Will Kimmel Move to Earlier Time Slot?

And the late-night musical chairs continue.

ABC's television entertainment division has discussed moving Jimmy Kimmel Live from 12:05 am to the 11:30 pm time slot now held by Nightline, sources told the The New York Times.

ABC denies any conversations, but sources say the Kimmel move was discussed at length and could happen later this year. The move could create serious conflicts between the network's news and entertainment divisions. It was unclear if the ABC institution would change time slots or die. The show is one of the cornerstones of ABC's news programming.

Why move now? Because of the change a-brewin' at NBC. Longtime Tonight Show host Jay Leno will leave his show for a new prime-time series in the late summer, and Conan O'Brien, of Late Night, will replace Leno. Kimmel's shift could put a dent in the Tonight Show's ratings.