Ted Koppel
Born 1940 · Age 85
British-born American broadcast journalist; longtime anchor and managing editor of ABC's Nightline (1980–2005); later media commentator, documentary producer, and author.
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Life & Career Timeline
Parents move tire factory from Germany to Lancashire
Koppel's parents, German Jews, moved their tire-manufacturing factory to Lancashire at the Home Secretary's invitation to help the British economy.
Father interned as 'enemy alien' on Isle of Man
Koppel's father was declared an enemy alien and imprisoned on the Isle of Man for about a year after war broke out in Europe.
Born in Nelson, Lancashire, England
Edward James Martin Koppel was born to German-Jewish parents who had relocated to England.
Attended McBurney School (NY prep)
After emigrating, Koppel attended the McBurney School in New York (private preparatory school).
Attended Abbotsholme School (England)
Koppel was a pupil at Abbotsholme School in Derbyshire while his family lived in England (pre-emigration education).
Immigrated to the United States
At age 13 Koppel and his family immigrated from England to the United States.
Graduated Syracuse University (BS)
Earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University; member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.
Earned MA from Stanford University
Received a Master of Arts in mass-communications research and political science; met future wife Grace Anne Dorney while at Stanford.
Hired by ABC Radio News
In June 1963 Koppel became the youngest correspondent ever hired by ABC Radio News, working on the daily Flair Reports program.
Covered JFK assassination for ABC Radio
Notable coverage of the assassination alongside Charles Osgood; Koppel ad-libbed for about an hour and a half during the crisis, gaining national attention.
Began covering presidential nominating conventions and civil rights
Covered his first presidential nominating convention and began reporting on the civil rights movement, including coverage related to Selma.
Became ABC TV correspondent in Vietnam
Transitioned from radio to television as ABC News correspondent covering the Vietnam War; studied Vietnamese before deployment and had his family nearby in Hong Kong.
Covered Nixon campaign; promoted to bureau chief
Returned to the U.S. to cover Richard Nixon's 1968 campaign, then served as ABC bureau chief (Miami/Hong Kong) and later U.S. State Department correspondent.
Became ABC chief diplomatic correspondent
Served as ABC's chief diplomatic correspondent (approx. 1971–1980), covering Henry Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy and State Department affairs.
Traveled to China with President Nixon
Traveled as part of the press contingent with President Richard Nixon to China; later reflected this as a major reporting assignment.
Took year off to care for children
In the mid-1970s Koppel took about a year off from his career so his wife could attend Georgetown Law School; upon return he was demoted by ABC News president Roone Arledge.
Anchored ABC Evening News on Saturdays
By 1975 Koppel was anchoring the ABC Evening News on Saturdays while continuing foreign reporting.
Traveled with Kissinger to Egypt and Israel
Reported on State Department foreign conferences during Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy to Egypt and Israel.
Received Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for 'Second to None?'
Awarded the prestigious duPont-Columbia Award for the April 1979 nuclear series.
Began nightly 'Iran Crisis' coverage
Starting late 1979 Koppel anchored dedicated nightly reports on the Iran hostage crisis (The Iran Crisis: America Held Hostage).
Lead reporter for 'Second to None?' nuclear series
In April 1979 Koppel led an eleven-segment ABC series explaining the dangers of nuclear war and won an Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for the work.
Established reputation as serious-minded interviewer
After becoming Nightline host Koppel gained recognition as one of American television's outstanding serious-minded interviewers.
Named permanent host of Nightline
The Iran Crisis program evolved into Nightline in March 1980, with Ted Koppel as the permanent host and managing editor.
Launched 'Viewpoint' special programs
Started a series of special programs called Viewpoint (media criticism and analysis), broadcast sporadically from 1981 to 1997.
Received Orwell Award
Listed among recipients of the Orwell Award (media/communications recognition) in 1984.
Nightline reaches ~7.5 million nightly viewers
Five years after its 1980 debut, Nightline had a nightly audience of about 7.5 million viewers.
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Duke; Emmy
Received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Duke University; Nightline received a 1987 Emmy for Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story.
Interviewed Nelson Mandela in U.S.-style town hall
Conducted a high-profile 1990 town-hall-style interview with Nelson Mandela after his release.
