ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer has landed the first interview with Amanda Knox, the American girl who was convicted of murdering her roommate in Italy, only to be acquitted in dramatic fashion in October, 2011. The interview will air during a dedicated primetime special Tuesday, April 30 at 10 PM.
Immediately after she was released, Knox and her family were inundated with interview requests.
As expected, Knox was not offered payment for the interview, but rather maximum exposure as she prepares to promote her book, which comes out the same day as the ABC News interview. In addition to the primetime special, portions of the Knox interview (and mentions of the book) will air on “ABC World News,” “Good Morning America,” “Nightline” and ABC’s digital platforms, expanding its reach exponentially.
While Sawyer is getting the big interview, it was correspondent Elizabeth Vargas who did most of the legwork in Italy for ABC, and led the network’s coverage of the case.
The trial was not without some controversy for the U.S. networks. Two of Knox’s sisters stayed in the hotel room of an ABC News producer while the trial was going on. CBS News and NBC News also apparently offered hotel rooms.
Bob Barnett represented the Knox family in securing the book deal, and the ABC interview. Barnett’s clients also include NBC News correspondent Ann Curry, Fox News contributor Sarah Palin, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Fox News CEO Roger Ailes.