Aftermath: ABC News Owns Thursday Primetime: Koppel To Host Special Shows

ABC News is sandwiching President Bush’s Thursday night address with an examination of the “systemic breakdown in the response to the hurricane” and an exploration of “America’s preparedness for other potential catastrophic events.” That means the network is dedicating three primetime hours of coverage to the aftermath.

Ted Koppel will host an 8pm special edition of Primetime titled “Moment of Crisis: System Failure.” It will look chronologically at the first five days of Katrina. Koppel will focus on the “man-made disasters” of that week. Following the President, the 10pm Primetime will include reports on the government’s readiness for three other potential catastrophic scenarios: a pandemic outbreak of Avian Flu, a nuclear device detonation in a major American city, and a major earthquake in the San Francisco Bay region.

Nightline will also include reaction to Bush’s address…