It's official. Nightline's newmulti-anchor format will feature Martin Bashir and Cynthia McFadden in New York and Terry Moran in Washington.
Those will be their relative base of operations, with each getting equal co-anchor status, according to Nightline spokeswoman Emily Lenzner, but they will be doing a lot of traveling as well, she said. When there is a big Washington story, the show will be anchored and produced from there, she added.
McFadden and Bashir will do double duty, with McFadden continuing to anchor and report on Primetime and Bashir to report for 20/20.
ABC says the show will be produced live from Washington and Times Square, though sources say the main studio will be in New York.
ABC plans to name a new chief White House correspondent by the time Moran co-anchors his first show Nov. 28. In the meantime, he will continue to cover the big stories from Washington.
Nightline anchor Ted Koppel's last broadcast is Nov. 22, when he will leave the network after 42 years to become an independent producer along with Nightline vet Tom Bettag.
Moran has been chief White House correspondent and anchor of World News Tonight Sunday.
Word on Moran from some Nightline D.C. staffers is that he is excellent to work with, a collegial pro who has gotten high marks internally for his anchoring and doesn't mind working until it's right, but without the huff and put-upon of some news egos.
