Via Romenesko, it looks like Ted Koppel and eight other members of Nightline are moving to the Discovery Channel.
The well-respected newsman plans on producing and hosting programs examining important topics.
I have long been a fan of Koppel and have been nervous about reports that ABC execs want to liven up the program to increase its ratings. I guess well-produced insightful news programs just aren't enough.
I held out a small flicker of hope that Clooney's "Good Night and Good Luck," would spark a renewed interest in serious television journalism. That, unsurprisingly, hasn't come to pass.
Yet the success of "The Daily Show" and some of HBO's and Showtime's more serious programs show there is an audience for smart, challenging programing. TDS never intended to be anything other than a parody. Yet sometimes satire is far more informative than straight news. John Stewart and his crew, however, seem to enjoy their ability to inform through humor, though they always maintain that being funny will always come first.
- Murphy
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