ABC News’ Paula Faris will leave her roles of Good Morning America Weekend co-anchor and co-host of The View at the end of the broadcast season. She spent four years at GMA, joining in August 2014, and nearly three at The View, joining the ensemble program in August 2015.
Faris isn’t departing the network; in fact, she recently signed a new contract. But she will be taking on a new role contributing breaking news stories across all ABC News programming, and is also getting ready to launch a new podcast on faith.
A source tells TVNewser the role change was Faris’ decision. She has three small kids with whom she wants to spend more time on the weekends, and this new role will give her the opportunity to do just that.
Faris has conducted a number of high-profile interviews, including with Sean Spicer, Kim Davis and Tavis Smiley, and covered a wide array of events in politics, sports and entertainment, and the Royal Wedding.
TVNewser obtained ABC News president James Goldston‘s internal memo to staff:
Team,
I’m writing with exciting news about our colleague Paula Faris, who will take on a new role for us in the fall.
She’s expanding her reporting portfolio to cover the most consequential stories of the day, help lead the charge on breaking news and focus on key bookings. She’ll continue to be an important part of the GMA family and appear across all of ABC News, and she’s gearing up for the launch of a podcast on faith to explore what unites people of all backgrounds even in these divisive times.
To have time to cover stories in-depth, Paula will leave the weekend editions of GMA and The View at the end of this season. In four years at weekend GMA and three seasons at the Hot Topics table, Paula has played an important role at both shows, offering an insightful and intelligent take on the big stories of the day. She’s been instrumental to their success. The View is delivering its biggest audience in four years, and GMA Saturday is on pace to take the top spot for the 6th year in a row.
A versatile journalist and superb broadcaster, she’s delivered key newsmaking interviews, from Sean Spicer and Kim Davis to Tavis Smiley, and covered a wide array of events in politics, sports and entertainment, and, memorably, this year’s royal wedding.
She has a keen understanding of stories that resonate with our audience, and we’re looking forward to even more great work ahead.
We’ll plan proper send-offs for Paula at weekend GMA and The View in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, please join me in wishing Paula the best of luck in her new assignment.
James