Will ELLEN Get NIGHTLINE Show? ABC Says NO!

(From The New York Post)

ELLEN DEGENERES had secret meetings with ABC executives to fill the late-night void that TED KOPPEL will create when he retires in December after 25 years as host of NIGHTLINE, a source tells THE NEW YORK POST's PAGE SIX.

Conventional wisdom was that ABC would tap a host with a hard-news background to replace Koppel. ANNE SWEENEY, president of DISNEY/ABC TELEVISION, said back in April the network's news division would be given first crack at developing a program to air in the post-Koppel era, which is still slated to be called NIGHTLINE.

But a network insider tells PAGE SIX that ABC has not abandoned the idea of hiring a host who could square off against JAY LENO and DAVID LETTERMAN in the late-night ratings war -- and has indeed reached out to the popular DeGeneres, who recently signed a six-year deal to continue her EMMY-WINNING daytime chatfest.

"There have been meetings with DeGeneres going on for a while," insisted our snitch. "If news can't come up with something, this is something they are exploring as a possibility."

The secret negotiations could spell doom for JIMMY KIMMEL, whose struggling midnight talk show would be cancelled should ABC and DeGeneres agree on a deal.

But reps for both DeGeneres and ABC pooh-poohed our insider's assertions.

A spokeswoman for DeGeneres told us -- "Ellen has not had any meetings or conversations with ABC and she has a long-term contract with TELEPICTURES," which owns her daytime show.

"Ellen is not aware of any overtures from ABC or anyone on their behalf. What you're telling me is news to Ellen."

And an ABC spokesman scoffed -- "NIGHTLINE is staying right where it is at 11:35 pm after Ted leaves. The Ellen rumor is total baloney."

DeGeneres recently told PEOPLE MAGAZINE that she signed a contract to host her daytime show for six more years.

"I could see doing it longer," DeGeneres elaborated. "OPRAH's done it a long time, and Leno and Letterman and (JOHNNY) CARSON. At some point the dancing isn't going to be cute anymore. Like, when I have a walker."