# ABC World News Now
**ABC World News Now** (WNN) is an American overnight [television news program](https://www.edgepedia.org/television-news-program) broadcast by ABC on weekday early mornings, presenting the latest news, business, entertainment, and weather reports to open the network's early-morning schedule. It premiered on January 6, 1992, and remains on the air, airing live from 2:00 a.m. Eastern Time.[1](https://www.dgepress.com/abcnews/shows/worldnewsnow/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/16699/abc-world-news-now)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Creator | David Bohrman, who also served as the original executive producer[6](https://abcnews.com/video/44542358/) |
| Original anchors | Aaron Brown and Lisa McRee[7](https://www.primetimer.com/quickhits/abc-s-world-news-now-marks-30-years-of-overnight-news-and-polkas) |
| Launch economics | $5 million start-up and $5 million annual cost reported by The Wall Street Journal; 80% of ABC's 223 affiliates agreed to carry at least two hours per weeknight[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-06-ca-1194-story.html) |
| Current anchor (per ABC press bios) | Andrew Dymburt, co-anchor and correspondent of "World News Now" and "America This Morning"[3](https://www.dgepress.com/abcnews/shows/worldnewsnow/bios/) |
## Origins and launch
In late 1991 and early 1992, ABC, CBS, and NBC each created their own overnight general news programs, World News Now, *Up to the Minute*, and *NBC Nightside*, respectively, to meet viewer demand originally driven by CNN's 24-hour coverage of the [Gulf War](https://www.edgepedia.org/gulf-war) and to supply local affiliates with overnight programming.
The move was affiliate-driven. Richard Wald, senior vice president of ABC News, said the network was starting the service in response to a clear affiliate request even in poor economic times, saying "of all the times to start a new television news program, this is about the worst. We're going to lose money." At launch the program operated from 2 to 9 a.m. EST, and it initially produced few of its own stories, relying on affiliates and correspondents from "World News Tonight" for pieces, with late-breaking stories read by anchors Lisa McRee and Aaron Brown.[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-06-ca-1194-story.html)
## Anchor history
The program debuted with Aaron Brown and Lisa McRee. After McRee departed in January 1993, Brown anchored solo, with a cardboard cutout of McRee in her old seat, until Thalia Assuras joined him in May 1993.
A Los Angeles Times profile of Brown's 1993 departure described the chemistry of the unknown anchor team under executive producer David Bohrman, a mix of long and short stories, droll sports and weather reports, and tabloid-press features, and noted that networks saw overnight news as a career stepping-stone for developing on-air and behind-the-scenes talent.[4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-26-ca-7277-story.html)
## Format and style
The broadcast is divided into four segment blocks, A, B, C, and D, opening with national and international headlines, some drawn from pre-taped ABC NewsOne correspondent reports or repeated packages from *ABC World News Tonight*, along with a national weather forecast and an often humorous "kicker" story. ABC's press synopsis lists regular features including "American Landscape," a look at how major stories are reported where they happen; "World News Vault," a nostalgic look back at ABC News coverage of past events; and "The Skinny," a wrap-up of top entertainment and pop culture headlines.[1](https://www.dgepress.com/abcnews/shows/worldnewsnow/)
In the tradition of *NBC News Overnight*, WNN has featured serious news interspersed with odd features: the "World News Polka" played on the accordion by comedian Barry Mitchell, video footage of dancing camels on Wednesdays for "Hump Day," and laughter from off camera.
## Early internet broadcasting
WNN experimented with online distribution well before most television newscasts.
## Current status
The program remains in production, listed on TVmaze as running on ABC weekdays at 02:00.[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/16699/abc-world-news-now) ABC's press site describes it as delivering "overnight breaking news, weather, politics, and the stories and video people will be talking about in the day ahead."[1](https://www.dgepress.com/abcnews/shows/worldnewsnow/) Its anchor roster continues to change: the bios page lists Andrew Dymburt as co-anchor and correspondent for "World News Now" and "America This Morning,"[3](https://www.dgepress.com/abcnews/shows/worldnewsnow/bios/) and the show synopsis names co-anchors [Sophie Flay](https://www.edgepedia.org/sophie-flay) and Hanna Battah.[1](https://www.dgepress.com/abcnews/shows/worldnewsnow/)
## References
1. [World News Now, ABC News press site](https://www.dgepress.com/abcnews/shows/worldnewsnow/)
2. [Overnight News Gets a Reawakening, Los Angeles Times, January 6, 1992](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-06-ca-1194-story.html)
3. [World News Now Bios, ABC News press site](https://www.dgepress.com/abcnews/shows/worldnewsnow/bios/)
4. [Life With a Changing 'World', Los Angeles Times, June 26, 1993](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-26-ca-7277-story.html)
5. [ABC World News Now, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/16699/abc-world-news-now)
6. [Celebrating 25 Years of 'World News Now': How It Came to Be, ABC News](https://abcnews.com/video/44542358/)
7. [ABC's World News Now Marks 30 Years of Overnight News... and Polkas, PRIMETIMER](https://www.primetimer.com/quickhits/abc-s-world-news-now-marks-30-years-of-overnight-news-and-polkas)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Broadcasting and journalism › Broadcast organizations and stations › Broadcasting (overview and core concepts)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license