ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, October 21, 1996 TAG: 9610230008
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: JOHN CARMODY THE WASHINGTON POST
David Brinkley, a giant of television news over the past three decades, announced last week that he is stepping down as moderator of ABC's ``This Week With David Brinkley'' after the Nov. 10 edition.
The broadcast will mark the 15th anniversary of the public affairs series, which was created for Brinkley when he joined ABC in 1981. That move followed a pioneering 38-year career at NBC News that included a famous 14-year partnership with the late Chet Huntley on the weeknight ``Huntley-Brinkley Report'' and made Brinkley, one of the medium's first newsmen, a Washington institution.
Brinkley, 76, said he is not leaving the Sunday show, and will continue with an expanded version of his current program-ending commentary. ``We'll replace it with a serious piece of journalism,'' he said, ``maybe with an introduction and some video, rather than just a closing joke.''
He said he is also committed to anchoring longer programs for ABC News, including a series on U.S. presidents of the 20th century (``most of whom I've known'') and documentaries on Adolf Eichmann and the separatist movement in Quebec.
``I've been in television since before it began, and I've had only two jobs in 30 years,'' Brinkley said. ``This summer was my 22nd national convention and that's cruel and unusual punishment, so I began looking around for something else to do and I discussed it with Roone [ABC President Arledge] and he agreed to let me do this.'' Brinkley said he was also tired of waking up at 5 a.m. Sundays to get ready for the broadcast.
``This Week'' regulars Cokie Roberts and Sam Donaldson, who have subbed for Brinkley several times in recent weeks, will be named co-moderators of the program, network sources said. An announcement is expected later this month, at which time a new title for the series could also be revealed.
Brinkley's decision to change his pace follows some months of concern at the network over the state of his health. Colleagues had privately expressed worry over his sometimes drawn appearance, but last Wednesday he said, ``My health is perfect.''
Early this year, Brinkley underwent exploratory surgery to examine a spot on his lung. Speaking in that unique, clipped style that dozens of correspondents have tried without success to emulate, Brinkley said, ``The doctors thought it could be cancer. They sent me to a lung specialist. It did not turn out to be cancer. I've been recovering from perfect health ever since.''
Still, in late summer Brinkley told TV Guide that he would step down after the 1997 inauguration, and network management was certain he planned a change right after the election.
Arledge left the decision up to Brinkley. Arledge, who worked with him many years ago at NBC, has always had a special regard for Brinkley and wooed him away from NBC after Brinkley had a falling-out with a new management. Brinkley quickly established the new ``This Week'' hour as the most-watched of the Sunday morning talk shows, a field that had been dominated since 1947 by NBC's ``Meet the Press.''
Brinkley began his journalism career at a North Carolina newspaper and came to Washington in 1943, when he joined NBC News (after a promised CBS job fell through). He started at the top in the wartime capital, covering Franklin D. Roosevelt's weekly White House news conferences as a writer for radio.
In 1956, Brinkley gained the top rung of the still-young TV news world when he was teamed with Huntley to cover the political conventions. The partnership led to the start later that year of ``The Huntley-Brinkley Report,'' which attracted viewers for 14 years and made their nightly sign-offs - ``Good night, David; good night, Chet'' - a part of the language.
After Huntley's retirement in 1970, Brinkley did commentary, anchored his own documentary series, ``David Brinkley's Journal,'' and was teamed with John Chancellor on ``Nightly News'' briefly. Then his career seemed to be on hold at NBC, leading to a bitter feud with then-NBC News president Bill Small, which prompted departure for ABC.
In recent years Brinkley has written several books in addition to performing his on-air duties. Last year ``David Brinkley: A Memoir,'' filled with wry humor and some surprising sentimentalism, was published. Next month, his latest book, ``Everyone Is Entitled to My Opinion,'' will be released.
Asked last week to survey TV news in 1996, Brinkley said, ``I don't even recognize it now. Since it began, we've added brilliant technology - satellites, color, all the new cable and broadcast channels - but it all adds up to a little red wagon. There's just not that much talent to fill - how many is it, 80? - channels 24 hours a day, day after day. We'd use up all of William Shakespeare in a week.''
LENGTH: Medium: 85 linesby CNB