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Two down, one to go: ABC has named Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff co-anchors of an "expanded version" of "World News Tonight." ABC News has the press release. In a first for an evening newscast, there will be a live version of the show broadcast to the west coast, as well as "a live daily Webcast anchored by Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff" every weekday afternoon. (There's less to the Webcast than meets the eye, though: It looks like it's just an update of top stories and a preview of that night's "World News Tonight" broadcast.)



In addition, "'World News Tonight' will … significantly increase its presence on ABCNEWS.com with distinct content programmed specifically for the Internet audience," according to the press release.



It all goes down January 2nd. Today's news, of course, leaves CBS as the only of the three networks with nightly newscasts yet to name a new, long-term anchor.



This seems as good a place as any to mention what most of you already know: The press has engaged in rampant speculation of late about who, exactly, the new CBS anchor or anchors will be, with a particular focus on "Today Show" host Katie Couric. And we've pretty much ignored it. Why? Well, frankly, because there's not much for us to say – until something goes down, it's pretty much all noise. But when it does, make sure you check in early and often. We'll be all over it.

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“The news is so awful lately, we thought at least a little good news would be in order. So we close tonight with the story of a man who has an unusual relationship with ducks,” said Bob Schieffer last night, introducing the final piece on the “Evening News,” a profile by John Blackstone of a California duck hunter who also rescues ducks in the region, where the wetlands are dwindling.



ABC’s “World News Tonight” also closed with a feature that was unrelated to Katrina or other news of the day—a piece on a recent study from Columbia University on the benefits of family dinners. “Those of us who have children don't need a reminder of how hard it can sometimes be to spend as much time as we'd like with our kids,” said anchor Elizabeth Vargas, introducing the piece.



With such an overwhelming amount of news about Hurricane Katrina--most of it depressing--when and how does a broadcast decide that it’s time to include something unrelated and upbeat?

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