ABC Signs Long-Term Deal With George Stephanopoulos

George Stephanopoulos

George Stephanopoulos has signed a new long-term deal that will keep him at top-rated Good Morning America as well as Sunday public affairs program This Week.

Stephanopoulos' current contract was not set to expire until the end of the year, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. But the new deal, said to be even longer than the standard three-year TV news contract, was finalized very quickly, with representatives for Stephanopoulos and ABC News executives initiating talks only in the last few weeks.

The negotiation stands in stark contrast to the recent impasse with former GMA anchor Josh Elliott, who earlier this month left ABC News for NBC Sports after several months of very public and ultimately futile contract talks between ABC News executives and Elliott's representatives at CAA. Elliott's defection was preceded by the departure of weather anchor Sam Champion, leaving Stephanopoulos as the sole male anchor left on the program.

That gender imbalance has been made better by the addition of Live! With Kelly and Michael co-host Michael Strahan, who made his debut on GMA April 15. Additionally, ESPN's Tony Reali was named a GMA contributor on April 10.