Jim Avila, a longtime national news correspondent at outlets like ABC News, has died at the age of 69 after an extended illness.
Avila worked in a variety of roles for ABC News during his tenure. He served as the Senior Law and Justice Correspondent for the network, worked as a Los Angeles-based correspondent for 20/20, covered the White House during the Obama administration, and also anchored World News Saturday during his tenure.
“Jim was a gifted journalist and a generous colleague,” ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic said in an email to staffers.
During his storied career, Jim Avila earned a Merriman Award from the White House Correspondents Association for breaking the news that the United States had begun diplomatic relations with Cuba during the Obama administration. He earned two National Emmy Awards and won five Edward R. Murrow Awards during his career.
In 1999, he was named the Reporter of the Year by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. In 2019, he was inducted into that organization’s Hall of Fame.
He also spent time at NBC News, and worked at KNBC in Los Angeles, where he covered the O.J. Simpson murder case extensively, often breaking news related to the case.
After stepping away from his duties with ABC News in 2021, Avila wrote a weekly column for Barrett Media, before ultimately rejoining the television ranks on the local level at ABC10 in San Diego, hoping to train the next generation of television journalists. He also briefly rejoined the Barrett Media brand earlier this year before stepping away due to his health challenges.
“Jim Avila was a consummate professional who I was proud to have contribute to Barrett Media,” Barrett Media President Jason Barrett said. “He was honest, passionate about politics and journalism, and struck a connection with our readers, elevating our credibility in the news media world in the process. My condolences to his family, friends, and all who had the pleasure of working with him. He was an outstanding person and journalist.”
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