“20/20” myopia?

Fending off almost certain speculation that ABC is downgrading its primetime magazine franchises (it has shelved its 20/20 Downtown program; has positioned PrimeTime Thursday opposite E.R., the most popular show on TV; and is moving 20/20 with Barbara Walters from its long-established spot on Friday to Wednesday in the fall) ABC Television Network President Alex Wallau maintained Tuesday that the network regards the magazine programs as tough competitors. Referring specifically to the decision to replace 20/20 with the struggling (but critically praised) Once and Again on Fridays and pull it off the air entirely for six weeks from November to January, Wallau told reporters Tuesday: “This represents no signal, this represents no diminution of the network’s news division. … If 20/20 didn’t have the strength that it has, we couldn’t do this.” However, the online edition of Electronic Media magazine reported Tuesday that ABC News President David Westin had reportedly “lobbied against treating the 23-year-old newsmagazine like a ping-pong ball.” And Wallau himself acknowledged that Walters was “clearly disappointed” with the network’s plans but has been “the ultimate class person in handling this.” However, Walters, in an interview with the New York Times, pointed out that a “window” in her contract would allow her to leave the network in December. “It gives me an out — not them,” she remarked.