U.S. journalist Koppel joins BBC's 'World News America' team

By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Veteran U.S. television journalist Ted Koppel has been named as a contributing political analyst for the BBC's internationally broadcast "World News America" program.

Koppel's new relationship with the BBC adds to his growing list of journalistic ventures since leaving ABC News in November 2005 after 25 years as host of the network's venerable "Nightline" broadcast.

Koppel, 68, joined U.S. cable television's Discovery Channel in 2006 as a producer and host of in-depth documentary programs, including a four-part series debuting on Wednesday on the effects of capitalism in China.

He also has deals to provide periodic commentary for The New York Times and to serve as a senior news analyst for National Public Radio.

In his new capacity as contributing analyst on the "BBC World News America" team, Koppel will "offer his expertise on major international and national news stories, including the 2008 presidential election race," the BBC said in a statement.

Producer Sarah Robbins said Koppel's presence on the nightly newscast would likely increase during the Democratic and Republican national conventions this summer and in the run-up to the U.S. presidential election itself.

"BBC World News America," based in Washington, D.C., is a nightly newscast carried on both the BBC America network and BBC World News channel around the world.

Robbins said Koppel had appeared on the program three or four times in the spring, and "this cements that relationship with the program moving forward on an ongoing basis."