NEW YORK (AP) – ABC News has appointed a veteran British broadcast journalist as its chief executive behind “Nightline,” the news show that faces changes later this year with anchorman Ted Koppel’s departure.

James Goldston, who joined ABC News in 2004, will replace Tom Bettag, who’s departing with Koppel. Goldston reportedly beat out a Washington-based producer, Sara Just, who has been supervising some on-air prototypes of a new “Nightline.” She’ll remain second in command.

ABC News is expected to revamp “Nightline,” which has lost viewership and influence in recent years.

“It is a show with a rich and vibrant heritage, and I’m very much looking forward to working with everyone at “Nightline’ to maintain and enhance its reputation in the years ahead,” Goldston said in a statement.

Two days a week, when Koppel is off, “Nightline” has been experimenting with a multi-topic show, counter to its long tradition of usually covering a single topic each night.

ABC has used several of its correspondents as hosts.

on those nights, perhaps an on-screen auditions: John Donvan, Chris Bury, George Stephanopoulos, Dan Harris, Jake Tapper, Bob Woodruff, Chris Cuomo and Cynthia McFadden.

Before joining ABC, Goldston was the executive producer of Britain’s most popular current affairs program, “Tonight with Trevor McDonald,” on ITV1. He produced a series of documentaries, and presided over the show’s coverage of the Iraq war.

In his career, he’s also produced the BBC’s “Newsnight,” considered a descendent of “Nightline.”

AP-ES-07-28-05 1403EDT