NEW YORK (AP) — ABC has brought its morning news franchise to the afternoon, but it might want to hold on to its alarm clock.

The debut edition of "Good Afternoon America" on Monday ended abruptly in mid-anecdote from singer Liza Minnelli, who was being interviewed after performing "New York, New York" in the show's Times Square studio. Host Lara Spencer interrupted her to wave goodbye.

ABC's "Good Morning America" has watched its competitors at NBC's "Today" stretch its show to four hours in recent years so it is trying out its own expansion. The hourlong "Good Afternoon America" is airing for nine weeks as a summer replacement series.

Before Minnelli, the pop culture-oriented show was helped by a breaking news story: the divorce settlement between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

Loading Slideshow...

  • Matt Lauer

    Lauer co-hosts NBC's "Today" from 7-9 a.m.

  • Guthrie co-hosts NBC's "Today" from 7-9 a.m.

  • Robin Roberts

    Roberts co-hosts ABC's "Good Morning America" from 7-9 a.m.

  • George Stephanopoulos

    Stephanopoulos co-hosts ABC's "Good Morning America" from 7-9 a.m.

  • Charlie Rose

    Rose co-hosts "CBS This Morning" from 7-8 a.m. CBS announced the addition of Rose and Gayle King and a decidedly focused hard news program earlier this year.

  • Gayle King

    King co-hosts "CBS This Morning" from 8-9 a.m.

  • Steve Doocy

    Doocy co-hosts Fox News' "Fox and Friends" from 6-9 a.m. "Fox and Friends" dominates cable news morning shows.

  • Gretchen Carlson

    Carlson co-hosts Fox News' "Fox and Friends" from 6-9 a.m.

  • Brian Kilmeade

    Kilmeade co-hosts Fox News' "Fox and Friends" from 6-9 a.m.

  • Joe Scarborough

    Scarborough co-hosts MSNBC's "Morning Joe" from 6-9 a.m. "Morning Joe" focuses solely on hard news and political commentary.

  • Mika Brzezinski

    Brzezinski co-hosts MSNBC's "Morning Joe" from 6-9 a.m.

  • Soledad O'Brien

    O'Brien co-hosts CNN's 7-9 a.m. morning news program. CNN's "American Morning" fell behind MSNBC and even its own HLN. The network recently announced the return of O'Brien and the replacement of "Amerian Morning" with two new morning programs.

  • Zoraida Sambolin

    Sambolin co-hosts CNN's 5-7 a.m. morning news program.