“Nightline” To Devote Show To Reading Names of Iraq War Dead

Posted on April 28, 2004

The ABC News program Nightline has announced that Friday night’s broadcast will consist entirely of anchor Ted Koppel reading the names of all the soldiers killed to date in Iraq. The soldiers’ pictures will be shown when their names are read.

While “Nightline” and other U.S. TV news broadcasts have reported regularly on those killed in Iraq, “Nightline” executive producer Leroy Sievers said: “We realized that the casualties were on their way to becoming just numbers.”

“‘The Fallen’ is our way of reminding our viewers — whether they agree with the war or not — that beyond the casualty numbers, these men and women are serving in Iraq in our names. and that those who have been killed have names and faces,” said Sievers.

Due to time constraints in the 30-minute program, “Nightline” will limit its reading to the approximately 523 U.S. troops killed in combat since the start of the war. Another 201 have died as a result of accidents, friendly fire or suicide.