20/20 (TV series)

20/20 (TV series)
Show name	20/20
Genre	News magazine
Presenter	Various
Country	United States
Language	English
Runtime	60 minutes
Company	ABC News
Network	ABC
First aired	January 3, 1978
Last aired	present

20/20 (TV series) 20/20 is an American television newsmagazine program produced by American Broadcasting Company's ABC News division that debuted in 1978. The program presents investigative reports, human interest stories, celebrity interviews, and long-form features, drawing on the careers of journalists associated with Good Morning America, Nightline, Primetime, and other ABC properties. Over decades the series has featured profiles, exposés, and special reports touching on figures and events ranging from Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton to Princess Diana and O. J. Simpson.

Overview

20/20 offers a mix of investigative journalism, narrative features, and interview segments, often framed around major personalities such as Nancy Reagan, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Oprah Winfrey. The show has covered international affairs involving Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, Nelson Mandela, Vladimir Putin, and Angela Merkel, while profiling cultural figures including Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, and Beyoncé Knowles. Business and crime coverage has involved subjects and institutions like Enron, Bernard Madoff, Jeffrey Epstein, Harvey Weinstein, Wells Fargo, and Goldman Sachs. Episodes have examined legal proceedings such as the trials of O. J. Simpson, Amanda Knox, Casey Anthony, and Ted Bundy, and disasters involving Hurricane Katrina, the 9/11 attacks, Haiti earthquake, and Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

History and Format

The series was launched during the tenure of Roone Arledge as part of ABC's expansion of news programming alongside Nightline and evolved from earlier newsmagazine formats like 60 Minutes and 20/20s contemporaries. Early anchors and producers had ties to Peter Jennings, David Brinkley, and Howard K. Smith, while later editorial leadership included figures associated with Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, David Muir, and Peter Jennings. Format innovations included long-form investigative segments, documentary-style reconstructions used in coverage of Watergate scandal, and exclusive interviews reminiscent of Barbara Walters interviews. The program alternates between anchor-driven packages and single-reporter investigations produced by correspondents from ABC News Investigative Unit and bureaus in locations such as London, Beijing, Jerusalem, Washington, D.C., and New York City.

Notable Episodes and Investigations

The series has aired high-profile investigations into corporate fraud like Enron scandal and WorldCom scandal, financial crimes linked to Bernie Madoff, and sexual abuse allegations involving Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein. Notable profiles included sit-downs with Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Streisand, Sylvester Stallone, and Tom Cruise, while crime specials examined cases such as JonBenét Ramsey, Laci Peterson, and Steven Avery. International reportage covered the fall of Saigon, the Iranian Revolution, and the Bosnian War, with on-the-ground reporting akin to segments by Christiane Amanpour and Anderson Cooper. Investigations into public health crises touched on HIV/AIDS, the opioid epidemic, and vaccine controversies tied to figures like Andrew Wakefield and institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hosts and Correspondents

Anchors and contributors have included journalists and personalities associated with Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters, Sam Donaldson, Peter Jennings, John Stossel, Elizabeth Vargas, Chris Cuomo, David Muir, Deborah Roberts, Jorge Ramos, Robin Roberts, Lara Logan, Karl Rove (as commentator), Cokie Roberts, and Mike Wallace (as contemporary influence). Correspondents with investigative credits include reporters from the ABC News Investigative Unit and foreign correspondents who have also worked for BBC News, CNN, and CBS News bureaus.

Production and Broadcast History

Produced by ABC News at facilities in New York City and bureaus worldwide, the series has employed production techniques shared with documentary units like Frontline and newsmagazines such as 60 Minutes. Broadcast changes over time reflect shifts in network scheduling influenced by programs like Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and specials tied to events such as Presidential elections and the Olympic Games. Syndication and rebroadcasts have appeared on affiliated platforms and streaming services operated by The Walt Disney Company and Disney–ABC Television Group.

Reception and Impact

The program has drawn both acclaim and controversy, earning audience attention for scoops rivaling those of The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Criticism has arisen from ethical debates similar to controversies faced by Panorama (BBC) and Dateline NBC, while impactful investigations influenced legislative inquiries in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. The series' storytelling style has influenced later newsmagazines and documentary producers at outlets like PBS, Vice Media, and HBO.

Awards and Nominations

20/20 and its contributors have received journalism honors such as Peabody Award, News & Documentary Emmy Awards, George Polk Awards, and Investigative Reporters and Editors recognitions. Individual correspondents have been honored by institutions including the National Press Club, the Pulitzer Prize committees (via collaborative reporting), and professional associations like the Society of Professional Journalists.

Category:American television news shows