Kimmel Move May Seal Fate of ‘Nightline’

The following is an excerpt from an article in 

The New York Times
Monday, August 27, 2012

Kimmel Move May Seal Fate of ‘Nightline’

By BILL CARTER

Jimmy Kimmel’s ascent to the main stage of late-night television — the hour directly after the 11 p.m. local news — was greeted last week with widespread congratulations for a performer who had paid his dues and for a network willing to shake up the late-night status quo and bet on a comedic challenger to David Letterman and Jay Leno.

But there was little outcry over the corresponding demotion of “Nightline,” the 32-year-old institution of ABC News that is being relegated to the 12:35 a.m. slot to make room for “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” nor any public denunciations from the hierarchy of ABC News.

Instead, the network’s appraisal that it simply can make more money with Mr. Kimmel — the president of the Disney/ABC Television Group, Anne Sweeney, evaluated the move in terms of an advantage in advertising sales — was accepted as both reasonable and sensible.

Several longtime late-night producers praised Mr. Kimmel’s talents, predicting he would find success, even competing against the entrenched titans of that hour, Mr. Letterman on CBS and Mr. Leno on NBC.

Lloyd Braun, a former ABC entertainment chief who selected Mr. Kimmel for the network 10 years ago, said: “Jimmy is young. He could have 10 or 20 years in late night — and he’s a brand. We’re going to live in a world where brands are going to mean everything.”

Tom Bettag, the longtime “Nightline” executive producer who now works with the former “Nightline” anchor Ted Koppel on “Rock Center” on NBC, expressed deep regret that his old show was being elbowed out of its perennial spot.

But, he said, “it had lost some of that indispensable quality” it had when first conceived by former ABC News president, Roone Arledge.

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