the 1970s, the network had effectively turned around, with its prime-time entertainment programs achieving more substantial ratings and drawing in higher advertising revenue and profits for ABC overall. With the appointment of the president of [[ESPN on ABC|ABC Sports]], [[Roone Arledge]] as president of ABC News in 1977, ABC invested the resources to make it a significant source of news content. Arledge, known for experimenting with the broadcast "model", created many of ABC News' most popular and enduring programs, including ''[[20/20 (American TV program)|20/20]]'', ''[[ABC World News Tonight|World News Tonight]]'', ''This Week'', ''[[Nightline]]'', and ''[[Primetime (American TV program)|Primetime Live]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/classic/obit/NEWarledgeobit.html|title=Arledge brought modern innovations to TV sports|access-date=December 30, 2016}}</ref> ABC News' longtime slogan, "More Americans get their news from ABC News than from any other source." (introduced in the late 1980s), was a claim referring to the number of people who watch, listen to and read ABC News content on television, radio and (eventually) the Internet, and not necessarily to the telecasts alone.<ref>{{cite press release|title=ABC News, Disney Online and ESPN.com Providing Extensive Line-Up of Podcast Content via the New iTunes Podcast Directory |url=http://corporate.disney.go.com/wdig/press_releases/2005/2005_0628_disney.html |publisher=The Walt Disney Company |date=June 28, 2005 |access-date=December 20, 2009 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621053357/http://corporate.disney.go.com/wdig/press_releases/2005/2005_0628_disney.html |archive-date=June 21, 2009 }}</ref>

In June 1998, ABC News (which owned an 80% stake in the service), [[Nine Network]] and [[ITN]] sold their respective interests in Worldwide Television News to the [[Associated Press]].{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} Additionally, ABC News signed a multi-year content deal with AP for its affiliate video service, [[Associated Press Television News]] (APTV), while providing material from ABC's news video service, ABC News One, to APTV.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news|title=A.P. Buys Worldwide Television News|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/03/business/ap-buys-worldwide-television-news.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 3, 1998|access-date=October 30, 2014}}</ref>

===1985 Marilyn Monroe scandal===
Scandal erupted in 1985 over a decision by Arledge, president of ABC News and Sports, to kill a 13-minute report about [[Marilyn Monroe]], possibly due to his close ties to [[Ethel Kennedy]]. ''20/20'' drew criticism from the program's co-anchors, Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters, and the executive producer, Av Westin. Arledge said that he had killed the piece because it was "gossip-column stuff" and "does not live up to its billing." Downs, however, took issue with Arledge's judgment. "I am upset about the way it was handled," he said in an interview. "I honestly believe that this is more carefully documented than anything any network did during Watergate. I lament the fact that the decision reflects badly on people I respect and it reflects badly on me and the broadcast."<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/05/arts/abc-monroe-report-cancellation-is-argued.html |title=ABC Monroe-Report Cancellation Is Argued |work=The New York Times |last=Smith |first=Sally Bedell |date=October 5, 1985 |access-date=August 9, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150524163722/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/05/arts/abc-monroe-report-cancellation-is-argued.html  |archive-date = May 24, 2015  }}</ref> Additionally, Westin said: "I don't anticipate not putting it on the air. The journalism is solid. Everything in there has two sources. We are documenting that there was a relationship between Bobby and Marilyn and Jack and Marilyn. A variety of eyewitnesses attest to that on camera." Two other aspects of the unaired report, according to an ABC staff member who has seen it, are eyewitness accounts of wiretapping of Monroe's home by [[Jimmy Hoffa]], the teamster leader, that reveal meetings between her and the Kennedy brothers, and accounts of a visit to Monroe by [[Robert F. Kennedy]] on the day of her death. Fred Otash, a detective who said he was the chief wiretapper, is interviewed on camera, and ABC staff members said three other wiretappers corroborated his account. In addition, several people not in the book say on camera that Monroe kept diaries with references to meetings with the Kennedy brothers, according to a staff member who has seen the report. "It set out to be a piece which would demonstrate that because of alleged relations between Robert Kennedy and [[John F. Kennedy]] and Monroe, the presidency was compromised because organized crime was involved," he said. "Based on what has been uncovered so far, there was no evidence."<ref name="nytimes.com"/> Arledge's decision to kill the broadcast resulted in the subsequent decision of [[Geraldo Rivera]] to leave ABC entirely. Rivera was a ''20/20'' correspondent but did not work on that story. He had been publicly critical of Arledge's decision. Arledge, a champion and defender of Rivera, said he thought the story needed more work. The story probed purported affairs between actress Marilyn Monroe, President John F. Kennedy, and his brother Robert F. Kennedy.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-23-mn-13843-story.html |title=Emmy-Winner Rivera to Resign as ABC Investigative Reporter |work=Los Angeles Times |last=Sharbutt |first=Jay |date=October 23, 1985 |access-date=August 9, 2021 |url-status=live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210606181446/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-23-mn-13843-story.html  |archive-date = June 6, 2021  }}</ref>

