Letterman to ABC??

ABC in Talks To Lure Letterman

ABC is in serious negotiations with CBS late-night host David Letterman about bringing his show to that network's 11:30 p.m. time slot, which would lead to the relocation or even the demise of ABC News's "Nightline" after 21 years, industry sources said yesterday.

Ted Koppel, the founder and anchor of "Nightline," is described by network sources as furious over the talks that could well result in the jettisoning of one of the most prestigious news shows on television.

The signing of Letterman would be a huge coup for the entertainment side of ABC and a significant blow to CBS. Insiders say that Letterman, who has a window in his contract that allows him to seek other offers, has made no secret of his unhappiness at CBS, where his show has been since 1993.

While NBC's "Tonight" show, hosted by Jay Leno, generally leads in the ratings at that hour, "Nightline" has held its own, a substantial achievement considering that it often focuses on foreign policy, such as a recent five-part series on death in the Congo, or weighty Washington topics.

Koppel and his longtime executive producer, Tom Bettag, are described by one source as determined to fight for the program. No one at "Nightline" would comment yesterday. Under the tentative ABC plan, Bill Maher's "Politically Incorrect" would also get the ax.

The discussions with Letterman, which are being overseen by Robert Iger, the No. 2 official at parent company Disney, are at an advanced stage and could be concluded in a couple of weeks, although sources cautioned that Letterman's defection was hardly a done deal.

Other sources said that ABC has immense respect for Koppel and recognizes that he is unhappy about being blindsided. "ABC very much wants to work with Ted and 'Nightline' in doing something else," said one person close to the situation. " 'Nightline' has a niche audience. 'Nightline' is a very important brand for the network."

These sources said Koppel could be shifted to a prime-time spot and might either retain the "Nightline" format or launch a new program. Some in ABC management are described as puzzled at what is described as Koppel's unwillingness to consider a change in the status quo. These executives are said to believe that "Nightline" is no longer the unique program it was when it debuted before the creation of CNN and other 24-hour cable networks.

But news division staffers are extremely upset at what they view as a slap in the face to one of the most important and successful journalists in television -- even if it means landing an entertainer of Letterman's stature.

Koppel launched "Nightline" in 1980 a few months after it began life as "America Held Hostage," in the wake of the seizure of American hostages in Iran. Over the years, the hard-charging interviewer has talked with everyone from world leaders to presidential candidates to Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Carl Sagan and Muhammad Ali.

Koppel expressed some fatigue with the nightly grind when he signed his last contract nearly two years ago, cutting back to three nights a week, and openly speculated about how many more years he would continue the program. He has resisted any move into prime time, saying in 2000: "The minute you start competing in that playground, you have to have twice the audience you have on 'Nightline.' The siren song of, well, why not do a show on 'Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire' begins to be far more pervasive. And that doesn't interest me."

Last fall, Letterman was drawing an average of 4.7 million viewers, up 10 percent from a year earlier. While Leno remained the late-night leader with 5.7 million viewers, "Nightline" was up 5 percent from a year earlier, with 5.6 million viewers.

Koppel clashed with Disney Chairman Michael Eisner at a meeting here last year when he asked him to protect the news division from 4,000 pending company layoffs. When Eisner responded that he could not make such a pledge for Disney's animators, Koppel asked if he had ever heard of an ABC journalist killed by sniper fire in Bosnia.

If Koppel ended up leaving the network, it would fuel criticism that Disney fails to appreciate the value of the news division.

Letterman was the ratings leader when he joined CBS after years following NBC's "Tonight Show," but Leno soon surpassed him after beating out his friend for the coveted job held for three decades by Johnny Carson.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company

 

Letterman Rules! I don't care where he goes as long as he doesn't go away!