ABC's Nightline is dead. Think of the week's news. Then look at this.

[Bozita]

Looking forward to Bill Maher tonight.

From the show's email:

Tonight on 'Nightline'

Sept. 15, 2006 --

BLACK DAHLIA It is one of the most famous unsolved murder cases in this country's history. The Black Dahlia. Named for the woman who was gruesomely murdered in 1947 on a street in Los Angeles. Brian DePalma has taken the James Ellroy book and turned it into a move that premieres tonight in theaters around the country. But as you'll find out from contributing correspondent Chris Connelly, Ellroy's story is intertwined with his own life as he comes to grips with the brutal murder of his mother in Los Angeles in 1958. It's a fascinating story about personal obsession and art.

LIBEL TOURISM

We know where to go to get away from it all: Great food and sights in Paris, beautiful beaches in Thailand, the Great Wall in China. But how about when you want to go out and sue someone for libel. Well, Belfast, Northern Ireland, is the vacation destination for you! Correspondent Nick Watt traveled to Belfast recently, and he'll explain why the place that is much more famous for its fighting between Catholics and Protestants is now the place to go for an easy libel suit -- and you can get a good "fry" on the side.

THE SKINNY ON FASHION

The Spanish government believes models are too thin. It says their thinness is unhealthy and sets a bad example, and the government has made it an issue of public health. So they set a weight limit for their beauties on the catwalk. The Italians scream that it's ridiculous, and thus, the most recent controversy in the fashion world unfolds. Correspondent Nancy Weiner went behind the scenes at a New York fashion show to see what the fuss is about. It's our Sign of the Times.

We hope you'll join us.

Gerry Holmes, Senior Producer
& the "Nightline" staff
ABC News Washington Bureau

[blm]

1. Investigative news reports are DEAD to America - just as planned

by the fascists who have spent the last twenty five years buying up control of the broadcast and print media.

[JI7]

2. yup, isn't htis the show that hired that guy who did the Michael Jackson

interview. that British guy.

nightline use to do forums on things like the middle east conflict with people from both sides and the audience full of of people from the area.

[Eric J in MN]

6. Sheldon Drobny (founder of AAR) wants to revive

...investigative journalism.

He's founded the "4th Estate Society" for that.

Unfortunately, he's not a billionaire, and so he'll need to attract other rich people to do it.

http://4thestate.org

[pdxmom]

3. Obviously their senior producer went to the "Larry King School of

Pathetic Journalism".

[WCGreen]

10. Drop the journalism....

And leave the Pathetic.

[TomInTib]

4. Shudder...

That is worse than bad.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

5. From the network that also fired Bill Maher....

n/t

[Bucky]

7. What kind of crap is that? Models...

... they're supposed to be thin!

or am I missing a larger point here?

[Erika]

8. I haven't clicked on ABC since the Path to 9/11 debachle

and I won't.

[bliss_eternal]

16. Same here.

glad to read I'm not the only one. :hi:

[CarlVK]

9. Bread and circuses.

In ancient Rome, when the authorities didn't want the worsening news of the empire to trickle too far into the consciences of the citizenry, they just upped the distractions. Bigger, better Colleseum shows. Bigger better and more bacchanalian parties. Fluff. Pap. Fashion shows.

History repeats itself with the circular consistency of the lunar orbit.

[SoCalDem]

11. Dear Gerry Holmes..

Thanks for the heads up, but ... I'll pass"..

like I have passing on Nightline, since it became video People Magazine.

Nightline used to be the place for indepth discussions..REAL discussions of important issues..

What it's turned into is drivel.....

sorry..

no sale..

[otohara]

12. Extension of Entertainment Tonight

We must know the answers to these burning issues!!:sarcasm:

[Berry Cool]

13. Seeing as how "The Black Dahlia" is a Universal Pictures release,

I'm not sure why ABC is plugging the competition so heavily. NBC, yeah, I can see them doing it.

Oh, wait (hitting self on head). It's about a beautiful young woman who was gruesomely murdered. DUH!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. Nightline has been crap for years

When it DOES cover substantive issues, it's almost always from the establishment point of view, lots of reiteration of conventional wisdom, very little real information.

There are a few exceptions, such as the coverage of Katrina, but remember that Nightline originated as nightly coverage of the Iranian hostage situation, even when there was nothing new to report. I wonder what role it played in Carter's defeat.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

15. They should change the name of the show to "Fluffline."