Good Morning America Without Dad

Peter Johnson asks: “Can a network morning show click with two female anchors?

That’s what ABC News will test starting Thursday, after it says goodbye Wednesday to longtime Good Morning America anchor Charles Gibson. Left at the helm of the No. 2-rated morning show will be co-anchors Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts.”

David Westin says he isn’t worried: “The thing that is more important than gender is who the people are and what their abilities are and what their experience is.”

Realistically, though, how will GMA perform without a “daddy” figure? “Katie Couric‘s departure has no impact on the ratings because everyone in morning television knows the truth,” an e-mailer asserted last week. “The women anchors get all the attention but the male anchors are the glue. If Matt Lauer left Today, game over for NBC. And similarly, when Charlie Gibson packs up and leaves GMA, the numbers will plunge…”