Ted Koppel

Ted Koppel is an American journalist, broadcast news anchor and author. He is best known for hosting the nationally syndicated program “Nightline” on ABC for more than 25 years. Koppel has written several books throughout his career and has won numerous awards for his work including five Peabodys, the DuPont-Columbia Award, the George Foster Peabody Career Achievement Award and the National Press Club Award.

Koppel was born on February 8, 1940 in Lancashire, England. His parents were German Jews who had fled Nazi Germany in 1935. After attending Dulwich College, Koppel earned a degree from Syracuse University in 1962. He began his career as a reporter for WMCA-AM Radio in New York before broadcasting for BBC’s post-war program, “We the Jury.” Koppel eventually moved to television and became an anchor at ABC’s “World News Tonight.” In 1980, Koppel was chosen to host “Nightline,” the news program covering international and domestic issues. During his tenure at “Nightline”, Koppel made headlines when he conducted an exclusive interview with Saddam Hussein in Baghdad.

In addition to his work in broadcast journalism, Koppel is an accomplished author. He wrote his first book, “In Search of War” in 1965, which was an account of the Vietnam War. His other works include “Off Camera: Private Thoughts Made Public” in 1999, “The Race: An account of The 2000 Presidential Election” in 2003 and “Turning the Tide: A 365-Day Journey from Resignation to Retribution” in 2009.

Koppel’s most recent book, “Lights Out: How One Man’s Battle With An Unstoppable Force Unexpectedly Turned Into A Journey Of Discovery” was published in 2016. In the book, Koppel explores the dangers of an increasing reliance on the internet-based technology infrastructure and the growing potential for terrorist attacks that could send the nation into a total electronic blackout. He examines the potential long-term physical and economic damage which could result from such a blackout and shares personal stories about how it would be felt by millions of Americans.

Throughout his career, Koppel has demonstrated a commitment to objective and fair reporting. His work has been widely praised for his ability to cover complex topics with clarity and insight. He has written several books and his most recent work, “Lights Out: How One Man’s Battle With An Unstoppable Force Unexpectedly Turned Into A Journey Of Discovery” was well-received by critics and readers alike. His important contributions to journalism and to the nation make Ted Koppel an admirable author whose work should be appreciated and remembered.