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ABC Wins Sweepstakes For Jessica Lynch Interview Monday September 15, 2003 New York (AP) - ABC News' Diane Sawyer was chosen Monday for the first television news interview with Jessica Lynch, considered the year's most highly sought-after broadcast "get." Sawyer's interview with the former prisoner of war will air in prime time on Nov. 11, Veteran's Day and the day Lynch's book is scheduled to be published. It's also in the middle of the November ratings "sweeps," when ratings are watched closely to set ad rates. Many of the network news stars, including Sawyer and NBC's Katie Couric, had sought the interview - even though there's some question about what Lynch remembers about her capture and rescue in Iraq this spring. "I've been doing this for 20 years and I've never seen anything like this," said Paul Bogaards, publicity director for Lynch's publisher, Alfred A. Knopf. "It was like blood sport, the competition for this story." CBS News was embarrassed in June when it was revealed the Viacom-owned network had hinted at publishing and MTV deals in its pitch for a Lynch interview. The network had no comment about Lynch's decision. ABC's news division made the pitch for the interview, with no entertainment shows involved, ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said. ABC's ability to draw big ratings for newsmaking interviews tied to book projects - with Sen.
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