Jim Avila

James Joseph Simon (July 26, 1955 – November 12, 2025), known professionally as Jim Avila, was an American television journalist who worked as the Senior Law and Justice Correspondent for ABC News. He worked at various stations throughout his career and won several awards for his efforts in investigative reporting.

Early life Avila was born James Joseph Simon in Los Angeles on July 26, 1955, to James and Eva (née Avila) Simon, and grew up in the Chicago suburb of Lombard, Illinois, where he graduated from Glenbard East High School. His father also worked in broadcasting, as a host and executive in talk radio. Avila used his mother's maiden name during his career to pay tribute to his Mexican ancestry.

From 1994 to 1996, Avila was the investigative reporter for local NBC station KNBC in Los Angeles, where he covered the murder trial of O. J. Simpson. Avila would later go on to cover Barack Obama's second term as president.

In 2012, ABC published a series of reports discussing the safety of Beef Products Inc. beef products. In these reports Avila frequently referred to the trimmings used as "pink slime". This led to a defamation lawsuit against ABC that was settled for around $177 million.

Awards Avila received various awards throughout his career. He won two national Emmy awards, for his work on the O. J. Simpson trial and the 1997 Red River flood. In 1999 he received the Reporter of the Year award from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. He also obtained a Cine Golden Eagle Award and five Edward R. Murrow Awards.