Ted Koppel
Pioneering journalist Ted Koppel will visit the University of Notre Dame on Oct. 12 (Friday) for a public discussion of contemporary journalism, politics and world affairs. Sponsored by Notre Dame’s John W. Gallivan Program in Journalism, Ethics and Democracy, the talk will begin at 1 p.m. in the Hesburgh Library auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.
Koppel’s career spans more than half a century. He started as a broadcaster at WMCA Radio in New York, then in 1963 became a correspondent for ABC News Radio, where one of his first assignments was covering President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.
He is best known, however, as managing editor and host of ABC News’ “Nightline,” according to Robert Schmuhl, the Walter H. Annenberg-Edmund P. Joyce Chair in American Studies and Journalism and director of the Gallivan program. Koppel led “Nightline” from 1980 until 2005.
“‘Nightline’ established new standards in television news by examining subjects in depth, largely because of Koppel’s intrepid reporting and probing interviews,” Schmuhl says. “Today, as a special correspondent for ‘Rock Center’ on NBC and as a commentator for NPR, he continues to contribute original insight and informed intelligence to the television and radio airwaves.”
Koppel’s many achievements include 41 Emmy Awards, eight Peabody Awards and 10 DuPont-Columbia Awards during his 42-year tenure at ABC News.
The Oct. 12 talk is not Koppel’s first trip to the University. He presented a lecture titled “Journalism: It’s as Easy as ABC” in 1999 as part of the Gallivan Program’s Red Smith Lecture series, which brings prominent journalists to campus to discuss the craft of writing and the state of American journalism.
Originally published by Chris Milazzo at al.nd.edu on Sept. 20, 2012.