===21st century===
On August 7, 2014, ABC announced that it would relaunch its radio network division, [[ABC Audio|ABC Radio]], on January 1, 2015. The change occurred following the announcement that Cumulus would replace its ABC News radio service with [[Westwood One News]] (via [[CNN]]).<ref>{{cite news|last1=Venta|first1=Lance|title=ABC Radio to Expand Operations|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/89657/abc-radio-to-expand-operations/|access-date=June 1, 2016|work=Radio Insight|date=August 7, 2014}}</ref> On September 20, 2019, ABC Radio was renamed as ABC Audio as the network has evolved to offer a [[podcast]] portfolio and other forms of on-demand and linear content.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Lance |last1=Venta |title=ABC Radio Rebrands As ABC Audio |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/180635/abc-radio-rebrands-as-abc-audio/ |access-date=January 15, 2020 |work=RadioInsight |date=September 20, 2019}}</ref>

In April 2018, it was announced that ''[[FiveThirtyEight]]'' would be transferred to ABC News from [[ESPN, Inc.]], majority owned by [[The Walt Disney Company]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Steinberg|first1=Brian|title=ABC News Takes Over Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight|url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/abc-news-ffivethirtyeight-espn-nate-silver-1202755646/|work=Variety|date=17 April 2018}}</ref> On September 10, 2018, ABC News launched a second attempt to extend its Good Morning America brand into the afternoon with [[GMA3: What You Need To Know]]. In May 2019, ABC News Live, an news focused streaming channel, was launched on Roku.<ref name="vty1">{{cite news |last1=Roettgers |first1=Janko |title=ABC Launches New 24/7 Online News Network 'ABC News Live' Exclusively on Roku Channel |url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/abc-news-live-roku-1202783981/ |access-date=January 15, 2020 |work=Variety |date=April 24, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> Following a reorganization of ABC's parent company, The Walt Disney Company which created the Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International segment in March 2018, ABC News Digital and Live Streaming, including ABC News Live and FiveThirtyEight, were transferred to the new segment.<ref name=vty>{{cite news|last1=Spangler|first1=Todd|title=Disney Reorganizes Divisions, Creates Dedicated Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Unit|url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/disney-reorganizes-direct-to-consumer-streaming-unit-1202726528/|access-date=March 15, 2018|work=Variety|date=March 14, 2018}}</ref>

In an October 2018 [[Simmons Research]] survey of 38 news organizations, ABC News was ranked the second most trusted news organization by Americans, behind ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Benton |first=Joshua |author-link=Joshua Benton |date=October 5, 2018 |title=Here's how much Americans trust 38 major news organizations (hint: not all that much!) |url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2018/10/heres-how-much-americans-trust-38-major-news-organizations-hint-not-all-that-much/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208001945/https://www.niemanlab.org/2018/10/heres-how-much-americans-trust-38-major-news-organizations-hint-not-all-that-much/ |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |access-date=December 29, 2022 |website=[[Nieman Lab]]}}</ref>