ABC appears committed to retaining the "Nightline" format that Ted Koppel pioneered 25 years ago, despite his leaving the New York show later this year.
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Anne Sweeney, president of the ABC-Disney Television Group, told ABC News President David Westin that the news division will get the first crack at "Nightline's" 11:35 p.m. EST slot when Koppel and his executive producer, Tom Bettag, leave, Zap2it.com said Tuesday.
Some reports had hinted the network's entertainment division would take over the time period to compete directly with the late-night talk shows on CBS and NBC.
A successor to Koppel, who has anchored "Nightline" since it began during the Iran hostage crisis in 1980, has yet to be announced.
