Classy exit for Koppel

It was one of the classiest exits from a television news broadcast: Ted Koppel closed out his 26-year Nightline run last night by exerpting interviews he did with Morrie Schwartz the Lou Gehrig's victim of Tuesdays with Morrie fame. Then he ended the broadcast with a warning: give my successors a chance, or ABC will replace Nightline with a comedy program.

TV Newser has a transcription of Koppel's final thoughts and yesterday's Nightline e-mail.

The Washington Post's Tom Shales writes about the final broadcast and Koppel's accomplishments.

Boston Globe columnist Joan Vennochi writes that Koppel was "the best TV anchor I never watched."

The New York Times' Alessandra Stanley salutes Koppel for "eschewing the kind of self-referential pomposity that most anchors thrive on."

The AP's David Bauder adds a few details: Most of Tuesday's show was taped ahead of time, with Koppel writing and taping the final thoughts just yesterday. Also, his Nightline studio is being abandoned in favor of a new one under construction (in the same building) for Moran, et al.

Finally, the Baltimore Sun's David Zurawik notes the massive transition in network television news this past year.

Earlier: Koppel's last broadcasts