Koppel goes to cable

Howard Kurtz is reporting that Ted Koppel has agreed to a deal with the Discovery network, which has agreed to hire nine members of his Nightline staff, including executive producer Tom Bettag. Koppel left Nightline in November, the program he debuted in 1980.

Koppel was reportedly close to signing a deal with HBO, but was lured to Discovery to produce documentaries and town hall meetings.

Earlier: New Nightline debuts

Updates:

• Philadelphia Inquirer: Let us pray it is a marriage made in heaven
• Washington Post: Why Koppel turned down HBO