Sam Champion is leaving ABC News for the Weather Channel, where he will anchor a new morning show and and serve as managing editor.
The job will move him to Atlanta from New York City, where he has worked for ABC News since joining WABC in 1988. In 2006, he moved up to “Good Morning America.”
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“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to do what I love most at a network that lives and breathes the weather. The Weather Channel is currently undergoing an incredible renaissance, having recently rebranded its look and feel and transformed the way it presents the weather,” said Champion (pictured in his royal Halloween costume).
“While it is an extremely difficult decision for me to leave ABC and my ‘GMA’ family, I look forward to combining my interest in weather reporting and decades of experience to continue making The Weather Channel the premier destination for the more than 46 million weather enthusiasts and beyond. My ABC family could not have been more supportive and gracious during this transition,” he added.
Ginger Zee will take over Champion’s duties at “GMA” and across ABC News, ABC News president Ben Sherwood said.
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“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 Weather Channel president David Clark. “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.’”