ABC News correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi is joining Showtime’s “60 Minutes Sports” as a contributor, TVNewser has learned.
The move is something of a homecoming for Alfonsi, who had been a correspondent and anchor for CBS News before leaving in 2008 for ABC. CBS News’ “60 Minutes” co-produces “60 Minutes Sports,” the sports newsmagazine that airs on its sister network Showtime.
Alfonsi has been a New York-based correspondent at ABC since 2008. She was an anchor for CBS affiliate WBZ-TV in Boston before joining the parent network.
At ABC she recently worked on the network’s “Made in America” series, as well as a year-long investigation on “Generation Meds.” Those two efforts were noted in an email ABC News president Ben Sherwood sent to staff this afternoon (read it after the jump).
Alfonsi is the second high-profile ABC correspondent to depart in the last few weeks. The network’s White House correspondent Jake Tapper announced his move to CNN last month.
Sherwood email:
From: Sherwood, Ben
Date: January 14, 2013, 4:46:01 PM EST
To: #ABCTV News ALL
Subject: Sharyn AlfonsiI writing with news about one of our colleagues.
Sharyn Alfonsi is leaving ABC News to join the team at “60 Minutes Sports” on Showtime.
Sharyn is a talented journalist whose passionate reporting has made its mark at ABC News.
Her year-long investigation with Diane on over-medicating of America’s foster children helped open the eyes of parents across the country and led to changes in policy.
Sharyn’s contributions to the Emmy-nominated “Made in America” series, notably her report on U.S. Olympic uniforms made in China, sparked a national conversation and a pledge to make the next US team uniforms in the United States.
Please join me in thanking Sharyn for her many contributions to ABC News as we wish her the very best.
’60 Minutes Sports’ announcement:
SHARYN ALFONSI JOINS “60 MINUTES SPORTS”
Veteran reporter and former CBS News Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi has been named a contributor to 60 MINUTES SPORTS, the new sports magazine that premiered on SHOWTIME® on Jan. 9.
Alfonsi comes from ABC News where she was a New York-based reporter for five years who appeared regularly on all of the division’s platforms. For “World News Tonight,” she revealed that uniforms to be worn by U.S. Olympic athletes last summer were made in China. Reporting for “Nightline,” she showed the often cruel world of the puppy mill industry, exposing factory-like breeding facilities in the Amish country of Pennsylvania.
As a correspondent for the CBS EVENING NEWS, Alfonsi covered wars and was the lead reporter on many domestic and international stories for the Network, including the school shootings at Virginia Tech. In 2006, she reported from the Israel-Lebanon border covering the war with Hezbollah and later, the violence in Gaza. Alfonsi also covered the war in Iraq.
Other big stories Alfonsi covered for CBS News include Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita and the Sago Mine Disaster in West Virginia. She has served as substitute anchor for the CBS EVENING NEWS weekend edition and appeared regularly on CBS NEWS SUNDAY MORNING.
Before being promoted to correspondent, Alfonsi was a freelance correspondent for the CBS EVENING NEWS weekend edition, UP TO THE MINUTE and CBS NEWSPATH, the Network’s 24-hour news service (December 2003-July 2004).
Alfonsi came to CBS News from the CBS-Owned station WBZ-TV in Boston, where she covered the Catholic Church sex-abuse scandal, the Michael Skakel trial, the historic Rhode Island nightclub fire and served as substitute anchor.
Prior to that, she was a reporter for KIRO-TV, the CBS affiliate in Seattle, Wash. (1998-2000), where she covered the World Trade Organization riots. Alfonsi was also a general assignment reporter for WVEC–TV Norfolk, Va. (1995-97), where she traveled extensively with the military. She began her career in broadcast journalism at KHBS-TV Ft. Smith, Ark. (1994-95).
Alfonsi grew up in McLean Va. She graduated from the University of Mississippi, Oxford, where she was a James Love Scholar and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science and journalism studies.
60 MINUTES SPORTS is the product of a unique agreement between 60 MINUTES and SHOWTIME Sports® and is the first time original 60 MINUTES segments have been produced for a cable network. The program is co-executive produced by CBS News Chairman Jeff Fager and 60 MINUTES Executive Editor Bill Owens with SHOWTIME Sports.