"It varies with respect to whether they are running for national public office or when a private citizen becomes a part of a crisis," he said. "[The private citizen] didn't choose to be news items. This is where we need to be much more sensitive."
The English-born Koppel said presidential candidates' families are fair journalistic game when the candidate "injects their wife or children into the campaign even for the most harmless reasons."
"If you don't use them for politics, I won't use them for journalism," he said.
Aware that his career is not everlasting, Koppel said he thinks there are dozens of capable journalists in network television today that could take his place.
He said ABC would not need to find a Ted Koppel replica, but should hire someone who will bring things he could not.