Jimmy Kimmel Live! is taking a bite out of Nightline. ABC’s late-night show is moving from its always-awkward 12:05 a.m. start time to straight-up midnight. That’s gonna reduce the veteran news show to 25 minutes (it begins at 11:35 p.m., after local news).
“The company firmly believes Nightline is a vital part of its successful late night strategy,” wrote ABC News president Ben Sherwood in an email to staffers, somewhat unconvincingly. “[This] gives Jimmy the chance to leverage that strong lead-in more effectively with a quicker connection to late night viewers, which will help him build on the great momentum his show has experienced over the past year.”
Nightline has been quite competitive in the ratings this year, frequently topping other late night programs in total viewers. (Its interview with Jesse James last May, for example, drew the show’s biggest audience since 2005.) Some longtime news-watchers, however, have complained the show seems fluffier than it was under Ted Koppel’s reign (see: again, Jesse James).
Wait, the interview last May drew the biggest audience “in 2005.” Are we time-traveling?
@ LB — Hilarious
Quick! To the DeLorean!
Screw the DeLorean, I’m getting in the Tardis!
maybe the writer ment “the Jesse James interview drew the largest audience since 2005.”
You got me, fixed
WHY?!
I remember when Borders lcosed here in Ireland about 2 years ago. I was devastated. It was the only place i could get US knitting magazines without subscribing, and their selection of craft books was brilliant. Also, our knitting group met there every week so we were homeless! I’m sad it’s gone from the states too, is Barnes Noble the only big group of stores left?