Brinkley Quits As ‘This Week’ Host

Mon., Oct. 21, 1996

From Wire Reports

David Brinkley, the sonorous Southerner who has been a network anchor or host for 40 years, will step down as the host of ABC’s “This Week With David Brinkley” Nov. 10, the Sunday after the presidential election.

The 76-year-old Brinkley said in an interview that he will continue to provide an expanded commentary on the Sunday morning public-affairs show and also plans to do several historical documentaries for ABC News.

“I’ve basically done only two programs on television: ‘Huntley-Brinkley’ for 14 years and ‘This Week’ for 15 years,” said Brinkley, who co-anchored NBC’s top-rated nightly newscast with Chet Huntley from 1956-1970.

“I told ABC that I could go on forever doing what I’ve been doing, but I decided that I want to do something different.”

ABC did not immediately announce a successor to Brinkley, but network sources said that longtime panelists Cokie Roberts and Sam Donaldson will be named soon as co-hosts of “This Week.”

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