The “PBS NewsHour” will likely be getting new owners in the coming weeks. The public-TV stalwart, which has had some troubling months, even as it expanded to the weekend, is in talks with Washington DC public TV station WETA about assuming control of the program, the New York Times reports.
The last six months have been extremely important for the program. In June, it laid off staff and closed down its domestic bureaus, citing a slowdown in corporate revenue and changing technologies. In August, it named Judy Woodruff and Gwen Ifill co-anchors of the program, the first time two women have helmed a network evening newscast. Last month it launched a weekend edition of the program, anchored by Hari Sreenivasan, and produced by New York public TV station WNET.
The “NewsHour” was founded as “The MacNeil/Lehrer Report” by Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehrer, whose names adorn the production company that produces the program. Lehrer was involved in the program into this year, even as he officially retired in 2011.