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ABC Gives Jimmy Kimmel Midnight Slot, Trims Nightline

Jimmy Kimmel Live will move up its start time by five minutes, ABC announced Thursday.Beginning Feb. 4, the late-night talk show will begin at midnight instead of 12:05 a.m. ET. The move trims Nightline, which begins at 11:35 p.m. ET, to 25 minutes from 30 minutes. Watch clips from Jimmy Kimmel LiveTo compensate for the shortened time, the newsmagazine ...

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Joyce Eng

Jimmy Kimmel Live will move up its start time by five minutes, ABC announced Thursday.
Beginning Feb. 4, the late-night talk show will begin at midnight instead of 12:05 a.m. ET. The move trims Nightline, which begins at 11:35 p.m. ET, to 25 minutes from 30 minutes.

Watch clips from Jimmy Kimmel Live

To compensate for the shortened time, the newsmagazine will get 13 prime-time specials this year, ABC News President Ben Sherwood said in a staff e-mail released by the network."Both Nightline and Kimmel are valuable franchises for ABC for different reasons, and in discussing the shift, [Disney/ABC Television Group chief] Anne Sweeney told me: 'This is a strategic move that better leverages the strength and value of both Nightline and Jimmy Kimmel Live for our network,'" Sherwood said.

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The move, he continued, "gives Jimmy the chance to leverage that strong lead-in more effectively with a quicker connection to late-night viewers."

Kimmel recently extended his contract for two years, which will take his show through its 10th season.