FIRST OFF . . .

Paul Friedman, a London-based ABC News executive, was named Monday as the executive producer of ABC’s “World News Tonight,” succeeding William Lord, who had asked to be reassigned after more than 3 1/2 years on the job. Lord, currently on vacation, has not yet been assigned a new position. He will discuss that with ABC News President Roone Arledge next week, a network spokeswoman said. Friedman’s most recent job was as ABC’s director of news coverage for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He joined ABC in 1982. Before that, he spent 14 years with NBC News, working at one time as executive producer of NBC’s “Today” show. He is not related to Steve Friedman, who also ran “Today” until leaving the program last June to work for former NBC chairman Grant Tinker.