World News Tonight Anchor Decision Coming “In Weeks, Not Months,” Westin Says

The decision on a permanent anchor for World News Tonight will be made “in weeks, not months,” ABC News president David Westin tells Lloyd Grove.

Why is it taking so long? “We wanted to show proper respect to Peter,” Westin says. “And this is a very important decision, and we want to make sure we thought it all through from all directions.”

But repeat after me: It’s not a competition. “No one’s competing for anything,” he insists. “It would be a terrible mistake for anyone to read anything into the fact that we haven’t made an announcement yet.”

> Meanwhile: Ted Koppel wants Charlie Gibson in the WNT chair permanently. “I think he’s the best person out there,” he tells Stephen Battaglio in TV Guide, according to Grove. “If Charlie Gibson wants it and they want to give it to him, I think he would be absolutely terrific.”