Until its cancellation in 2021, world news update was an overnight ABC News program that included general and offbeat news stories, weather forecasts, sports highlights, and repurposed segments and story packages from other ABC News programs. The program aired Monday through Friday. The tone of the show is often lighthearted and irreverent. The program occasionally includes odd features such as the InsomniACTS segment (which allows local jazz bands to play a number on-air) and the World News Now Polka (a musical performance by comedian Barry Mitchell played while the production credits are scrolled). The program used to feature a full sportscast, but this was eventually replaced with a scoreboard graphic showing sporting scores coming out of commercial breaks.
Occasionally, anchors would check in with ABC affiliates around the country to see what local stories they are working on. In addition, if an event occurring in one of the network’s local markets warranted it, the opening few minutes of the ABC affiliate’s late night local newscast may be broadcast.
Prior to September 2011, three ABC stations owned by Citadel Communications – KCAU-TV in Sioux City, Iowa, KLKN-TV in Lincoln, Nebraska and WOI-DT in Ames, Iowa (Des Moines) – preempted World News Now, and instead aired a simulcast of cable home shopping network Jewelry Television. As of 2020, network O&O WABC-TV in New York City has dropped the early Monday airing of WNN, and instead runs a rebroadcast of Tamron Hall and Daytime Jeopardy! until its own locally produced morning news program kicks off at 6 a.m.