WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR - David Muir anchors, "World News Tonight with David Muir,"  weeknights, 6:30pm ET on ABC© Getty Images

David Muir's incredible transformation revealed as he marks significant ABC News milestone

The World News Tonight anchor is celebrating two decades since joining World News Now

Ahad Sanwari - New York
Senior WriterNew York
August 22, 2023

August 2023 marks a big month for David Muir as the 49-year-old celebrates two decades with ABC News, having first joined in August 2003 as the anchor of the overnight news program World News Now.

David first got his start in journalism in college, anchoring local programs at his alma mater, Ithaca College. He interned at WTVH-TV in Syracuse when he was in college.

He graduated magna cum laude with a journalism degree in 1995, and was a full-time reporter for WTVH-TV from 1994-2000.

VIDEO: David Muir's glimpse into his lavish home

His reports from Israel and the Gaza Strip following the 1995 assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin earned him acclaim and several awards, being deemed one of the best local news anchors in Syracuse and foreshadowing his fearless reporting with ABC.

After a stint with ABC-owned WCVB from 2000-2003, he was made part of the ABC News reporting team and was even made an anchor on their early morning news program, World News This Morning.

In 2007, he was made the co-anchor of World News Saturday and was made the lead anchor of the weekend broadcasts in 2012, which was renamed to World News with David Muir. In 2013, he was promoted to co-anchor of 20/20 alongside Elizabeth Vargas. Elizabeth was succeeded by Amy Robach, who departed in 2023 and was succeeded in turn by Deborah Roberts.

© Lee Goldberg/WTVH-TV

David began his journalism career with WTVH-TV in Ithaca College

In June 2014, it was announced that David would succeed Diane Sawyer as the anchor and managing editor of ABC's primetime news show, ABC World News Tonight, delivering his first broadcast on September 1, 2014.

MORE: David Muir shares idyllic new update from personal life during time away from home

His appearances have helped boost ratings for the news show, making it the country's most-watched evening news broadcast since 2015.

In 2021, David was announced as the lead anchor for breaking news and special event coverage for ABC News, taking over Good Morning America anchor George Stephanopoulos, who held the position from 2014-2020. Through his role with ABC, David has also made several appearances on GMA over the years.

MORE: Why David Muir's neighborhood bliss could be set to change

In his illustrious tenure with ABC News, David has traveled all around the world, with his significant coverage of poor governance and famine in Southern African nations winning him acclaim and notoriety.

© Getty Images

David joined ABC News in 2003, occasionally making appearances across their other flagship shows as well

David has often been noted for his first exclusives on various world leaders, most recently with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

MORE: David Muir's latest glimpse into private life pulls at the heartstrings

MORE: David Muir's unexpected remark about World News Tonight following challenging experience

His coverage of several natural disasters, from Hurricane Katrina (2005) and the earthquake in Haiti (2010) to the devastating Japanese tsunami (2011) and an earthquake in Peru (2007) have also garnered attention.

David's other notable credits include reporting from Tahrir Square in Egypt during the 2011 political revolution, the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, and his well-received coverage of the 2012 US Presidential Elections, which brought him national attention.

© Getty Images

His coverage of the 2012 US Presidential election made him a household name

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