John A. Walsh was named executive editor of ESPN in December 1990. He oversees all studio and informational programming, and is involved in the creative development of a variety of projects including The ESPYs. He oversaw the launch of the ESPN Radio Network in January 1992 and was instrumental in developing the news and information elements of ESPN2. Walsh previously served as the managing editor for ESPN from January 1988 to December 1990, and was responsible for the editorial content of all informational programming including SportsCenter, ESPN's flagship sports news program. Walsh has extensive print and broadcast journalism experience in both sports and news. He was the founding editor of the original Inside Sports magazine (1979-82), and has served as managing editor of U.S. News and World Report (1985-86) and Rolling Stone (1973-74). He has held a number of editorial positions at Newsday (1970-1973), including sports editor; worked as sports editor of the Columbia Missourian (1967-70), and was an editor at the Washington Post style section (1977-78). He has been the editor of three sports books, including The Helsman: A Symbol of Excellence, published in 1984. In addition, he has served as a consultant for several publications, including Esquire magazine (1982-83), Vanity Fair magazine (1983-84), the New York Times Sunday Sports Part Two magazine (1985) and Special Report magazines published by Whittle Communications. Walsh had been a consultant to ESPN from July 1987 to January 1988. His television experience includes consultancies to CBS Sports NFL Today program (1986-87 season) and with TV on a PBS documentary on the 1976 Super Bowl.

John A. Walsh Senior Vice President and Executive Editor of ESPN

Under Walsh, ESPN's news and information programming has won 14 Cable ACE Awards and 22 Sports Emmy Awards, including six for the network's Outside the Lines series which examines sports issues off the playing field. Walsh earned a bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of Scranton in 1966 and received a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in 1968. In 1991, he received the Frank J. O'Hara Award from the University of Scranton's National Alumni Association, recognizing his sustained achievement in the communication field. A native of Scranton, PA, Walsh was born January 13, 1945, and is married with two children.

 

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