Sam Champion Leaving 'Good Morning America' For The Weather Channel
The weatherman, who joined "GMA" in 2006, will be the new face of the Weather Channel.
"Sam is already one of the top names in morning television, as well as one of the country's most respected and trusted weather reporters," said David Clark, President of The Weather Channel, in a press release this morning. "He will add a great deal to our network and be a great addition to our already proven and stellar team of talented weather professionals. With his commitment to understanding, predicting, and explaining the power of weather in our lives, Sam perfectly embodies The Weather Channel's brand philosophy, 'It's Amazing Out There.'"
Champion himself added, "Robin, George, Lara and Josh are the best friends and colleagues you could hope for. I'll always cherish the two and a half decades at ABC."
ABC News president Ben Sherwood sent this memo to staffers on Monday morning (via HuffPo):
I'm writing with important news:
Our friend and colleague Sam Champion is leaving ABC News for a new opportunity at the Weather Channel. He will become the on-air face of the network, appearing as a host and serving as managing editor. Sam calls it a once in a lifetime opportunity.
For 25 years, Sam has been a vital member of the ABC News family -- joining powerhouse station WABC in 1988 and GMA in 2006.
Over the years at GMA, Sam has broadcast more than 1,800 weather forecasts. He has traveled to almost every major weather event in the U.S. As many of you know, Sam's "Go" bag is always ready and his stellar reporting during Superstorm Sandy contributed to ABC's Peabody Award for coverage of that historic storm.
Sam has broadcast live from a raft floating between polar icebergs, danced the salsa on "Despierta America" and interviewed countless newsmakers, celebrities and chefs. On his show "Sea Rescue," viewers have shared Sam's passion for marine animal rescue, rehabilitation and release.
While there is no replacing Sam, we are in excellent hands with his storm chasing partner of the last few years, meteorologist Ginger Zee, who will take over his weather responsibilities at GMA and across ABC News. As you know, Ginger always rushes straight toward the eye of any storm and weaves cutting-edge science with human emotion to elevate our coverage.
GMA will celebrate Sam's last day on Wednesday's program. While he is leaving ABC News, he will always be a part of our family.
Please join me in thanking Sam for his friendship and countless contributions to our news division. And let's all wish him the very best and say so long for now.
Ben