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Is Nightline a goner?

by Bob Sassone, posted Aug 12th 2008 1:01PM

NightlineSo we all know that Conan O'Brien is taking over for Jay Leno next year, and that when he does Leno might go some place else, perhaps ABC, which might bump Kimmel to 12:35am. But what about the other late night player in all of this, Nightline?

The long-running news show will probably be dumped and its employees out of jobs if ABC pays Leno a bunch of money to come over to the network to host a show at 11:35pm and go up against David Letterman. Even though Nightline's ratings are good (they often beat Letterman) and it's makes money, they'll make more with Leno.

I'm torn about this. I can't really say I'll "miss" Nightline, since I rarely watch it, but it's good to have a news magazine show on the networks besides CBS' 60 Minutes (NBC's Dateline is usually too busy with "To Catch A Predator" or hidden camera gotcha features). Then again, I don't know what relevance the show has, even if it does have a big story like the John Edwards affair once in a great while (and that's a story that could have ended up anywhere on ABC's news schedule). I wonder how Kimmel will feel about doing so well for ABC and then pushed to the late late slot to make room for Leno?

Nightline has been around for almost 30 years, so maybe it's time to get something else in there. Though I'll be the last one to jump up and down and say "put Leno! put Leno!" I'd rather see more Nightline than Leno. I'd rather see reruns of Homeboys in Outer Space every night at 11:35 than Leno.

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seth

I'm so sick of the anti-Leno blogs that continue to go on -- do you not all realize that he is the number one late night talk show host several years running -- even though he's on a fourth place network. Leno fans will follow him and although I am sad for nightline-- it's not as if that show can't go on in a different time slot -- how about after Kimmel? Isn't that what NBC has now, three late night talk shows including Carson? I think in the end if Leno does hopefully go to ABC it will be great for late night.

August 12 2008 at 11:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Deanna

I do not care for Conan so I will just turn off tv and read.

August 12 2008 at 8:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Deanna

I watch Jay Leno nightly. When he leaves and Conan takes over then I will watch something else and he is such a dufus that I do not like to watch him at all even if in a commerical that he has on someone I would like to see. I prefer Jay over David but Conan does not even rate as far as I am concerned.
Dee

August 12 2008 at 8:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Cincinnati Mike

I'm amazed it has lasted this long, seeing as it began as a nightly update on the Iranian hostage crisis. Koppel was killer in those days: "that's the news, this 273rd day of captivity." It has never really been the same without him. Martin Bashir? Please.

August 12 2008 at 7:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Eileen

I think some of the Nightline anchors are pretentious as hell, so I'd love to see them go. Besides, I love Leno. I never understood Letterman's appeal; he seems more like a college kid who never grew up.

August 12 2008 at 2:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joe

I have never been a big fan of Nightline. So to me it would be ok if the show left. I also get my news online. I very rarely watch news on the TV unless it is some thing like the president. I also at night like to watch Leno then when it gets to around 12:05 I will switch over to ABC to watch Kimmel.

So to me dumping Nightline would not be bad for me because I like to watch Leno more. May be if ABC could find a way to bring the show to air on the ABC website instead I would watch it. But to me seeing I like Leno more then Nightline I would hope to see Leno more then Nightline.

As for Derek I believe Primetime comes on at ten. I am not sure though. Also to Bob I thought Kimmel has been all for ABC to get Leno. Just a few weeks back I thought Kimmel brought it up and people were shocked He wanted Leno on ABC. Maybe I am mistaken but I really thought he also want Leno on ABC too.

August 12 2008 at 2:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
RR

Is it FCC law in America that a chat show has to start at 11:35 pm? Why couldn't Leno's ABC show (if it happens) be on at 9pm or 10pm?

August 12 2008 at 2:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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