Stephanopoulos will anchor the broadcast with Robin Roberts and replaces Diane Sawyer, who will become the new anchor of "World News" beginning Dec. 21. Juju Chang has been named the news anchor for "Good Morning America" and Chris Cuomo has been promoted to co-anchor of "20/20" alongside Elizabeth Vargas. Cuomo has also been named ABC News' chief law and justice correspondent, reporting for all broadcasts and platforms across the news division. Sam Champion will remain the weather anchor on the morning show.
"In putting this new 'GMA' team together, we've pursued one goal," Westin said. "How can we best serve our audience? How can we bring them what matters most to them -- the day's important news, engaging stories, useful information and real expertise to help them improve their lives?"
"Robin and George are the right pair to lead our effort," Westin said. "As we've seen over time, Robin brings a warmth and intelligence to the morning that no one can match. Hers is a practical curiosity that brings the viewers' questions to the fore. George complements Robin's strengths with a deep knowledge of and commitment to news about the nation and the world." (Click here to read Westin's full e-mail.)
"I can't wait to join 'Good Morning America's' amazing team, and serve its loyal viewers," Stephanopoulos said. "No one can replace Diane Sawyer, but I'll do everything I can to match her unquenchable curiosity and intense commitment to informing the country every morning. What an adventure."
Stephanopoulos, 48, has been ABC News' chief Washington correspondent since December 2005 and host of ABC's Sunday morning political affairs program, "This Week With George Stephanopoulos," since September 2002. He will take on the role of chief political correspondent and continue to anchor "This Week" until a replacement is named, Westin said.
"I am so excited to welcome George and Juju to our family," Robin Roberts said. "The energy and talent of those on camera and behind the scenes at this program are second to none. I have no doubt that George and Juju will immediately feel right at home. Saying goodbye to Diane has not been easy, but I'm glad she will finally be getting more sleep."
In his role as anchor of "This Week," Stephanopoulos has interviewed President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, as well as other key members of the Obama administration.
Stephanopoulos Joins Roberts at 'Good Morning America'
During the previous administration, he interviewed every key member of the Bush administration, and throughout the 2008 presidential race he routinely sat down with candidates on the campaign trail and moderated Republican and Democratic debates.
"George is a formidable interviewer who brings the viewer a deeper understanding of the great issues of the day," Westin said.
Stephanopoulos has conducted several exclusive interviews with international leaders, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in April 2009, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
On the 50th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, Stephanopoulos anchored "This Week" from South Korea, near the demilitarized zone. In July 2003, his joint interview of Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Stephen Breyer was the first time any sitting Supreme Court justice participated in a Sunday morning television interview.
Stephanopoulos' blog on ABCNews.com, "George's Bottom Line," offers breaking news reporting and analysis throughout the day. Stephanopoulos also continues his reporting and analysis on Twitter.
"This Week With George Stephanopoulos" has been honored with two Walter Cronkite Awards for Excellence in Television Political Journalism from USC Annenberg for its "On the Trail" series in 2006 and 2008.
For more than a decade at ABC News, Stephanopoulos has played a pivotal role in the network's coverage of breaking news stories. In spring 2005, he reported from Rome and contributed to ABC News' duPont Award-winning coverage of the death of Pope John Paul II. Following the explosion of the Columbia Shuttle, Stephanopoulos anchored a two-hour special edition of "This Week" Feb. 2, 2003. And on Sept. 11, 2001, he was one of the first reporters on the scene at ground zero.
Previously, Stephanopoulos was an ABC News correspondent, reporting on a wide variety of political, domestic and international stories. He joined ABC News in 1997 as a news analyst for "This Week."
Before joining ABC News, Stephanopoulos served in the Clinton administration as the senior adviser to the president for policy and strategy. He is the author of "All Too Human," a No. 1 New York Times best-seller on President Clinton's first term and the 1992 and 1996 Clinton/Gore presidential campaigns.
Stephanopoulos received his master's degree in theology from Balliol College, Oxford University, England, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Columbia University, graduating summa cum laude in political science. Stephanopoulos and his wife, Alexandra Wentworth, have two daughters.
Stephanopoulos joins Roberts, who's been a co-anchor of ABC's "Good Morning America" since 2005. When not traveling around the country or the world covering breaking news events, Roberts is at "GMA's" studio in Times Square conducting interviews with a diverse group of newsmakers.
Roberts has also done extensive reporting around the globe. She traveled to the Middle East with former first lady Laura Bush, who was on a mission to raise awareness about breast cancer in the Muslim world; to Africa with former President Clinton for a first-hand look at the AIDS crisis in that part of the world; and to Mexico, where she scaled the Mayan Pyramids as part of "GMA's" "The New 7 Wonders of the World" series. She began contributing to "Good Morning America" in June 1995.
