LATE NIGHT

Nightline Cedes Six Minutes to Kimmel

News program still has more viewers than comedian competitors.

The start of another late-night war? Shortly after celebrating 30 years on the air, ABC’s Nightline is shortening its show by six minutes, giving more time to Jimmy Kimmel Live, the show broadcast immediately after. Starting February 3, Nightline will only be 25 minutes long, so Jimmy Kimmel Live will start at midnight on the dot, rather than 12:06 a.m. (Kimmel will gain those six minutes and still end at 1:06 a.m.) The move is part of Kimmel’s contract extension. Nightline will be reformatted to adjust for the change, and ABC is planning a 13-episode Nightline in Primetime series this year. Nightline, which started as a series of specials anchored by Ted Koppel during the Iran hostage crisis, still averages more viewers a night than its direct competitors, NBC’s Tonight Show and CBS’ Late Show With David Letterman.