20/20 is a news magazine broadcast on ABC since June 6, 1978. The show was created by Roone Arledge. The original hosts were veteran journalists Harold Hayes and Robert Hughes. That first program was written off as a colossal failure by critics, and Hayes and Hughes were replaced the following week by former game show and Today host Hugh Downs. Downs was later joined in 1984 by Barbara Walters. Downs retired in 1999 and Walters became the solo news anchor until 2002 when John Miller was hired to be permanent co-host of the series. Miller left a year later in January 2003 and was replaced by John Stossel in May, 2003. Walters left the co-anchor position in 2004 to be replaced by Elizabeth Vargas. For a time from 1998-2000, ABC News combined 20/20 and Primetime Live to complete better with Dateline NBC. The editions were called 20/20 Monday, 20/20 Wednesday, 20/20 Friday, 20/20 Sunday, and finally 20/20 Downtown. In 2000 ABC News returned the news magazines to the original 20/20, Primetime Wednesday, and Downtown. The distinctive theme music to 20/20 was written by Robert Arnold Israel and based upon ABC's World News Tonight theme written by Lillian Scheinert.
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20/20 is a news magazine broadcast on ABC since June 6, 1978. The show was created by Roone Arledge. The original hosts were veteran journalists Harold Hayes and Robert Hughes. That first program was written off as a colossal failure by critics, and Hayes and Hughes were replaced the following week by former game show and Today host Hugh Downs. Downs was later joined in 1984 by Barbara Walters. Downs retired in 1999 and Walters became the solo news anchor until 2002 when John Miller was hired to be permanent co-host of the series. Miller left a year later in January 2003 and was replaced by John Stossel in May, 2003. Walters left the co-anchor position in 2004 to be replaced by Elizabeth Vargas. For a time from 1998-2000, ABC News combined 20/20 and Primetime Live to complete better with Dateline NBC. The editions were called 20/20 Monday, 20/20 Wednesday, 20/20 Friday, 20/20 Sunday, and finally 20/20 Downtown. In 2000 ABC News returned the news magazines to the original 20/20, Primetime Wednesday, and Downtown. The distinctive theme music to 20/20 was written by Robert Arnold Israel and based upon ABC's
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