<em>Nightline</em> Beats Leno, Letterman For First Time Since Katrina

For the first time since Hurricane Katrina overwhelmed the news airwaves two years ago -- and, for that matter, for the first time since Ted Koppel retired from network television shortly thereafter -- ABC's "Nightline" drew more viewers in a week last week than the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Late Show with David Letterman" according to Nielsen estimates provided to a reporter this morning by ABC.

While both "Tonight'' and "Late Show'' were in repeats last week, a casualty of the Hollywood writers' strike, the ratings performance of "Nightline'' was nonetheless a milestone in the post-Koppel era. Even before the strike began Nov. 5, "Nightline,'' which is broadcast live each night, had been making steady inroads on Mr. Letterman's audience in particular.

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