Veteran Journalist Jim Avila Dies at 69

Jim Avila, a veteran broadcast journalist who covered major national events for ABC News and NBC News over a career spanning five decades, died Wednesday at his home in San Diego. He was 69.

Avila had battled a long illness, according to announcements from ABC News, where he worked for 17 years until 2021. He underwent a kidney transplant donated by his brother in 2020 and faced his health challenges with courage, as noted by network colleagues. ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic informed staff of the death in a memo Thursday, describing Avila as "a gifted journalist and a generous colleague" whose reporting spanned politics, justice, law and consumer investigations. "We thank him for his many contributions and unwavering commitment to seeking out the truth," Karamehmedovic wrote.

Avila's career began in 1973 as managing editor at KCBS Radio in San Francisco, where he later became bureau chief. He transitioned to television in 1976 at KPIX in San Francisco, serving as weekend anchor and San Jose bureau chief. By 1980, he had moved to Chicago, working as a general assignment reporter for ABC-owned WLS and later as a political reporter and anchor at CBS-owned WBBM.