PBS NEWSHOUR Co-Anchors Geoff Bennett and Amna Nawaz to Lead Breaking and Special News Coverage
ARLINGTON, VA; Nov. 6, 2023 — A year out from Election Day, PBS announced a broad schedule of news, public affairs, and documentary coverage of the 2024 presidential election. The slate is headlined by Geoff Bennett and Amna Nawaz leading the PBS NEWSHOUR’s coverage of the 2024 presidential election for the first time as co-anchors. The NEWSHOUR team, including White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López, who is covering the Biden campaign, and Capitol Hill correspondent Lisa Desjardins, who is covering the Republican race, will offer its signature thorough and balanced coverage of the American political process, including the 2024 Republican and Democratic primaries, conventions, and general election, and Senate, House, and gubernatorial races across the country, with reporting and analysis from Washington and in the field.
NEWSHOUR anchors, correspondents, and reporters will co-moderate local debates, produced in partnership with local stations throughout the country. NEWSHOUR’s coverage is amplified by its reporting efforts online and across its social platforms as well as on PBS NEWS WEEKEND, anchored by John Yang.
Viewers will find the daily reporting complemented by the Friday evening staple series, WASHINGTON WEEK with The Atlantic, which recently announced Jeffery Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic, as the new moderator for the venerable program. Each week, Washington Week features a roundtable of journalists from print, broadcast, and online news organizations who provide analysis of the week’s major national news stories and their impact on the lives of Americans.
PBS will also be the place to find context and compelling explorations of the most consequential moments on the 2024 campaign trail with coverage from FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER and FRONTLINE’s “The Choice” along with its investigative Local Journalism Initiative. In addition, PBS will provide a wide variety of programs, including films and independent series covering the election across multiple platforms through both national and local perspectives.
“Americans have turned to PBS as a timely and trusted source of news and public affairs content for more than 50 years,” says Sylvia Bugg, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager. “PBS is committed to extensive, thoughtful, and all-encompassing reporting on the local and National level covering every facet of the 2024 election.”
Along with providing content that can’t be found anywhere else, the election season will find PBS taking the initiative to reach new audiences. FRONTLINE has announced the pilot season of FRONTLINE Short Docs — a new, streaming original series crafted for young adults. In-depth, yet digestible, FRONTLINE Short Docs aim to cut through the noise and misinformation often found on social platforms. Audiences can watch the episodes on FRONTLINE’s YouTube channel and on the PBS App.
Throughout the election cycle, the conversations on AMANPOUR AND COMPANY will continue to assess what's at stake in 2024 - from the deep political divide facing the nation, to the economy, jobs, voting rights, culture wars and the threats to democracy itself. Each interview will provide critical analysis, context, and perspective leading up to election day and in the days that follow.
The first set of special programming includes:
PBS NEWSHOUR: America at a Crossroads with Judy Woodruff
Premieres: Tuesday, Dec. 19, 9 p.m. ET
At a time of heightened partisanship, declining trust in institutions, increased political violence, and rapid social change, Judy Woodruff explores the forces driving Americans apart, and asks people from all walks of life and all political persuasions what might be done to reverse these worrying trends. The special will also spend time looking at solutions -- engaging academics and civic leaders to talk about strategies that seem to be working, and to find out what more can be done to reconnect Americans across partisan division and build stronger communities.
A Citizen’s Guide to Preserving Democracy
Premieres: Tuesday, Jan. 2, 10 p.m. ET
A special presented by THE WNET Group’s Preserving Democracy reporting initiative based on Dr. Richard Haass’ best-selling book "The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens." Through interviews and real-life examples, Hari Sreenivasan and Dr. Haass explore how Americans are working towards strengthening democracy and renewing the spirit of a more informed and engaged citizenry.
INDEPENDENT LENS “Breaking the News”
Premieres: Monday, Feb. 19, 10 p.m. ET
Frustrated by a broken news media system, a group of women and LGBTQ+ journalists launch The 19th*, an unprecedented digital news startup dedicated to combatting misinformation. Challenging the status quo, the 19th* aims to elevate voices often left out of mainstream news. Breaking the News captures honest discussions at The 19th* around race and gender equity, revealing change doesn’t come easy.
FIRING LINE: COUNTING THE VOTE
Premieres: Tuesday, July 30, 10 p.m. ET
In this documentary, Margaret Hoover embarks on a journey to explore the varying voting systems across the United States. Her aim is to examine the states that have the most efficient and inclusive voting systems, while shedding light on states facing shortcomings and challenges in their voting process. Through personal stories and expert voices, FIRING LINE seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the most powerful tool in our democracy.
Additional programs coming later in 2024:
Conventions
PBS NEWSHOUR coverage of the Republican and Democratic conventions
Airdates:
Republican- July 15-18, 2024 in Milwaukee
Democratic- August 19-22, 2024 in Chicago
FRONTLINE’s The Choice: VP (w/t)
Premieres: Tuesday, September 24 at 9 p.m. ET
FRONTLINE extends its critically acclaimed series “The Choice” with investigations of the vice presidential candidates.
FRONTLINE’s The Choice
FRONTLINE’s critically acclaimed series “The Choice” returns with interwoven investigations of the two presidential candidates.
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “A Heartbeat Away: Succession Planning In The White House” (w.t.)
What happens when the president is unable to serve due to death or incapacity? This film explores the fraught period between 1963 and 1976, when a grief-stricken, then scandal-stricken America was forced to confront the purpose of the vice president and the succession process through the evolution of the 25th amendment.
VOCES “Battleground Texas”
On the eve of the upcoming 2024 Presidential election, filmmaker Hector Galan takes viewers inside the largest Latino voter registration mobilization in Texas history, led by a new generation on the frontlines of one of the most crucial battleground states that neither political party can ignore.
More programs will be announced as plans further develop. For more information on upcoming PBS election coverage, visit www.pbs.org/explore/civics.
About PBS
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Jason Phelps, PBS; jbphelps@pbs.org
Meredith Tiger, PBS; mjtiger@pbs.org
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