The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that ABC News has hired former kidnap victim Elizabeth Smart to serve as a contributor.
According to the network, Smart will comment on missing persons cases. The now 23-year-old was abducted from her Salt Lake City, Utah, bedroom in 2002 and held for eight months.
"She’ll help our viewers better understand missing person stories from someone with the perspective to know what a family experiences when a loved one goes missing," ABC News spokesperson Julie Townsend said.
Townsend said ABC's news division has been in discussions with Smart for some time. She has spoken both publicly and in court about her ordeal and her family published a book which CBS adapted into a movie in 2003.
A spokesperson for ABC told CNN that Smart could be on the air within a matter of weeks.
The announcement comes at the same time that ABC is touting a two-hour news special to run on Sunday about another famous kidnap victim, Jaycee Dugard.
Dugard was abducted in 1991, held for 18 years and gave birth to two children by her captor. She has written a book, "A Stolen Life," which is soon to be published and will share her story with ABC's Diane Sawyer during the special.
Elizabeth Smart, who was kidnapped at age 14 and was held by a Salt Lake City street preacher for nine months in 2002 and 2003, has joined ABC News as a paid contributor.
An ABC spokeswoman said Thursday that she will “help our viewers better understand missing person stories from someone with the perspective to know what a family experiences when a loved one goes missing.”
ABC said that its staffers had been in talks with Ms. Smart about the position for “quite some time,” and that she could appear on the network in the coming weeks.
The surprising hire was first reported Wednesday night by The Daily Beast, which asked, “Other than fame — as the victim of a horrifying crime — what exactly are her qualifications?”
ABC News has hired Elizabeth Smart, who was kidnapped as a teenager in 2002 and held captive for nine months, as a contributor.
Smart is slated to appear on multiple ABC platforms, including such programs as "Good Morning America" and "Nightline." She is expected to come on the air in the next few weeks.
"She'll help our viewers better understand missing person stories from someone with the perspective to know what a family experiences when a loved one goes missing," said ABC communications veep Julie Townsend. "And her contributions will be focused on looking ahead, not looking back at her own story."
According to the network, Smart will comment on missing persons cases. The now 23-year-old was abducted from her Salt Lake City, Utah, bedroom in 2002 and held for eight months.
"She’ll help our viewers better understand missing person stories from someone with the perspective to know what a family experiences when a loved one goes missing," ABC News spokesperson Julie Townsend said.
Townsend said ABC's news division has been in discussions with Smart for some time. She has spoken both publicly and in court about her ordeal and her family published a book which CBS adapted into a movie in 2003.
A spokesperson for ABC told CNN that Smart could be on the air within a matter of weeks.
The announcement comes at the same time that ABC is touting a two-hour news special to run on Sunday about another famous kidnap victim, Jaycee Dugard.
Dugard was abducted in 1991, held for 18 years and gave birth to two children by her captor. She has written a book, "A Stolen Life," which is soon to be published and will share her story with ABC's Diane Sawyer during the special.
Elizabeth Smart, who was kidnapped at age 14 and was held by a Salt Lake City street preacher for nine months in 2002 and 2003, has joined ABC News as a paid contributor.
An ABC spokeswoman said Thursday that she will “help our viewers better understand missing person stories from someone with the perspective to know what a family experiences when a loved one goes missing.”
ABC said that its staffers had been in talks with Ms. Smart about the position for “quite some time,” and that she could appear on the network in the coming weeks.
The surprising hire was first reported Wednesday night by The Daily Beast, which asked, “Other than fame — as the victim of a horrifying crime — what exactly are her qualifications?”
ABC News has hired Elizabeth Smart, who was kidnapped as a teenager in 2002 and held captive for nine months, as a contributor.
Smart is slated to appear on multiple ABC platforms, including such programs as "Good Morning America" and "Nightline." She is expected to come on the air in the next few weeks.
"She'll help our viewers better understand missing person stories from someone with the perspective to know what a family experiences when a loved one goes missing," said ABC communications veep Julie Townsend. "And her contributions will be focused on looking ahead, not looking back at her own story."
