George Stephanopoulos, a familiar face on morning television, is staying put at his longtime home, ABC News. The well-known anchor of Good Morning America has signed a new deal that will keep him at the media network, at least for now. This news puts an end to swirling rumors that Stephanopoulos might be leaving, as the network and many others in the industry are tightening their budgets and reevaluating big-money talent contracts.
According to an insider, the new agreement is shorter than the typical multi-year contracts usually seen in TV news. It’s a sign of the times, as networks are looking to cut costs and adapt to a changing media landscape. The Los Angeles Times first broke the news about this new deal.
Under his previous contract, Stephanopoulos was among the highest-paid anchors on television, reportedly earning up to $18 million annually. However, his future had been the subject of much speculation, especially after Disney, ABC’s parent company, made headlines recently. Disney CEO Bob Iger approved a settlement involving $15 million and an additional $1 million to cover legal fees for Donald Trump, following a lawsuit related to comments Stephanopoulos made on-air earlier this year.
Stephanopoulos had reportedly been caught off guard by Disney’s decision to settle and was not involved in the process. The settlement sparked a backlash, and over the weekend, Stephanopoulos deleted his account on X (formerly known as Twitter), where he had a following of over 2.3 million. Neither Stephanopoulos nor ABC News has publicly commented on the matter so far.
The lawsuit stemmed from a comment Stephanopoulos made during a March 2024 interview on This Week, where he referenced a jury’s finding that Trump had sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s. Trump sued over the remark, which added fuel to the already tense relationship between the former president and media outlets.
Meanwhile, all eyes have been on Good Morning America as networks face increasing pressure to cut costs. With big-name anchors like Robin Roberts, Stephanopoulos, and Michael Strahan on the payroll, the show is known for its hefty expenses. Stephanopoulos’ contract renewal was expected to be challenging, especially given GMA’s ongoing ratings battle with NBC’s Today. Last week, Today pulled ahead in viewership, averaging 2.83 million viewers compared to GMA’s 2.69 million.
The industry’s cost-cutting trend has been evident in other high-profile exits. Today anchor Hoda Kotb recently left, and while salary wasn’t officially cited as the reason, it’s widely seen as part of the new push to reduce spending on long-running shows like GMA and Today.
Stephanopoulos last renewed his contract in 2019, signing a four-year deal. In 2021, he extended that pact and took on new responsibilities, such as hosting a political show on Hulu and creating hour-long specials for primetime. He’s also been with ABC News for over 25 years, starting as an analyst in 1997 after serving as a communications director in the Clinton White House. Over the years, he’s become a key part of Good Morning America and the Sunday show This Week.
For now, it seems Stephanopoulos is sticking with the show and network he’s called home for decades. However, his new, shorter-term deal may reflect a shifting reality in the world of television news, where even the biggest stars are feeling the squeeze of tighter budgets and changing viewer habits.
