Diane Sawyer

One of the most celebrated and recognized figures in modern television news, Diane Sawyer was a television journalist and anchor whose tenacious work was often the highlight of such news programs as "60 Minutes" (CBS, 1968- ), "PrimeTime Live" (ABC, 1989- ), and "Good Morning America" (ABC, 1978). For many viewers and critics, Sawyer represented the model of modern American television journalism, able to handle hard-hitting interviews with world leaders like Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon and Nancy Reagan on one night, and gossip-heavy conversations with celebrities like Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Mel Gibson on another. This versatility made her one of the most popular news figures on television for over two decades and helped to usher her into the inevitable position as the anchor for "ABC World News" (ABC, 1953- ), assuming the chair in 2010. Having helped propel the network's nightly news show to rise in the ratings, Sawyer proved that she was indeed one of journalism's most popular and respected figures.