Ted Koppel Takes Himself Out of the Running for Meet the Press

In recent weeks, as NBC executives continue to search for a long term replacement for the late Tim Russert as the moderator of Meet the Press, several TV news insiders have speculated to the Media Mob that Ted Koppel was a possibility.

So much for that.

Today, TV Newser has an interview with Mr. Koppel in which the veteran newsman more or less shoots down that possibility.

"That's the kind of thing that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me," Mr. Koppel told a Russertian-sounding Gail Shister. "They need to find somebody younger than Tim, not older than Tim. He was 58. I'm 68. I just don't think it's realistic.

"If I were to do something like that, it could only be for a relatively short period," he added. "I don't think that would suit either NBC or me."

In the meantime, Mr. Koppel is keeping busy. In addition to gigs for the Discovery Channel and NPR, it was announced yesterday that Mr. Koppel will be joining BBC America as a contributing analyst.