Jim Avila, a veteran broadcast journalist whose investigative reporting earned him numerous prestigious awards during stints at both NBC News and ABC News, died on November 13, 2025, after a long illness. Sources vary on his age, with reports indicating he was either 69 or 70 years old.
ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic announced Avila’s death internally to network staff. “Jim was a gifted journalist and a generous colleague,” Karamehmedovic said in an email. The network president extended condolences to Avila’s family, expressing gratitude for “his many contributions and unwavering commitment to seeking out the truth.”
According to NBC News correspondent Josh Mankiewicz, a friend and former colleague, Avila died from complications from a fall at Providence Hospital in Mission Viejo. He had been in hospice care for six weeks prior to his death.
Avila joined ABC News in 2004 and spent nearly two decades with the network before departing in 2021. Based in Los Angeles, he specialized in politics, justice, law and consumer investigations. He served as a senior law and justice correspondent and later became a correspondent for the network’s newsmagazine program “20/20.” His career at ABC was marked by coverage of some of the nation’s most high-profile legal cases, including the trials of Jerry Sandusky at Penn State, Michael Jackson, and O.J. Simpson.
From 2012 to 2016, Avila served as White House correspondent during President Barack Obama’s second term. During this assignment, he broke the news that the United States and Cuba had reopened diplomatic relations. This reporting earned him the prestigious Merriman Award from the White House Correspondents Association, one of the most distinguished honors in presidential journalism. The award recognizes excellence in presidential news coverage under deadline pressure.
Throughout his distinguished career, Avila accumulated numerous accolades for his work. Reports indicate he won two National Emmy Awards, though sources vary on the exact number of other honors, with some indicating he received five Edward R. Murrow Awards. His reporting also earned him the Cine Golden Eagle Award, given for excellence in film and video production. Reports indicate the National Association of Hispanic Journalists named him Reporter of the Year in 1999, and he was later named a 2019 Hall of Fame honoree by the same organization.
Before joining ABC News, Avila worked as a national correspondent for NBC News beginning in 2000. During his tenure at NBC, he covered some of the most significant news events of the early 21st century, including reporting from the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. He also reported from conflict zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, demonstrating the range and depth of his journalistic capabilities.
Avila’s roots in journalism ran deep. He was the son of Jim Simon, a radio executive who helped pioneer the news-talk format at KABC in Los Angeles. Avila grew up in Lombard, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. His brother Jaie works as a reporter, continuing the family’s tradition in broadcast journalism.
After leaving ABC News in 2021, Avila briefly retired before returning to journalism. In December 2023, he joined KGTV, the ABC affiliate in San Diego, as a senior investigative reporter. Even after his health challenges began, ABC News President Karamehmedovic noted that Avila “continued to contribute to journalism through opinion writing and local reporting, sharing his experience and deep curiosity to tell the stories that mattered most to his community and viewers.”
The role of broadcast correspondents like Avila has been essential in bringing national and international news into American homes for decades. Their work often requires working under intense deadline pressure while maintaining accuracy and fairness, particularly when covering sensitive political developments or high-profile legal proceedings. Avila’s career exemplified this tradition of deadline journalism combined with investigative depth.
Avila’s coverage extended beyond trials and political reporting. He reported extensively on immigration issues, making several trips to the southern border to document immigrant stories. He also covered civil unrest in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray, demonstrating his commitment to covering stories with social significance and impact on American communities.
The kidney transplant that Avila received from his brother represented both a medical challenge and a testament to family bonds. Organ transplantation from living donors, particularly family members, often provides better outcomes than donations from deceased donors, though recipients must manage lifelong immunosuppression and potential complications. The transplant allowed Avila to continue his journalism career for several more years.
Avila is survived by his three children: Jamie, Jenny, and Evan. According to some reports, he also had two grandchildren. His legacy in broadcast journalism spans multiple networks and decades, covering some of the most important news stories of his era. From local television stations to the White House press corps, Avila built a career characterized by thorough reporting and dedication to seeking the truth.
The news of Avila’s death was shared on ABC News Live by anchor Diane Macedo, who detailed his extensive history with the network and praised his courage in facing health challenges. His passing marks the loss of a respected voice in American broadcast journalism, one whose work informed millions of viewers across multiple decades and major news events.