It's time someone said it: Disney (NYSE:DIS) is one dumb mouse.
For a quarter-century, the company's ABC network housed perhaps one of television journalism's most respected voices: Ted Koppel. But apparently, ABC never quite realized what a good thing it had. A few years back, the company tried to ditch Koppel and his famed Nightline broadcast, attempting to replace it by poaching funnyman David Letterman from CBS (NYSE:CBS). We all know how badly that turned out.
Readers of this column last week also know what an impression that episode left on Koppel, and what result entailed for ABC. Koppel fled screaming last month, and he has now hopped into the waiting arms of Motley Fool Inside Value pick Discovery Holding (NASDAQ:DISCA). There, he will produce further award-winning documentaries and full-length news specials for a company that recognizes and appreciates real talent -- hopefully, for years to come.
Now, considering how little respect Disney has for news, perhaps it hasn't yet seen the following item. So just in case the execs at the House of Mouse did miss it, I'll cite it right here: Ted Koppel has jumped the media divide. Finally out of his ABC contract, the news star is free to sign deals with whoever appreciates his talent -- Discovery for one, and, as we learned today, The New York Times (NYSE:NYT) for another.
He has just signed a deal with the nation's "paper of record" to write op-ed pieces for its expanded opinion pages. It doesn't even appear that Koppel has been roped into a regular schedule that he must fill. Rather, the newspaper was happy to get as much of Koppel's time as he is willing to spare. It will let him write op-eds "periodically" -- meaning, when he's in the mood.
As MarketWatch commented it a report today, "Koppel appears to be jumping at the opportunities available to him now." If so, "Koppel, Inc." may continue its deal-making ways. Who's up next?
Will XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ:XMSR) cede Howard Stern and the low ground to rival Sirius (NASDAQ:SIRI) and respond by pulling in the highbrow audience with a Koppel-on-the-radio show? Viewers fed up with the trio of also-rans who are jostling for Koppel's chair on what's left of Nightline can only hope.
Discovery is a recommendation of Motley Fool Inside Value , and XM Satellite Radio is a Motley Fool Rule Breakers pick. You can check out either newsletter at no risk to you. Just click on the links to start your free trial!
Fool contributor Rich Smith has no position in any of the companies mentioned in this article.
