ABC Names Bashir, McFadden, Moran Co-Anchors of 'Nightline'

Oct. 17, 2005 — -- Martin Bashir, Cynthia McFadden, and Terry Moran have been named co-anchors of "Nightline," ABC News President David Westin announced today.

The three will assume anchor duties Monday, Nov. 28, with Moran in Washington and McFadden and Bashir in New York. McFadden will continue to anchor and report for ABC News "Primetime," where she has had a role since 1996, and Bashir, who joined ABC in 2004, will continue to report for the news magazine "20/20."

Expanding its format to multiple news topics each night, "Nightline" will be produced live from its studios in Washington and ABC's Times Square Studios in New York. Ted Koppel, who has been anchoring the program since its inception in 1980, departs ABC on Nov. 22 after 42 years at the network.

"Building on the great legacy of 'Nightline' as we go forward to the next era is both a challenge and an exciting opportunity. Cynthia McFadden, Martin Bashir, and Terry Moran bring the combination of intelligence, experience, and perspective that can ensure that Nightline's future is every bit as bright as its past," Westin said.

"I am delighted and honored to be working with such an accomplished team of journalists," said "Nightline" executive producer James Goldston. "These are three of the most talented journalists working in television. They will bring an incisive and distinctive edge to our journalism in the great tradition of 'Nightline'."

Moran, ABC News' Chief White House Correspondent since 1999, is currently the anchor of "World News Tonight Sunday." As White House correspondent, he reports on all aspects of the Bush administration for ABC News platforms and has traveled widely covering President Bush's domestic and foreign trips. As a key member of the ABC team covering the events of Sept. 11, Moran has continued to report on all aspects of the war on terror, and in November 2003 he traveled to Baghdad to report on the U.S.-led occupation and the insurgency against it. In covering Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign, Moran also reported on the subsequent legal battle for the White House.