PBS NewsHour national correspondent John Yang has been named the new anchor of PBS News Weekend.
Yang begins his new assignment on Saturday, Dec. 31, taking over from Geoff Bennett, who is moving to anchor the weekday edition of PBS NewsHour alongside Amna Nawaz.
In making the announcement, Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President, and C.E.O. of WETA and President of NewsHour Productions, L.L.C., said, “With his distinguished background in journalism and his dedication to high standards of the NewsHour, John is the ideal anchor for this important program. We are committed to providing thoughtful coverage and analysis 365 days of the year, and with John at the helm of our PBS News Weekend, our audiences will continue to be well-served.”
Yang has been with PBS NewsHour since 2016, joining as a national correspondent covering the 2016 presidential campaign and, later, the Trump administration’s first year.
He moved on to cover the Supreme Court and other major national issues from the nation’s capital and across the country, a role he will continue to perform alongside his new weekend duties.
Yang said, “Now more than ever, in-depth, independent reporting is critical to a healthy, vibrant democracy. It’s an honor to take on this role and continue working with the NewsHour’s team of incredibly talented, committed journalists. I’m grateful and humbled to be entrusted with this responsibility.”
Prior to joining PBS NewsHour, Yang was a Chicago-based correspondent for NBC News, and before that, he worked for ABC News in Washington and Jerusalem.
Yang’s appointment brings to an end the musical chairs that took place at PBS NewsHour as a result of long-time anchor Judy Woodruff opting to step aside from her anchoring duties at the end of the year.