George Watson, former ABC News Washington bureau chief and vice president, passed away this morning peacefully in his home at the age of 86.
What’s Happening:
- ABC News president Kim Godwin sent a note to the news division on the passing of George Watson this morning.
- Throughout George’s long and storied career, he had many roles at ABC News. He first walked through the doors in 1962 as a radio news writer. He served as correspondent and bureau chief in Moscow and London, where he covered major events in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
- His reporting for the 1971 ABC News documentary, Terror in Northern Ireland, won the Overseas Press Club Award for Best Foreign Affairs Documentary.
- After returning to the United States, George was named ABC News’ White House correspondent. Soon after, he became Washington bureau chief and vice president, a role he held two different times, spanning 12 years total.
- He also worked as vice president in New York, where he was the first network executive responsible for overseeing the policies, standards and practices for news programs, and developed and produced the award-winning program Viewpoint.
- In 1980, George spent a year at CNN. He was also director of the Committee to Protect Journalists for a decade and a longtime member of the National Press Club.
- He graduated from Harvard University, where he was managing editor of The Harvard Crimson and received a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.