Monday, September 11, 2006
Revival at Nightline?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115793294451358967.html?mod=hps_us_editors_picks
'Letterman' in Sights,
Revived 'Nightline'
May Get Last Laugh
By SARAH ELLISON
September 11, 2006; Page B1
After Ted Koppel left "Nightline" in November, many of the show's staff members and fans thought the show was effectively dead, even though it was scheduled to plug along in a revamped format. Colleagues saw Mr. Koppel as one of the last in a generation of serious newsmen, and his departure was viewed as another chapter in the inevitable decline of network news in favor of lighter entertainment programming aimed at younger viewers.
Signing off on in his final appearance, Mr. Koppel warned viewers that if they didn't give the new "Nightline" a chance, "I promise you, the network will just put another comedy show in this time slot. And then, you'll be sorry."
But late-night news junkies aren't sorry now. Nine months after Mr. Koppel left, "Nightline's" audience is up 9% compared to a year ago, taking its ratings very close to, and sometimes higher than those of CBS's "Late Show With David Letterman" particularly in the younger demographics that ABC was eager to attract.
The new team behind "Nightline" accomplished this by softening some of the show's programming, adding lighter features and more celebrity coverage, while still trying to maintain the show's news chops with frequent segments on political and social topics. The new show has featured singer Alicia Keys discussing AIDS, an examination of the IRS's efforts to tax gift bags to celebrities, and profiles of various comedians for a series called "Seriously Funny." Overseeing the turnaround is new Executive Producer James Goldston, who previously was best known for producing Martin Bashir's unsettling 2003 interview with Michael Jackson, in which the pop star admitted sharing his bedroom with children.
Even if "Nightline" isn't always as high-minded as it was in the past, some argue that these changes were needed to rescue a dying franchise. "You can characterize the relative success of 'Nightline' today in this context: In the last years of Ted Koppel, the show had lost its way," says Andrew Tyndall, who monitors television news for his New York-based research and consulting firm, ADT Research. "This is more a rejuvenation than a reinvention." Toward the end of his tenure, Mr. Koppel was often unwilling to do live shows and reduced his number of appearances per week.
Many of Mr. Goldston's new features added a touch of razzle-dazzle that would have been unheard of under Mr. Koppel, such as a "Sign of the Times," a 90-second segment at the end of the show. One recent spot featured Dick Cheney's list of demands when visiting a hotel (examples: turn the thermostat to 68 degrees and the TV to Fox News). An episode last month touted the "secret audiotapes of John Mark Karr -- alleged Jon-Benet Ramsey killer." Mr. Karr was later dropped as a suspect in Ms. Ramsey's death....
'Letterman' in Sights,
Revived 'Nightline'
May Get Last Laugh
By SARAH ELLISON
September 11, 2006; Page B1
After Ted Koppel left "Nightline" in November, many of the show's staff members and fans thought the show was effectively dead, even though it was scheduled to plug along in a revamped format. Colleagues saw Mr. Koppel as one of the last in a generation of serious newsmen, and his departure was viewed as another chapter in the inevitable decline of network news in favor of lighter entertainment programming aimed at younger viewers.
Signing off on in his final appearance, Mr. Koppel warned viewers that if they didn't give the new "Nightline" a chance, "I promise you, the network will just put another comedy show in this time slot. And then, you'll be sorry."
But late-night news junkies aren't sorry now. Nine months after Mr. Koppel left, "Nightline's" audience is up 9% compared to a year ago, taking its ratings very close to, and sometimes higher than those of CBS's "Late Show With David Letterman" particularly in the younger demographics that ABC was eager to attract.
The new team behind "Nightline" accomplished this by softening some of the show's programming, adding lighter features and more celebrity coverage, while still trying to maintain the show's news chops with frequent segments on political and social topics. The new show has featured singer Alicia Keys discussing AIDS, an examination of the IRS's efforts to tax gift bags to celebrities, and profiles of various comedians for a series called "Seriously Funny." Overseeing the turnaround is new Executive Producer James Goldston, who previously was best known for producing Martin Bashir's unsettling 2003 interview with Michael Jackson, in which the pop star admitted sharing his bedroom with children.
Even if "Nightline" isn't always as high-minded as it was in the past, some argue that these changes were needed to rescue a dying franchise. "You can characterize the relative success of 'Nightline' today in this context: In the last years of Ted Koppel, the show had lost its way," says Andrew Tyndall, who monitors television news for his New York-based research and consulting firm, ADT Research. "This is more a rejuvenation than a reinvention." Toward the end of his tenure, Mr. Koppel was often unwilling to do live shows and reduced his number of appearances per week.
Many of Mr. Goldston's new features added a touch of razzle-dazzle that would have been unheard of under Mr. Koppel, such as a "Sign of the Times," a 90-second segment at the end of the show. One recent spot featured Dick Cheney's list of demands when visiting a hotel (examples: turn the thermostat to 68 degrees and the TV to Fox News). An episode last month touted the "secret audiotapes of John Mark Karr -- alleged Jon-Benet Ramsey killer." Mr. Karr was later dropped as a suspect in Ms. Ramsey's death....
