• NY Times, Thursday, January 5, 2006 11 AM

Ending speculation that he might sign with an all-news cable operation, Ted Koppel has agreed to a comprehensive deal with Discovery Channel, saying he would bring eight former Nightline staffers with him, including executive producer Tom Bettag. Koppel and company will produce at least six news programs a year for the cable channel, probably hour-long documentaries on serious topics. In explaining his decision, the former ABC newsman said he had also been in discussions with HBO, but in the end believed that Discovery was a better fit. As for the cable-news channels, Koppel said he never gave them a thought. Their instinct for tabloid stories and their distaste for lengthy explorations of important topics ruled them out, Koppel said. Koppel's title at Discovery will be managing editor, but he said it will apply only to news programming.

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