The two anchors of “PBS News Hour” have been giving a lot of thought to the news they deliver, but also to the audience that’s receiving it.
“I don’t think enough people know that our viewership is evenly split among conservatives, independents, progressives,” says Geoff Bennett, one of the co-anchors of the long-running program that was once known as “The McNeil-Lehrer News Hour.” In an era when audiences have become polarized, the show has also focused on “exploring every issue from every possible angle,” says Amna Nawaz, who leads the program with Bennett. “It’s the kind of thing I think our audience craves.”
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Nawaz and Bennett will be considering such issues more frequently now that they have each taken on a managing editor role at the program. The title was previously held by Judy Woodruff, whom the duo succeeded in early 2023. Nawaz and Bennett take on the responsibilities after recent contract renewals for each that will keep them at the helm of the PBS news mainstay for a multi-year cycle, according to two people familiar with the matter.
“These new titles of co-managing editor reflect the way Amna and Geoff work with each other and the staff. Their editorial input is reflected in all aspects of our program,” says Sara Just, senior executive producer of “PBS News Hour,” in a statement. “I am so grateful to partner with them both as we consider the daily challenges for journalism and our newsroom.”
They take on their new duties as public-media outlets — and mainstream press as well — comes under intense scrutiny during the Trump administration. Brendan Carr, who now heads the Federal Communications Commission, has made plain his interest in trying to cut off government funding of PBS and NPR, and has launched an investigation into whether the on-air nods they make to corporate sponsorship are appropriate.
“NewsHour” has long been seen as distinct from its evening-news counterparts on ABC, NBC and CBS. The show tends to spend more time on individual stories and offers more analysis and investigation. At times, there is also some of the heat that viewers see from cable. Nawaz, for example, has in recent weeks pressed members of Congress and foreign dignitaries on the effects of tariffs or budget decisions.
The pair believe an ongoing expansion by “News Hour” into digital venues is helping the show reach new and younger audiences. “There’s a new focus on being everywhere, not just the TV show,” says Nawaz. When it comes to the program’s digital venues, including YouTube, “it’s not your typical broadcast demographic that’s coming to us,” she adds. “It’s people who are increasingly watching in the many ways that we all consume news. I cut the cord a long time ago and only stream all my content, and I think that’s what a lot of people are increasingly doing.”
The nightly audience for the broadcast component of “News Hour” is about 1.9 million viewers. But video views across new-media venues are rising. Average monthly video views from YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok came to 85.2 million in the fourth quarter, up 130% compared with the year-earlier period. Metrics for the program’s reach on social has also increased during that time
Two “News Hour” segments are getting new emphasis as the program seeks to cultivate a digitally-savvy audience. The “PBS News Hour” series “On Democracy” which examines challenges to the nation’s laws and institutions through conversations with people from across the spectrum of ideas, is expanding. And the show’s regular exchanges between Jonathan Capehart and David Brooks — one progressive and one conservative — are proving popular online.
The focus on digital isn’t going to pull the co-anchors away from the due diligence they give to daily coverage. They want to focus on “really deepening our analysis, our reporting, our investigative work and ensuring that we provide not just today’s headlines, but also the context that helps viewers really understand the forces shaping our world,” says Bennett.
