Which is crazier: David Letterman wanting to leave CBS for ABC? Or ABC canceling Ted Koppel's Nightline to make room for Mr. Letterman?

        For me, it's a no-brainer: Canceling Koppel. Obviously, ABC executives don't have a clue about what a valuable franchise they have in Nightline.

        Of course, they didn't have a clue about a lot of things: Burning out Who Wants to be a Millionaire; moving 20/20 from Fridays; bouncing Once and Again all over the schedule; dropping Sports Night and the family-friendly Friday “TGIF” sitcoms.

        Now they say Nightline must go because it has lost relevance in today's around-the-clock cable news world. Nothing could be further from the truth.

        When the war rekindled in Afghanistan Tuesday, killing seven U.S. soldiers, I relied on Nightline for a comprehensive, concise summary of the day's events. That's the pure beauty of Nightline, an asset more valuable than mere advertising revenues.

        I didn't have all night to watch CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and Fox News. I wanted fair, objective and thorough reporting — not the speculation and second-guessing often heard in prime-time on cable news channels. I didn't have time to sort fact from fiction.

        And what's more irrelevant than those incessant headlines at the bottom of news channels?

        This just in: “Sounds Of Gunfire Causing Israeli Pets To Have Panic Attacks” ... “13 People Have Died In Colorado Ski Accidents This Year” ... “Water Levels In Afghanistan's Two Biggest Dams Drop Dangerously Low” ... “Makers Of Wonder Bread Agree Not To Make Health Claims It Can't Prove” ...

        I didn't want to see Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity or Chris Matthews playing hardball on a cable shout show. I didn't care who was on with Ashleigh Banfield or Greta Van Susteren.

        Just the facts, ma'am. That's all I wanted: A solid, half-hour of journalism, presented by TV's best get-to-the-point newsman.

        In a New York Times op-ed piece this week, Mr. Koppel said it was “malicious to describe what my colleagues and I are doing as lacking relevance” when the nation worries about homeland security and U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan, the Philippines, Yemen and Georgia (and maybe soon to Iraq). “The regular and thoughtful analysis of national and foreign policy is more essential than ever,” he says.

        Nightline isn't losing money, he says. It's just not making as much as ABC could make with Mr. Letterman at 11:35 p.m.

        Luring Mr. Letterman is an act of desperation by a fourth-place network. Which begs the question: Why would Mr. Letterman want to leave CBS, a network on the rise, for a Mickey Mouse operation?

        Does he really think that promotions during Once and Again (No. 107 of 162 shows), or Philly (No. 53) will give him a bigger boost than his spots during CBS' C.S.I. (No. 3), Judging Amy (No. 20) or Family Law (No. 40)?

        Sure, Dave loathes Survivor, but it's ranked No. 2 this season behind only NBC's Friends, which airs at the same time. ABC's show at 8 p.m. Thursday, Who's Line Is It Anyway?, ranks No. 116. That's where he wants Late Show promos to air?

        Mr. Letterman needs to talk to Regis Philbin about how ABC treats a hit show. Or talk to Mr. Koppel about being stabbed in the back.

        Dave could call Cincinnati's WCPO-TV (Channel 9), which has fallen to third in late news because of ABC's weak 10 p.m. shows. Or call Dayton's WDTN-TV (Channel 2), which airs Nightline at 12:05 a.m. If he jumps to ABC, how many affiliates will delay Mr. Letterman for lucrative Cheers reruns?

        Of this much I am certain: David Letterman will have a late-night TV show somewhere. And wherever it is, he'll be unhappy with his network bosses.

        If he goes to ABC, we will lose a national treasure. Not all the shout shows on cable can make up for the loss of Ted Koppel's Nightline.

        Day ends: Any Day Now, the inter-racial drama, concludes four seasons with a two-hour show Sunday (9 p.m., Lifetime).

        Ultimate show: Ultimate Albums premieres with a look at Def Leppard's 1983 Pyromania (9 p.m. Sunday, VH1). Contact John Kiesewetter by phone: 768-8519; e-mail: jkiesewetter@enquirer.com.
       

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