Gibson ready to finally take his place at ABC

The news veteran will take over the nightly broadcast full time in early July.
SCRIPPS HOWARD
"I don't know if I'm a new old face or an old new face on this broadcast."
That's how Charles Gibson ended the May 29 on "World News Tonight" report -- his first as the "new" anchor of the weeknight half-hour.
Whatever the description, the 63-year-old is now the face of "World News Tonight" and ABC News in general.
And that face will be prominent for many years.
"I'm not the interim anchor," Gibson says.
Ending the uncertainty
ABC News President David Westin's public announcement last month of Gibson's elevation contained predictable phrases like: "Charlie is one of the most distinguished journalists in television."
Behind the scenes, ABC News staffers, long aware of Gibson's abilities, provided a collective cheer, feeling that after 14 months of uncertainty and changes, the news ship had been righted and would sail into more positive waters.
That era of uncertainty began in April 2005 when Peter Jennings left the newscast after telling viewers he had lung cancer. Jennings died Aug. 7.
Said one ABC News veteran: "Charlie is a person who can solidify an organization both personally and professionally."
While dismissing such "second-coming"-type commentary about his elevation, Gibson admits he and other network news employees have been living in a "surreal situation."
"It's been a tough time for all of us," Gibson says. "Peter leaves and then dies. "Bob [Woodruff] and Elizabeth [Vargas] get the job, and then Bob goes down in Iraq and Liz leaves because of her pregnancy."
Knowing last summer that Jennings would not return to "World News Tonight," network executives began the process of picking his successor while Gibson and Vargas alternated on the broadcast.
Knowing what he wanted
Gibson and Westin got involved in intense discussions.
"We agreed to disagree because of my desire for contract longevity," Gibson says. "I wanted to anchor the show at least past the 2008 elections. And I didn't want the word interim even talked about. So the network decided to go with dual anchors who were younger."
Vargas and Woodruff (both in their mid-40s) took over Jan. 3. Three weeks later, Woodruff was seriously wounded, and Vargas began her solo stint, which ended May 26 when she took pregnancy leave.
Amid ongoing media reports that ABC News was foundering, Gibson's second round of negotiations moved quickly.
Gibson, still co-anchoring "Good Morning America" three days a week, takes a low-key approach to his new anchor job rather than offering one of those "a-dream-comes-true" scenarios.
"I've been at ABC News for more than 30 years, but I never set my sights on the main news-anchor job," he says. "Even when I filled in for Peter, I didn't think of sitting in that chair on a permanent basis."