Diane Sawyer pens tribute to David Muir in Time100's most influential people
David Muir, who was named in the TIME100 Most Influential People of the year, received a touching tribute written by fellow ABC anchor Diane Sawyer.
"Like Peter Jennings before him, David is authoritative and dynamic—the first out the door to the story. Iraq's hunt for ISIS. Hurricanes, fires. He traveled days to hold the hands of starving children in Madagascar and South Sudan, leading to millions of dollars in donations to the World Food Programme," Sawyer wrote, referencing Muir's award-winning climate reporting.
"I think I know what destiny looks like because I've seen a photo of a serious 13-year-old boy, talking his way into an internship at the local TV station. Now he's the anchor chosen for interviews by Popes and Presidents. He shows up calm, respectful, and fearless," Sawyer continued.
Every year, TIME magazine editors spotlight the impact, innovation and achievement of the world's most influential individuals. This year, they recognized Muir for his decades-long reporting from the frontlines — from Ukraine, Iran, Israel, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Madagascar, Guantanamo, Iraq and others.
Muir also conducted headline-making interviews with Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and his work co-moderating the only presidential debate between Trump and Kamala Harris, watched by more than 70 million viewers.
'I am lucky that my successor is also the irreverent friend I want to hang out with when the camera shuts down.'
"I am lucky that my successor is also the irreverent friend I want to hang out with when the camera shuts down," Sawyer of Muir, who succeeded her as anchor of "World News Tonight" in 2014. "Though I am also miffed that he's the guy who can leap two flights of stairs, vault into the anchor chair, and never lose focus—or his breath."
"World News Tonight with David Muir" is America's most-watched newscast across all of broadcast and cable. The evening newscast has been atop the ratings for nearly a decade, and is now often the most-watched program on all of television. In 2023, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir earned a News & Documentary Emmy for Outstanding Live News Program and an RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Award for TV Network Newscast. In 2024, the newscast was awarded both accolades for the second year in a row.
Full episodes of "World News Tonight with David Muir" are now available to stream on YouTube.
