Diane Sawyer has been a familiar name in news to me since as long as I can remember.  I’ve watched her on CBS Morning News, 60 Minutes and her current 10 year stint on Good Morning America.

Earlier today, the New York Post broke news that Sawyer would be leaving GMA in January to replace Charlie Gibson on ABC’s World News.  After 35 years of working with the ABC News department, Gibson is retiring.  Sawyer will be the second woman ever behind Katie Couric to solo-anchor an evening news program.

Sawyer has an impressive background, and through her influence in the media, has earned numerous accolades.  To name a few, in 2001 she was honored as one of the 30 most powerful women in America by the Ladies’ Home Journal, and in 2007 she ranked 62 on Forbes’ list of the “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.”

In an interview today with ABC, Sawyer said “There is no one like Charlie Gibson, and it is an enormous honor to be asked to join the terrific broadcast he and the great team of journalists have built at ‘World News.’  Until then, I’ll be getting up early and spending mornings, as always, counting myself so lucky to be with Robin, Chris and Sam and the incredibly smart, talented and dedicated team of ‘Good Morning America.”

As of now, there’s no information on who will replace Sawyer on GMA.

Read Gibson’s heartfelt parting email to the ABC News staff here.

While I’ll miss Gibson, I’m looking forward to seeing Sawyer in her new role in January.