Champion to exit ABC News for The Weather Channel

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) — "Good Morning America" weather anchor Sam Champion is leaving ABC News to join The Weather Channel.

Champion will anchor the network's new flagship morning show, which is set to debut in early 2014, The Weather Channel president David Clark said Monday.

Based at The Weather Channel headquarters in Atlanta, Champion will also assume managing editor responsibilities at the network.

"With his commitment to understanding, predicting and explaining the power of weather in our lives, Sam perfectly embodies The Weather Channel brand's philosophy, 'It's Amazing Out There,'" Clark said.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/sam-champion-exit-abc-news-weather-channel

---

This Oct. 17, 2012 photo shows Sam Champion, the weather anchor of ABC's "Good Morning America" program in New York's Times Square. Weather Channel President David Clark announced Monday, Dec. 2, 2013, that Champion will anchor the network's new flagship morning show, which is set to debut in early 2014. Champion, who will be based at the Weather Channel headquarters in Atlanta, will also assume managing editor responsibilities at the network. His last day on "GMA" is Wednesday. He had been on that program since 2006. He joined local New York station WABC in 1988. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

And by going to the Weather Channel, Champion will be on the same network with Al Roker, weatherman on NBC's competing Today Show.

Last year, Champion revealed he was gay and then married shortly before Christmas. Champion and Anderson Cooper were two major media figures to come out last year.