Three Anchors to Replace Koppel

From Reuters:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Ending months of speculation, ABC News said on Monday it will replace departing "Nightline" veteran Ted Koppel with a three-host team of British journalist Martin Bashir, White House correspondent Terry Moran and "Primetime" anchor Cynthia McFadden.

The new three-anchor format, with Moran based in Washington and McFadden and Bashir in New York, will begin with the program's first post-Koppel broadcast on November 28, ABC said.

In another change to the show under incoming executive producer James Goldston, "Nightline" will cover multiple news topics each night, rather than its traditional devotion of each broadcast to a single subject.

Multiple news topics? I think it's a mistake that ABC is turning Nightline into a news magazine show, like a mini Prime Time or 20/20. What sets Nightline apart is its focus on one topic at a time, going beyond the surface in an age of news snippets and sensational reporting.

And why Martin Bashir? He's infamous for the Michael Jackson and Princess Diana interviews. Bashir's presence gives the show a tabloid feel. If that's the purpose, Nightline will become just another infotainment program.

Koppel's departure -- together with Brokaw, Jennings and Rather -- signals the end of an era. It's a shame that ABC would rather make this show irrelevant instead of elevating its hardhitting potential.

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