Jimmy Kimmel’s Gain Is Felt as a Loss at ‘Nightline’

Story by NY Times

With Jimmy Kimmel moving to 11:35 p.m. in January, the famed ABC News program “Nightline” will be moving back a full hour to 12:35 a.m. It is a deeply disappointing outcome for many at the news division, which had fought hard to keep the pre-midnight time slot.

On Tuesday afternoon, the news division president Ben Sherwood did not sugarcoat the change in a memo to colleagues. But he said that come Jan. 8, when the new times take effect: “I’m confident that our loyal viewers will stay with ‘Nightline,’ and its immensely talented anchors, correspondents and staff will enjoy many successes for years to come.”

Mr. Sherwood did take note, however, that the “Nightline” staff would be responsible for a new hour in prime time on Fridays, starting in March. His memo is reprinted below.

The Memo

I’m writing to let you know about changes the network is making in late night and prime time.ABC believes it has a stronger growth opportunity in late night if “Jimmy Kimmel Live” precedes “Nightline,” so starting Jan. 8, “Nightline” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” will switch time periods. “Nightline” is moving to 12:35 a.m. ET, and JKL will take over at 11:35 p.m.

In this new arrangement “Nightline” will expand in length to fill the half hour, and, significantly, the “Nightline” team will also produce an additional hour every week in prime time on Friday nights at 9:00 p.m. beginning March 1st.

With its success and growth, “What Would You Do?” will also find a new home on the schedule.

As you all know, growth is a primary objective of ABC and our news division. In the last year the network has supported our important growth initiatives through the Yahoo! digital deal and our innovative joint venture with Univision and has helped us achieve the resurgence we’re enjoying at Good Morning America. And the network remains fully supportive of our strategy to win the present and future of news and information.

I know you’ll have many questions, and we’ll answer them in smaller groups starting today.

For now, it’s important to note that “Nightline” has proven its ability to grow over three decades on the air with the show currently enjoying some of its highest ratings and best editorial work ever.

The “Nightline” team will now bring its excellent journalism to new time periods, and we especially welcome the chance to produce an hour every Friday in prime time, where new audiences will be introduced to the program’s signature storytelling, interviewing and investigations.

These changes take effect 20 weeks from now, and until then, “Nightline” remains in its existing time slot with a lot of important work to do, including covering two conventions, four debates and a presidential election. Our viewers are counting on us to deliver the exceptional journalism that has always defined “Nightline”.

Next year, when these changes are carried out, I’m confident that our loyal viewers will stay with “Nightline,” and its immensely talented anchors, correspondents and staff will enjoy many successes for years to come.