• by Wayne Friedman , July 20, 2006

PASADENA, CALIF. -- To reflect its 24-hour delivery system, ABC has renamed its prime-time news show "World News with Charles Gibson." The show, which had been called "World News Tonight," gets a title change as ABC News expands its news efforts--a response to the digital media world.

ABC News weekend editions of the broadcast will be called "World News Saturday" and "World News Sunday."

The "World News" webcast, which debuted in January 2006, was the first time a network newscast produced a program specifically for the Internet audience. In June, the webcast was downloaded 7.6 million times via ABCnews.com and iTunes. Weekly downloads have reached as high as 2 million.

ABC's new branding efforts for the show extend to its newly installed anchor, Charles Gibson--who recently took the spot after massive on-air changes, including the death of ABC News anchor Peter Jennings, the Iraq war-related injury to Bob Woodruff and the departure of Elizabeth Vargas.

Since an early ratings tumble in June, the show has bounced back in late June and July. The broadcast has either tied or won the key 25-54 demographic against NBC's once-dominant "Nightly News with Brian Williams."