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Dan B. Harris, a presenter who has held various positions at ABC News over the past two decades and co-hosted the weekend show of “Good Morning America,” retires from the sustained news operation by Disney.
He plans to leave in two months, he told viewers of Sunday’s show.
“It was a tough decision for me,” said Harris, noting the constant demands of running Ten Percent Happier, an entrepreneurial media company he focused on meditation. “It’s been a lot of juggling and although I’m a public supporter of work / life balance, if I’m being honest I’ve had a hard time following my own advice.” Harris told viewers that Kim Godwin, president of ABC News, and Peter Rice, president of general entertainment content at Walt Disney Co., had agreed to release him earlier from his current contract.
Harris in 2019 stepped back from his duties as co-host of ABC News’ “Nightline”, citing similar reasons.
ABC News has focused on airing “GMA” on weekends in recent years, adding a new time on Saturdays and gaining permission for the program on additional stations.
Harris was candid about how meditation helped him avoid harmful thoughts and behaviors. In 2004, as he recounted, Harris was filling out o “GMA” and was about to deliver a headline update when he felt his heart start to beat faster and couldn’t finish the. segment. He began to explore the potential causes of panic attack with a psychiatrist and was also assigned to cover topics related to faith. Later, Harris says, he began to rely more on meditation.
A graduate of Colby College, Harris began his career working in New England media outlets including WLBZ in Bangor and WCSH in Portland, both like the college, based in Maine. He joined ABC News in 2000. He was named weekend co-host on “GMA” in 2010 and co-host on “Nightline” in 2013.
Harris isn’t the first TV news anchor to express a desire to explore other business as the company continues to run through a particularly intense news cycle. Maureen Maher, a veteran CBS News “48 Hours” contributor, left the program earlier this year to pursue a master’s degree in religious studies at Chicago Theological Seminary. Lynn Smith, a longtime presenter for sites such as NBC News and HLN, recently left the company and is offering services as a media trainer.
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