Ted Koppel

Edward James Martin Koppel, known professionally as Ted Koppel, is an American broadcast journalist whose career spans more than six decades. Born on February 8, 1940 in Nelson, Lancashire, England, he grew up as the son of German‑Jewish refugees who escaped Nazi persecution and later immigrated to the United States in 1953. After completing a B.S. at Syracuse University and an M.A. at Stanford, Koppel entered ABC News in 1963, becoming the network’s youngest correspondent and covering historic moments such as the Kennedy assassination and the Vietnam War. His meticulous reporting style, combined with a photographic memory, earned him early respect and numerous awards, including multiple Emmy and Overseas Press Club honors. In 1980 he was chosen to anchor the newly created late‑night news program Nightline, a role he held for twenty‑four years, guiding the show through the Iran hostage crisis, interviews with Nelson Mandela, and countless global events. Koppel’s interview technique was noted for its calm authority and ability to draw out nuanced perspectives from political leaders, including long‑time friend Henry Kissinger. After leaving Nightline in 2005, Koppel continued to shape public discourse as a managing editor for the Discovery Channel, a senior contributor to NPR and BBC World News America, and a special contributor to CBS News Sunday Morning. He has written several books, most recently Lights Out, a prescient analysis of potential cyber‑attacks on America’s power grid. Throughout his career Koppel has been recognized with eight du Pont–Columbia awards, two George Polk Awards, three Peabody Awards, and a lifetime‑achievement Emmy in 2007. His personal life includes a marriage to Grace Anne Dorney since 1963 and four children, among them former journalist Andrea Koppel.