Inducted into Television Academy Hall of Fame
Koppel was inducted into the Television Academy (Emmy) Hall of Fame in 1992.
Purchased 16-acre Potomac property for $2.7M
Koppel and his wife paid $2.7 million for 16 acres overlooking the Potomac River in Potomac, Maryland.
Interviewed Morrie Schwartz (Tuesdays with Morrie)
Conducted the memorable 1995 interviews with Morrie Schwartz, which Nightline replayed during Koppel's final show in 2005.
Published 'Nightline: History in the Making and the Making of Television'
Co-authored a book about Nightline with Kyle Gibson (1996).
Viewpoint series ends (sporadic broadcasts until 1997)
The Viewpoint special programs, begun in 1981, were broadcast sporadically until 1997.
Pol Pot footage rights dispute with Nate Thayer
Journalist Nate Thayer alleged ABC and Koppel violated a verbal agreement over exclusive North American rights to video from a Pol Pot show trial.
Won two Emmy Awards (1999)
Nightline won Emmys for Outstanding Investigative Journalism and Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story in 1999.
Published 'Off Camera: Private Thoughts Made Public'
Released a memoir reflecting on the close of the 20th century (publication year 2000).
Inducted into Broadcasting Hall of Fame
Named to the National Association of Broadcasters' Broadcasting Hall of Fame (per Britannica, 2001).
Paul White Award; Emmy for Feature Story
Received the Paul White Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association and an Emmy (Outstanding Feature Story in a News Magazine - Nightline, 2004).
Career award counts at time of ABC departure
Upon leaving ABC in 2005 Koppel's career had earned numerous awards including multiple duPont-Columbia, Peabody, Overseas Press Club awards and more than 40 Emmys.
Stepped down as Nightline anchor; left ABC
Koppel left Nightline after 25 years as anchor and departed ABC News after 42 years (final broadcast replayed his 1995 Morrie Schwartz interviews).
Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Southern California
Received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from USC in 2006.
Became Managing Editor in partnership with Discovery Communications
Formed a three-year partnership with Discovery Communications as managing editor, producing long-form documentaries for Discovery Channel.
Signed as op-ed columnist for The New York Times
Began contributing op-ed columns to The New York Times, effective January 29, 2006.
Joined NPR as Senior News Analyst
Starting June 2006 Koppel provided commentary for Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Day to Day as an NPR Senior News Analyst.
Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award
Recognized with an Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award (listed as 2007 in provided sources).
Participated in NPR Fourth of July reading
Participated in the annual NPR Fourth of July reading of the Declaration of Independence (2007).
Produced 'The People's Republic of Capitalism' (Discovery)
Produced a four-hour miniseries on China for Discovery Channel in 2008; Koppel later described it as among work he was most proud of.
Worked as contributing analyst for BBC World News America
Covered the 2008 Republican and Democratic national conventions as a contributing analyst for BBC World News America.
Parted ways with Discovery Communications
Koppel and Discovery Communications terminated their contract in November 2008, six months earlier than planned.
Death of son Andrew Koppel
Son Andrew Koppel was found dead in a New York City apartment on May 31, 2010; postmortem toxicology identified illicit drugs.
Hosted special and appeared on NBC Nightly News
Hosted a special edition for BBC World News America in 2011; on December 12, 2011 he made his first appearance on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams and later served as a Rock Center special correspondent.
Named one of 100 outstanding U.S. journalists by NYU
New York University named Koppel one of the 100 outstanding journalists in the United States in the last 100 years (2012).
Published WSJ opinion 'America's Chronic Overreaction to Terrorism'
Authored an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal on August 6, 2013.
Last appeared regularly as NPR news analyst
Although he ended regular commentary in 2008, Koppel's last appearance as a news analyst on NPR occurred in 2014.
Published Lights Out (book)
Published Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath (2015), a New York Times bestseller about vulnerability of the power grid.
Named Special Contributor to CBS News Sunday Morning
Since March 2016 Koppel has served as a special contributor to CBS News Sunday Morning.
Television Academy Hall of Fame tribute appearance
Participated in Hall of Fame tribute events and retrospectives (continued recognition into late career).
Guest appearance on Nightline 40th anniversary
Returned as a guest on Nightline to mark its 40th anniversary and discussed coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Achievement Ages
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