Nightline turns 20 tomorrow, but don't expect a birthday bash.
Not in Washington, anyway. Anchor Ted Koppel and his producers may raise a glass or two of vodka in Moscow, where they're broadcasting a six-part series on Russia.
"Ted likes celebrations, but he likes covering news a hell of a lot more," says Tom Bettag, 55, his executive producer and major bud for nine years.
How much more? At 60, Koppel has devoted a full third of his life to Nightline, which began as 20-minute nightly updates on ABC called The Iran Crisis: America Held Hostage.
While still arguably the best interviewer in television, Koppel knows he can't keep that engine running forever.
Eager to move into the next phase of his career - developing programming, with Bettag, that takes advantage of new media technology - Koppel knows it's time to groom a successor for the acclaimed 11:35 p.m. broadcast that made TV history.
Nightline without Koppel? Unthinkable! But it most likely will happen over the next three to five years, he acknowledges.
"My and Tom's hope is that [the transition] will be so smooth and seamless that when I disappear altogether from Nightline, people will assume I'm just taking a longer vacation than I get now." (He's off 10 weeks a year.)
The transition actually began years ago, when Koppel gave up Mondays to a rotation of substitute anchors: 20/20's Chris Wallace, This Week's Cokie Roberts, and Nightline correspondents Michel McQueen, Chris Bury, Jon Donvan and Dave Marash.
Koppel sees himself easing out of the anchor chair one night at a time. Staying on for one show per week is also possible, he says.
As for his replacement, "I'd be happy with any one of those people. My own inclination is to work with those who already work on the program. They're all wonderful. There's a strong chemistry that takes place between an anchor and an audience. It's terribly hard to predict which one will have that chemistry."
However the transition takes place, you can bet the farm, the tractor and all the cows it will happen Ted's way.
Call it Koppel Clout.
When ABC News president David Westin recently appointed three new deputies, none was given authority over Nightline. Koppel answers only to the boss.
Another sign of Koppel's power was seen - or not seen - during ABC's historic 24-hour live coverage of the arrival of the year 2000. The only big name missing was Koppel; he was excused due to a long-scheduled family gathering at his Florida vacation home.
