Ted Koppel

Guide Note

Ted Koppel is a television, radio, and print journalist best known for his 25 year tenure on ABC's news program Nightline. After his birth in England, he immigrated with his parents to America during his teenage years. He studied communications and speech at Syracuse University, then at Stanford University. In 1963 he began a decades long career with ABC news. As a correspondent and then a bureau chief he reported from Vietnam, Miami and Hong Kong. When the Iran hostage crisis began in 1979, and the idea for the news program Nightline was born, he stepped into the role as interviewer and reporter for the show's first 25 years. Over those years he established himself as one of the foremost news anchors and journalists in America. He continues to explore newsworthy topics on the Discovery Channel.

Fast Facts

1. Birthname: Edward James Koppel
2. Born: February 8, 1940
3. Birthplace: Lancashire, England
4. 1960: Graduated from Syracuse University with B.A.
5. 1962: Graduated from Stanford University with M.A.
6. Married Grace Anne Dorney in 1963
7. Has four children
8. 1963: Began working for ABC News
9. Hosted Nightline: 1980-2005
10. 2007: Awarded Lifetime Achievement Emmy

"You've always been very nice to me, so give this new anchor team for Nightline a fair break. If you don't, I promise you the network will just put another comedy show in this time slot. Then you'll be sorry. And that's our report for tonight, I'm Ted Koppel in Washington and from all of us here at ABC News, good night."